Audi S1 ​​e-tron Hoonitron – Greetings from Ken Block

Audi has been surprising me time and time again lately. Next to Audi RS Q e-tron With the S1 e-tron Hoonitron, another very special electric car has now been introduced, which is sure to cause quite a stir with Ken Block as the driver.

Most people are probably familiar with the name Ken Block, as a full-time rallycross driver has already caused several viral hits on YouTube for his videos. With 110 million views, GYMKHANA FIVE is probably his most popular video. If you don’t know it yet, here’s the corresponding video:

A few weeks ago, Audi announced that it was working with Ken Block. Honestly, I wasn’t expecting you to build him a brand new car, but that’s exactly what happened.

The S1 e-tron is reminiscent of the legendary Audi Sport quattro S1 from the popular Pikes Peak Hill Climb.

The S1 Hoonitron combines a lot of what Audi was already known for in the ’80s and ’90s. For example, the impressive aerodynamics of the car has now been translated into a completely modern form. I think it’s great that Audi designers have drawn inspiration from their past and brought the car’s unique technologies and looks into the present. Ken Block

Audi remains very cautious about exact technical data. Obviously, the S1 e-tron will offer two electric motors, all-wheel drive and also a carbon body. In addition, the vehicle must meet all FIA safety specifications.

The full technical development of the S1 e-tron took place at the Audi Sport in Neckarsulm, where the Audi RE e-tron GT was also produced. The design comes from Ingolstadt and was the responsibility of Marc Lichte and his design team.

When we first heard about this project, the whole team was immediately excited: we had the opportunity to develop a car that would connect a symbol of our brand to the future. The goal was to create a modern, all-electric interpretation of the S1 Pikes Peak. The schedule was very tight: while our design process typically takes anywhere from a year to a year and a half, we only had four weeks from the first drawing to the final design. We were in frequent contact with Ken Block and his team and exchanged ideas extensively.

We will soon be able to see how well the Audi S1 ​​e-tron works in the next episode of Gymkhana videos titled “Elektrikhana”.

Personally, I am very excited about the video. I realize the car is very much a show car, of course, but unlike some hideous future design studies, the S1 e-tron will actually be used. I’m sure Ken Block’s video will be amazing again. Thus, Audi is creating another beacon project for e-mobility that has the opportunity to reach a large number of people. I’m sure the S1 e-tron as an electric car will also surprise and possibly convince hardcore combustion enthusiasts.

Ken Block says the following promisingly:

I know a lot of cars with internal combustion engines and transmissions, but I had to learn a lot from scratch here. It’s a whole new experience to go from sleep straight to a donut at 150 km/h – just with your right foot. We worked hard to get the car and I used to each other.