Search

Electrikhana film featuring US drift artist celebrates world premiere All-electric prototype developed and deployed by Audi Sport Spectacular shoot in Las Vegas with motorsport icons from Audi When US drift artist Ken Block releases his long-awaited Electrikhana video today, the Audi S1 Hoonitron will be featured as one of the principal performers: Developed and assembled at Audi Sport in Neckarsulm, the all-electric prototype that was styled by Audi Design taking cues from an Audi icon thrills viewers. The link to the film: YouTube.com/thehoonigans A drift along the famous Eiffel Tower, a spectacular jump from the parking deck of a neighboring hotel, or donuts on the legendary strip in front of spectating Le Mans legend Tom Kristensen: Ken Block, the Audi S1 Hoonitron, and other models from Audi Tradition’s collection of treasures made a splash during the night-time film shoot in Las Vegas. The US star in the Audi S1 e-tron quattro Hoonitron electrified the gambler’s paradise in Nevada’s desert for several days. Now Ken Block has released the cinematic product. “With the S1 Hoonitron we broke entirely new ground at Audi,” says Oliver Hoffmann, Member of the Board for Technical Development at AUDI AG. “Developing a fully electric prototype for the unique requirements of our partner Ken Block was a big and exciting challenge to which the whole team rose with flying colors. It is great to see how ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ is presented in an all-new environment.” The Audi S1 Hoonitron has two electric motors, all-wheel drive, power galore, a carbon fiber chassis, and fully complies with the safety standards of the FIA, motorsport’s governing body. Audi Sport developed it as a one-of-a-kind car exclusively for Ken Block. Its body shell, for which Audi Design led by Marc Lichte is responsible, immediately evokes memories of the legendary Audi Sport quattro S1 with which the four rings charged to the top in the famous Pikes Peak hill-climb race.

New 2.0 TFSI with 170 kW (231 hp) and 370 Nm (272.90 lb-ft) of torque, but just 7.0 liters per 100 kilometers (33.60 US mpg) From 0 to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 5.8 seconds First quattro drive in the small compact segment A great name makes a comeback: Audi is presenting the S1 and the S1 Sportback, the new flagship models in the compact A1 model line. Their 2.0 TFSI develops 170 kW (231 hp) and produces 370 Nm (272.90 lb-ft) of torque; the quattro permanent all-wheel drive and the extensively revamped suspension put the power effortlessly down onto the road. The Audi S1 and the S1 Sportback set the benchmark in their class for dynamic performance. Back in the 1980s an Audi S1 garnered a legendary reputation – it was the car that would see the brand dominate the World Rally Championship in its day. Now the abbreviation is coming back – but this time as a road-going version: the Audi S1 and the S1 Sportback constitute the new flagship models in the compact A1 model line, adding an entry-level version to the Audi S model portfolio. “The Audi S1 offers all the virtues of a sports car, great performance, direct handling and permanent quattro drive that puts the power to the road in a superior way,” says Prof. Dr. Hackenberg, Audi Board Member for Technical Development, adding: “The quattro drive has a large following of fans, which is sure to become even larger thanks to the offering in this segment.” A high-performance four-cylinder unit provides the drive. The 2.0 TFSI fitted with a turbocharger develops 170 kW (231 hp) and produces up to 370 Nm (272.90 lb-ft) of torque. The two-liter engine accelerates the Audi S1 and the S1 Sportback from 0 to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in 5.8 and 5.9 seconds respectively. The top speed is 250 km/h (155.34 mph). On average the sporty, sonorous TFSI consumes just 7.0 (33.60 US mpg) or 7.1 (33.13 US mpg) liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (162 and 166 grams CO₂ per kilometer [260.71 g/mile / 267.15 g/mile]) respectively.

All-electric Audi prototype wows audience of millions Behind the scenes of the filming of US drift star Ken Block in Las Vegas Facts and figures: How the S1 Hoonitron was developed The new Electrikhana film featuring the Audi S1 e-tron quattro Hoonitron and Ken Block has already been viewed more than four and a half million times in just three weeks. The comments are the proof: The S1 Hoonitron inspires. Visually, it is modelled on the legendary Audi Sport quattro S1, while technically it combines the highlights of Audi’s electric drivetrains from large-scale production and motorsport. Less than eight months after the start of the project, the Audi S1 Hoonitron had to be ready for the first test drives and the filming with Ken Block and his team – an ambitious task for the Audi Sport team in Neckarsulm and the Audi Design team. The result is more than impressive: since the release of the Electrikhana film three weeks ago, millions of people have been following the S1 Hoonitron drifting through the streets, casinos and parking garages of Las Vegas with Ken Block at the wheel. Facts and figures on a race car from Audi like never before. Well balanced – weight distribution and dimensions The weight distribution between the front and rear axles is almost equal at 52:48. The wheelbase is less than 2.4 meters, which is considerably less than the 2,563 millimeters of an Audi A1 Sportback, Audi’s entry-level model, for example. This increases agility when cornering, because the short wheelbase favors yaw moments, i.e. rotating around the vertical axis, which is very desirable in Electrikhana stunts. The suspension with McPherson struts on the front and rear axles and more than 200 millimeters of spring travel is designed for the extreme demands up to and including jumping crests. With this basic concept, the Audi S1 e-tron quattro Hoonitron has the ideal characteristics for drifting and for stunts on different terrains.

Appearance in Audi S1 EKS RX quattro at action sports event in the United States New rallycross competition with spectacular jumps Audi rallycross driver Mattias Ekström will take part in the Nitro World Games (September 22–23) in Salt Lake City for the first time. He will compete in the new rallycross event in an Audi S1 EKS RX quattro. Ekström will meet with top-class drivers from the rallycross series and popular U.S. action sports stars. The action sports event featuring freestyle motocross, BMX and inline skating, skateboarding and scootering that is popular in the United States fascinates a large number of spectators. The third running of the Nitro World Games is the first to include a rallycross competition. On the track built for the event at Utah Motorsports Campus some 50 kilometers west of Salt Lake City, Ekström will be pitted against rallycross drivers like Timmy Hansen from the World RX, but U.S. action sports stars such as Travis Pastrana and Ken Block, and U.S. Rallycross Champion Scott Speed are, like Ekström, aiming to claim the winners’ trophy as well. “Extreme sports have always been a different world for me. When Travis Pastrana, whom I know from the World RX and the Race of Champions, invited me I immediately accepted,” says Mattias Ekström. “This event is very popular in the United States and I’m looking forward to seeing the many cool athletes from other competitions, but, needless to say, I don’t want to just have fun but in the end take a trophy home as well.” “I’ve only seen the track itself on drawings so far,” says Mattias Ekström. “It largely consists of gravel, is very similar to a rallycross track and with its spectacular jumps offers plenty of suspense and action to the spectators.” At Salt Lake City, Ekström will be driving a first-generation Audi S1 EKS RX quattro fielded by the Belgian Comtoyou Racing team.

Audi S1 EKS RX quattro with new aerodynamics and new engine Audi provides technical support to Mattias Ekström’s rallycross team First racing event at Barcelona on April 14/15 From 2020 on, the FIA World Rallycross Championship (World RX) is planning to race with electric cars. Audi is currently considering a possible commitment. The technological potential of the current Supercars being fielded in 2018 and 2019 has not been fully exploited either. The new Audi S1 EKS RX quattro is a perfect example as it is superior to its predecessor in almost every area. Audi Sport is literally giving wings to the rallycross team of two-time DTM Champion and World Rallycross Champion Mattias Ekström. The complex rear wing of the all-wheel drive sports car is just one of the results of the intensified technical cooperation between Audi’s motorsport department and EKS Audi Sport. “Last season, we started providing factory support to Mattias Ekström’s team in the World RX,” says Head of Audi Motorsport Dieter Gass. “Now our engineers have been involved in the further development of the car for the first time as well.” With innovative aerodynamics concepts Audi was some crucial steps ahead of the competition in recent years with LMP sports cars and in the DTM. This know-how has now been fed into the second generation of the new Audi S1 EKS RX quattro. The new rear wing generates more downforce while concurrently reducing aerodynamic drag. The engineers have optimized the location of the cooling systems with maximum efficiency in mind as well. They are now supplied by air scoops in the roof and in the rear side windows. Compared with the first-generation Audi S1 EKS RX quattro, the technicians have changed the position of the two-liter four-cylinder turbo engine. This in turn entailed extensive modifications of oil management. This year, for the first time, an anti-lag system is used which maintains the turbocharger’s speed even when the driver lifts.

Tribute to the drifting legend who passed away in January Video shot in Mexico City shortly before the death of the US-American Electric Audi S1 Hoonitron with a special gimmick The death of drifting legend Ken Block shook the entire motorsport world at the beginning of January. The previously unreleased last episode of his famous drift videos is a tribute to the American. ‘Electrikhana 2’ was filmed with the Audi S1 Hoonitron in November 2022 – just a few weeks before the snowmobile accident in which Ken Block died at the age of 55. It was a matter close to the heart of the American’s family to complete and release the film in his memory. Ken Block’s fans can experience their idol one last time in breathtaking driving scenes and stunts with the Audi S1 Hoonitron. The all-electric prototype was developed by Audi Sport as a one-off exclusively for Ken Block. It has two electric motors, all-wheel drive, a total output of 500 kW, a carbon fiber chassis and the full safety standard of the highest motorsport authority, the FIA. Following the filming of the first Electrikhana episode in August 2022, the S1 Hoonitron was further developed in close collaboration with Ken Block. This included reducing weight, improving drivability and simulating gear changes. In the first episode, Ken Block drifted through Las Vegas with the Audi S1 Hoonitron. The spectacular video reached more than 100 million people worldwide via various channels. Electrikhana 2 was filmed in Mexico City. With 22 million inhabitants in the metropolitan area, the capital of Mexico is one of the largest cities in the world and offered the crew of the Hoonigan company, founded by Ken Block, fascinating locations – from the modern airport to a spiral-shaped parking garage.

Audi develops all-electric one-of-a-kind car for “Elektrikhana” video Legendary Audi Sport quattro S1 serves as the base for Audi designers Ken Block: “This project makes a dream come true for me” It instantly brings back memories of the legendary Audi Sport quattro S1 with which the four rings used to charge to the summit in the famous Pikes Peak Hill Climb event, aka the “Race To The Clouds:” Audi is presenting the Audi S1 e-tron quattro Hoonitron that has been exclusively and uniquely developed for American drift artist Ken Block. The all-electric one-of-a-kind car will be the protagonist in a new video that Block is producing together with his team for release in the next few months. “The S1 Hoonitron combines a lot of what Audi was already famous for in the nineteen-eighties,” says Ken Block, whose enthusiasm for Audi’s rally cars was sparked at an early age. “For instance, the car’s spectacular aerodynamics have now been translated into a totally modern form. I think it’s cool that the Audi designers have been inspired by their own past and uniquely transferred the car’s technologies and appearance into the present.” Two electric motors, all-wheel drive, power galore, a carbon fiber chassis, and the full safety standards as prescribed by motorsport’s top governing body, the FIA – these are merely the S1 Hoonitron’s statistics. In November, the driver got to know the car for the first time. “Audi gave me the opportunity to test it for a few days in Germany,” says Ken Block. “I’m familiar with a wide variety of cars using internal combustion engines and transmissions, but there were a lot of new things for me to learn here. Spinning into a donut at 150 km/h directly from standstill – just using my right foot – is an all-new experience for me. Our work was focused on getting the car and I used to each other. My thanks go to the whole Audi Sport squad for their outstanding teamwork.”

Experience history through vehicles from Audi’s historical collection, lectures at the Audi museum mobile, and events around the world From Aspen to Zwickau: Audi Tradition presents automotive treasures Audi Tradition is poised to participate in over a dozen international events in 2024 as the classic car season begins. Mainstays of the event calendar include the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England (July 11–14), two classic car rallies at Audi’s home sites – the Donau Classic (June 27–29) in and around Ingolstadt and the Heidelberg Historic (July 11–13) in Neckarsulm – as well as the Sachsen Classic in Dresden and Zwickau (August 15–17). For 2024, the Audi museum mobile, as always, has a varied program in store. In addition to special exhibitions on the history of aerodynamics, the museum of the brand with the four rings will continue its series of lectures and again take part in International Museum Day (May 19) and the Night of the Museums (September 7). For Audi Tradition, the 2024 event season kicks off early this winter: The Ice Race in late January in Zell am See, Austria, will be followed by the Bremen Classic Motorshow (February 2–4), where Audi Tradition will showcase a first-generation Audi RS 4 Avant at a joint booth with the Volkswagen Group brands. Visitors can head there for advice on spare parts for their classic cars. One weekend after the trade fair, Audi Tradition will be on the road in the Rockies and the Alps: An Audi 90 quattro IMSA-GTO and Michèle Mouton’s 1985 Audi Sport quattro S1 Pikes Peak will represent Audi Tradition at the Aspen Ice Race (February 8–10). The historic Histo-Monte winter rally will take place simultaneously, taking participants on the trail of the legendary Monte Carlo Rally. At the event, Walter Röhrl will pilot the Audi Sport quattro S1 E2, the original rally car he drove in the 1986 Monte Carlo Rally.