Thursday 16th December 2021

Audi reveals quattro-inspired S1 Hoonitron

Electrikhana video is coming next year; here's what Kenny B will be driving

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If ever proof was required of a) how seriously Audi is taking its electrification push and b) how much sway Ken Block holds, then here it is. As part of the Block's deal with Audi, a new car has been built specifically for his upcoming Electrikhana video - this is the S1 Hoonitron.

Inspired by the Group B Sport Quattro, this latest Audi is built on a carbon chassis, with two electric motors, four-wheel drive (of course) and "power galore". An exact figure hasn't been released, but given the kind of cars featured in the old Gymkhana videos - up to and including a 1400hp Mustang - we can surely expect many hundred horsepower. The S1 Hoonitron has been built at Neckarsulm, just like the RS e-tron GT; the four-door grand tourer has 646hp already, so surely the one-off video star will have more than that. Block reckon the Hoonitron will go "into a donut at 150km/h directly from standstill", which sounds like the work of huge amounts of torque. And not much imagination.

 

Designed in just four weeks at Audi Design Ingolstadt, the Hoonitron's nods to the old Sport Quattro are clear: see those wild front and rear spoilers, a compact wheelbase and trademark box arches. The latest design cues for the electric Audis aren't forgotten, either, with the now-de rigueur light bar, a livery familiar from the RS e-tron GT reveal and a front end not a million miles from the production cars in the way the lights frame the grille. Only with a snow plough on the front and far more lights than is necessary - just like an old-fashioned rally car.

Block, understandably, is thrilled by the prospect of showing off what the S1 Hoonitron can do: "That Audi has now developed this car for me and my team, and has joined us in our next project, has made a dream come true for me. The Hoonitron is writing the next chapter in our history and taking our Gymkhana story into the future." Furthermore, although Audi is at pains to stress the Hoonitron is a one-off - down to captioning its press pictures with the message - the last word from designer Marc Lichte is encouraging. "The development of this car will encourage us to approach future projects with an even more open and progressive mindset." Who wouldn't be intrigued by a slightly less silly roadgoing version - the RS e-tron TT, perhaps? Anything like that, though, is of course; expect to see the S1 Hoonitron in action as the star of Electrikhana early in 2022.

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[Bobby Lee]

Looks like a giant trainer.

[redroadster]

Hope they add some sounds it needs to be noisy ??

[blackmme]

Why did continue to take photos when they wheeled the S1 in?
Surely anyone sensible would go “Oh my gawd this new thing looks absolutely terrible”

[jbforce10]

redroadster said:

Hope they add some sounds it needs to be noisy ??

It'll be the sound of all 4 tyres being tortured by torque for a couple of donuts, soon followed by the clicking sound of viewers selecting other YouTube links that are more interesting.

[Demonix]

Hmm, thought this was a bad scale Quattro model, then read the article. Am sure it will be fine for the usual tyre squealing Block fair but given the additional weight of the batteries I don't expect too much on the catching big air front. Are you sure Audi spent 4 weeks to come up with this? - think you might have been out by 3-4 decimal places.

[VTECMatt]

Looks like a hot wheels car.

[mrclav]

VTECMatt said:

Looks like a hot wheels car.

Fully agreed - that super short wheelbase always made the Quattro S1 looked like a Hotwheels car.

[Dohnut]

blackmme said:

Why did continue to take photos when they wheeled the S1 in?
Surely anyone sensible would go “Oh my gawd this new thing looks absolutely terrible”

S1 is hardly a “looker” though.

[swisstoni]

If only I was 9 again. But as I’m not,

[AdeBPH]

I wish it was the original Group B colours!

[AdeBPH]

I wish it was the original Group B colours!

[Jon_S_Rally]

jbforce10 said:

It'll be the sound of all 4 tyres being tortured by torque for a couple of donuts, soon followed by the clicking sound of viewers selecting other YouTube links that are more interesting.

I think that rather depends on the audience. For the old farts on here, that would probably be the case. Block appeals to a different audience to that though. Younger folk probably don't care as much and will watch it just because it's him.

[Limpet]

I think that car looks fantastic.

None of the subsequent gymkhana videos have lived up to the early one he did at l’Autodrome.

[rampageturke]

Looks good imo

this audi collab with ken is showing to be a good move

[anonymous-user]

I think that looks pretty slick to be honest, I see no correlation between it and the original but as a standalone entity I think it looks like a real weapon

[cookie1600]

Here's a far more fun electric Quattro:

[epom]

Its bonkers, people will have lots of gripes with it but fair play to Audi on building this, marketing ploy or not.

[J4CKO]

Dont like the new ugly car, only like the old ugly version I am comfortable with borne of 35 or more years of familiarity, for I am too old to like anything new and am stuck in the past, Group B, Duran Duran, Max Headroom, isnt it, Marvellous....

This change chaps, old ones are still around but there is a new thing as well, I look forward to the videos, and Hoonitron sounds like Jools Holland should present it.

[Marwood79]

Don't hate that. Although the splitter and wing protrusion is going to cause chaos with spatial awareness!

[solopb]

SCALEXTRIC-TRON