Ken Block has become incredibly popular as a rally driver. Since 2005, he has gathered quite a few awards for his accomplishments, starting with the Rally America's Rookie of the Year. But Block wasn't only successful in achieving outstanding results in racing over the years. He also became an advocate of the rally, using his influence and skills to raise awareness of the sport in the US.
Ken Block perfectly blended his racing talents and marketing abilities to create the Gymkhana series of videos that went viral instantly. Nine videos clocked over 500 million views, putting Block in the spotlight. The rally driver became even more popular, and he quickly formed the Monster World Rally Team and signed with Ford to drive and promote racing.
The changes are you've probably watched some of Block's videos and his wild stunts. You've likely also run into the widely popular Hoonitruck, the 1977 Ford F-150 heavily modified for the Gymkhana series. The Hoonitruck attracted the eyes of the public as soon as it got out four years ago. To refresh your memory of this outrageous ride, we present the best features of Ken Block’s Hoonitruck today.
The 1977 Ford F-150 Hoonitruck Packs A Ford GT Le Mans Modified Engine For Its Outrageous Performance
The Ford F-150 Hoonitruck made a grand premiere in Gymkhana 10. It goes without saying, the pickup truck went wild on Route 66 in Shamrock, Texas. Block drove on a tire-slaying route with a smile on his face (yes, we're jealous too), drifting and playing around the obstacles with the skills of a true rally driver. But the highlight of the Gymkhana and the Hoonitruck was achieved in China.
Block drove the Hoonitruck on the most dangerous road in China. He hit the Tianmen Shan Big Gate Road located within Tianmen Mountain National Park leisurely, going through curves swiftly and effortlessly. The entire stunt kept us at the edge of our seats, which can probably be said for most of the other 24 million viewers.
But what most of us wondered upon watching these videos was how it would be to drive such a wild pickup truck. Without a doubt, it would be a once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience. The Block's Ford F-150 pickup truck packs a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 EcoBoost engine from the Ford GT Le Mans race car. The modified engine puts out an incredible 914 horsepower and 702 lb-ft of torque. Who wouldn't enjoy that?
The Hoonitruck is equipped with a six-speed gearbox, a tube frame chassis, and a military-grade aluminum body. Block also starts his beast with a push of a button thanks to the remote start feature. Of course, these are only the basics of the unbelievable ride that is the Ford F-150 Hoonitruck, but all the mentioned features make this truck super exciting and appealing.
It's no wonder Block publicly expressed his love for the Hoonitruck on Twitter. He said this pickup truck is similar to the one he drove as a kid, which probably makes him sentimental about it. Still, the emotional part aside, the Hoonitruck is so powerful and capable that anyone would love it.
Hoonitruck And Its Wild Design: A Ford You've Never Seen Before
Besides the outrageous engine and overall performance, the Ford F-150 Hoonitruck also features aggressive styling that most rally enthusiasts would beg to see up close. Essentially, the Hoonitruck is the Ford pickup truck only in the name and the basic concept. Otherwise, it's completely modified, or so to say, developed from the tires to the roof.
Firstly, the Hoonitruck has an insane body, not only because of both terrifying and beautiful styling. The pickup truck features such a wide body (over 79 inches) that it can't be towed on a standard trailer. The development team made the Hoonitruck highly modular, so you can (or have to!) take the truck apart to transport it. Once you get it to the location, you can rebuild it on the spot.
So, the Hoonitruck has parts you can swap and take apart and bring together in no time. This flexibility is one of its best features. Furthermore, as we mentioned, the Hoonitruck offers aggressive styling. It's beautiful in that intimidating way, especially because of the fully packed truck bed.
When it comes to the interior, Ken Block's Hoonitruck looks like a spaceship. There's a carbon fiber dash and matching race seats, as well as a simple dashboard for pure practicality purposes. In the Hoonitruck, you can't get distracted from the road. We also like there's a backup camera, as it helps with the stunts (although we wouldn't recommend Block's feats to anyone at home).
All things considered, these amazing features we listed in the article make Ken Block's Hoonitruck a wild ride everyone would like to take for a spin. Unfortunately, after Ken Block and Ford went separate ways, the famous rally driver put his Hoonitruck on auction for about $1 million and already sold it.