Nobody knows why exactly Ken Block hates tires so much, but there's no doubt that the head Hoonigan simply can't feel happy until he's burnt rubber on what seems like a daily basis. Block has spent the coronavirus pandemic getting in some good social distancing behind the wheel, from teaching his own 13-year-old daughter how to drift to hopping into an all-electric Mustang Mach-E and squealing tires to his heart's delight. But where the 1,400-horsepower Mach-E was built for track dominance, Ford's newest all-electric Fiesta build has been built for rally dominance—so Ken Block obviously had to climb aboard for a quick test run.
So Much Torque
By now, even the average automotive owner should know about the hardcore acceleration made possible by the instantaneously available torque of electric motors. But what fewer people probably realize is just how fun the electric drivetrain can sound—these aren't Priuses loafing through a Whole Foods parking lot. In fact, perhaps the best part of the video above might by the Fiesta ERX's banshee scream as Block pushes it well past the limit of sanity.
Just A Quick Test Drive
Ford built this Fiesta to compete in the World Rallycross "Projekt E" series and it sounds like a massive remote-control car on steroids. Of course, with two electric motors powering the rear wheels and a third powering the front just for good measure, the car's performance potential is pretty impressive, with stats including the equivalent of 603 horsepower and a 0-60 time claimed to hover at 1.3 seconds.
One Look Says It All
So how does the gymkhana madman feel about the result of Ford's partnership with the Austrian company STARD that built the car? Well, the look above as he gets out and smells all the residual fumes of burnt petrochemicals should be the simplest explanation possible. And as a side note, Block also went right ahead and won the first-ever World Rallycross Projekt E race just yesterday, as well.
Sources: youtube.com and performance.ford.com.