Gymkhana 4 production underway, arriving late summer
Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Hatchback, Ford
A new car, updated livery and a fresh set of tires can only mean one thing for Ken Block - a new Gymkhana video is in the works, and it's slated to take over YouTube sometime this summer. The new instrument of driving precision and rubber destruction is Block's Ford Fiesta Hybrid Function Hoon Vehicle.
Gymkhana Four will no doubt be another internet sensation, one that will add to the constantly growing mass of people who've viewed the previous three videos. To date, Gymkhana installments one through three have been watched over 110 million times, with Gymkhana Three making its way on to YouTube's list of Top 10 Videos of 2010.
Whether you think it's merely a marketing stunt, a display of skill behind the wheel or something in between, there's little doubt that you're going to watch it. We'll do the same, and you'll be sure to find it here on Autoblog when Ken Block and DC Shoes release the finished version. For now, you can get a taste of what's to come by checking out the image gallery above.
Continue reading Gymkhana 4 production underway, arriving late summer
Gymkhana 4 production underway, arriving late summer originally appeared on Autoblog 5.0 on Wed, 27 Jul 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsKen Block unveils new multi-hoonable Ford Fiesta HFHV
Filed under: Videos, Hatchback, Ford, Specialty, Off-Road, Racing
Being Ken Block has got to be a lot of fun, but like any other life, it has its share of problems. In Ken's case, he's actively involved in a number of rally disciplines, each of which has its own parameters and requires its own type of car. Solution: the Ford Fiesta HFHV.
The initials stand for Hybrid Function Hoon Vehicle, but don't let that first H fool you: there's nothing Prius about this car. It's the new beast which Ford and Block have developed for adaptable use in each of three types of rally competition: stage rallies, rallycross and Gymkhana.
The car is based on Block's Ford Fiesta RS WRC, albeit with a 2.0-liter turbo four capable of producing as much as 600 horsepower and 665 pound-feet of torque, depending on configuration. And configurability is what this car's all about. By swapping the wheels and tires and adjusting everything from the suspension to the engine mapping, the HFHV can be quickly set up for any of these three functions. Believe it or not, Block's Monster crew says it can even be street-legal, depending on the setup.
Bottom line: expect to see this car wherever you see Block pop up, whether it's on a rally stage, a closed parking lot or a film set - starting with the X Games this weekend in Los Angeles. Follow the jump to watch the video footage and read the full press release.
Continue reading Ken Block unveils new multi-hoonable Ford Fiesta HFHV
Ken Block unveils new multi-hoonable Ford Fiesta HFHV originally appeared on Autoblog 5.0 on Mon, 25 Jul 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsKen Block brings home Goodwood hooning title… again
Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Videos, Ford
Ken Block is on a quest to destroy tires on every patch of land on this planet. His latest conquest is the driveway belonging to one Charles Henry Gordon-Lennox, Earl of March and Kinrara. He also goes by Lord March, and his driveway happens to play host to the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Block was in attendance with both his Gymkhana-prepped Ford Fiesta and Fiesta WRC ultra-hot hatch. Many a donut was turned, lots of smoke was generated and it appears that serious sideways fun was had by both Block and the few lucky folks who got to ride shotgun on Block's passes... including Lord March's own son.
For the second year in a row, Lord March has handed down a hooning award to Ken. Check out the Goodwood action, the trophy and the unique way Ken decides to celebrate the victory by watching the clip posted after the jump.
Continue reading Ken Block brings home Goodwood hooning title... again
Ken Block brings home Goodwood hooning title... again originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Jul 2011 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsDates for Ken Block’s Gymkhana World Tour announced
Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Ford
Ken Block is coming to a
The Monster World Rally team will first head to Vienna, Austria, where the Gymkhana World Tour kicks offs on July 10. A live audience will be treated to a Gymkhana run that will in turn be filmed for a new soon-to-be-YouTube-sensational video.
From Austria, Ken Block and his crew will move to Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. This July 23 stop on the tour is the week prior to X Games 17, after which Block will stick around to try and pilot his Fiesta to Rallycross gold. Following that, the Gymkhana tour heads Down Under to bring tire-smoking antics to the birthplace of Hoon. Ford Australia will welcome Block in Melbourne for the weekend of September 2-3 just prior to Rally Australia.
This is going to be a smokey summer for Ken Block, and an expensive one for his tire sponsor, Pirelli. Click past the jump for all the details in the full press release.
Continue reading Dates for Ken Block's Gymkhana World Tour announced
Dates for Ken Block's Gymkhana World Tour announced originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 11 Jul 2011 07:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFord confirms 1.0L EcoBoost three-cylinder, eight-speed transmission
Filed under: Technology, Ford
2011 Ford Fiesta - Click above for high-res image gallery
Derrick Kuzak, Ford Group Vice President of Global Product Development, has confirmed that the Dearborn automaker will offer turbocharged EcoBoost powertrains in 90 percent of its vehicles here in the United States by 2013. This journey for (nearly) full-line forced-induction started with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 found in the Taurus, Flex and F-150, as well as the Lincoln MKS and MKT. Next, we'll be seeing a 2.0-liter EcoBoost inline-four under the hood of the Edge and Explorer, and now, Ford has confirmed development of a 1.0-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder engine.
This 1.0-liter, inline-three will be the smallest engine in Ford's portfolio, and it will find its way under the hood of vehicles across the globe. No specific output or fuel economy numbers have been divulged just yet, but Joe Bakaj, Ford's Vice President of Global Powertrain Engineering, says that the 1.0-liter triple will provide similar power to the automaker's 1.6-liter naturally aspirated four, while improving fuel economy. When asked, Bakaj tells us that the fuel economy improvements will be similar in percentage to those with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 compared to a naturally aspirated V8.
Ford says it plans to announce more information about the 1.0-liter engine at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show, including exactly what vehicles will be powered by this mill. Since Ford is benchmarking its 1.6-liter engine here - the powerplant used in the Fiesta - we'd expect that this EcoBoost three almost certainly slot into Ford's smallest offering here in the States.
The Blue Oval has also confirmed that it is working on an all-new eight-speed automatic transmission, which is being designed, engineered and built by Ford in-house. Bakaj states that the eight-speed automatic will offer "best-in-class" shift smoothness and responsiveness.
Follow the jump for Ford's official press release.
Continue reading Ford confirms 1.0L EcoBoost three-cylinder, eight-speed transmission
Ford confirms 1.0L EcoBoost three-cylinder, eight-speed transmission originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Jun 2011 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsTanner Foust signs multi-year racing deal with Ford
Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Europe, Hatchback, Ford, Off-Road, Racing
Tanner Foust Ford Fiesta jump - Click above for high-res version
Tanner Foust has carved out a place for himself in motorsports lore as a preternaturally talented drifter and rally racer. Partnered with Ford, Foust has raced in both the European RallyCross Championship and the brand-new Global RallyCross Championship, and dominated ESPN's X-Games. Now, Foust has made the partnership last by signing a multi-year contract to drive for Ford.
Foust's new long-term deal has him at the wheel of his familiar Rockstar Energy-sponsored 2011 Ford Fiesta in both the European RallyCross Championship and the inaugural season of the Global RallyCross Championship. Foust is also headed to X-Games 17 in July to defend his double gold-medal run from last year and his title as the most-decorated rally driver in X-Games history.
As well as his role as Ford's RallyCross and X-Games pilot, Foust is bringing his talent and fame along to help launch the 2012 Ford Focus ST, Dearborn's upcoming 2.0-liter EcoBoost-powered hot hatch.
Gallery: Tanner Foust Ford Fiesta jump
[Source: Ford]
Continue reading Tanner Foust signs multi-year racing deal with Ford
Tanner Foust signs multi-year racing deal with Ford originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 17 Apr 2011 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsVideo: Two-time WRC champ Gronholm takes day one victory at Global Rally Cross
Filed under: Motorsports, Hatchback, Ford, Racing
Global Rally Cross kicked off its inaugural even yesterday at Irwindale Speedway. Drivers raced in bracket-style competition on a mixture of dirt and gravel stages. Competitors each ran events in two and four-wheel-drive cars.
Marcus Gronholm sealed victory at the wheel of a 550-horsepower Ford Fiesta in the all-wheel-drive round, beating out Swedish star Michael Jernberg in second and Formula Drift superstar (and U.S. Top Gear host) Tanner Faust in third.
Gronholm's victory shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who watched him drive WRC cars in the early 2000s. For his part, Gronholm wasn't too shocked either, and attributed his victory in part to experience with motocross. Check out video of the event after the jump.
[Source: Rally Buzz via Jalopnik]
Continue reading Video: Two-time WRC champ Gronholm takes day one victory at Global Rally Cross
Video: Two-time WRC champ Gronholm takes day one victory at Global Rally Cross originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 27 Mar 2011 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFord Fiesta RS WRC rally car specs released ahead of season debut
Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Hatchback, Ford, Racing
2011 Ford Fiesta WRC Rally Car - Click above for high-res image gallery
We now know exactly what the Abu Dhabi World Rally Team will be packing when they take on this year's World Rally Championship. Ford has officially let loose a volley of information on the team's new Fiesta bruiser. Built by M-Sport, the minds responsible for some of the quickest machines on tarmac or off, the rally-spec Fiesta is loosely based off of the same S2000 car that recently took gold at the Monte Carlo Rally in 2010. M-Sport quickly set about reducing weight and strengthening all the components necessary to compete on the global stage.
Under the hood, there's a steroid-riddled version of the FoMoCo 1.6-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine with 300 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque. Even with the added burden of lugging around a full-time all-wheel drive system, the machine manages to hit the scales at a fairly feathery 2,645 pounds. A 12:1 steering rack, massive Brembo brakes and an X-Trac six-speed sequential transmission are all standard kit as well.
Look for the new Fiesta to be helmed by the likes of Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala when the racer takes to the rally stages of the WRC later this year. Hit the jump for the press release.
[Source: Ford]
Continue reading Ford Fiesta RS WRC rally car specs released ahead of season debut
Ford Fiesta RS WRC rally car specs released ahead of season debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsTanner Faust’s 2011 Ford Fiesta rallycross racer gets new livery
Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Hatchback, Ford, Racing
Tanner Foust's 2011 Ford Fiesta rallycross racer - Click above for high-res image gallery
Tanner Foust is heading to Europe, and he's bringing his new 2011 Ford Fiesta with him. The Top Gear USA co-host and wheel-man extraordinaire is going to participate in the 2011 European Rallycross Championship. The rallycross-prepped Fiesta is powered by a 600-horsepower engine whose power is routed to all four wheels.
Foust previously ran a few races during the 2010 European Rallycross season. He also competed in the inaugural U.S. Rallycross series where he finished on the podium at each event. The X Games held its own version of rally events, and Tanner Foust was able to capture a pair of gold medals for his efforts. Check out his Rockstar energy drink liveried Fiesta in our high-res gallery below.
[Source: Tanner Foust Racing]
Continue reading Tanner Faust's 2011 Ford Fiesta rallycross racer gets new livery
Tanner Faust's 2011 Ford Fiesta rallycross racer gets new livery originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Jan 2011 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFord releases new Fiesta RS WRC in full livery ahead of season debut
Filed under: Motorsports, Hatchback, Ford, Racing
2011 Ford Fiesta RS WRC - Click above for high-res image gallery
The World Rally Championship is downsizing. Not in the number of teams participating - that's actually expected to increase - but in the size of its cars. While Formula One is set to switch to turbo fours, the WRC is switching to smaller cars, similar to the Super 2000 formula. And so, in-line with the new regulations, Ford is switching from a Focus-based rally challenger to the new Fiesta.
The WRC-spec Fiesta RS was revealed in tentative, showgoing livery back in Paris, but the team has now unveiled the car in the full competition livery in which it will take on the world's most challenging rally stages. Similar to the livery featured on the outgoing Focus, the new Fiesta RS WRC is dominated by the logos of title sponsor Abu Dhabi - which takes over from BP - and secondary sponsor Castrol's Edge range of motor oils.
Full specifications have still yet to be released, so we'll have to wait until early February before the new Fiesta RS WRC hits the season-starting Rally Sweden from Feb 10-13. Details in the press release after the jump with high-resolution images of the liveried rally machine in the gallery below.
[Source: Ford]
Continue reading Ford releases new Fiesta RS WRC in full livery ahead of season debut
Ford releases new Fiesta RS WRC in full livery ahead of season debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 11:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments