Ken Block Signs With Audi Promising An Electrifying Future

Block says Audi ignited his passion for rallying. Now, they're partners.

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Chris Bruce

By: Chris Bruce

Sep 21, 2021 at 1:45pm ET

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Audi and Ken Block are now partners, but the German brand is being coy about the nature of their partnership. The company is only vaguely promising "exclusive joint projects in the field of electric mobility." We assume Block sliding around in a Quattro-equipped is an inevitable outcome, though.

"Audi is the brand that ignited my passion for motorsport. I am extremely excited to start this new chapter. Together, we will develop innovative projects and push the boundaries of electric mobility," Block said about the new partnership.

Gallery: Ken Block Partnership With Audi

Block got to drive several Audis, including a Sport Quattro S1, V8 Quattro DTM car, and E-Tron Vision Gran Turismo. Unfortunately, the brand only released photos of him at the wheel but didn't include the action in its video. Let's hope the footage comes out soon.

Reading between the lines, we wonder if Audi is working on a special, high-horsepower EV in a similar vein to the Ford Mustang Mach-E 1400. Block could lend some legitimacy to the project by using the machine in his next Gymkhana video.

Another possibility could be Block driving the Audi RS Q E-Tron in the 2022 Dakar Rally. It has front and rear motors from the E-Tron FE07 Formula E car and a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine that serves as a range extender with 77.93 gallons (295 liters) of fuel onboard.

In 2020, Block raced the Extreme E Odyssey 21 prototype in the final stage of the Dakar Rally. He had the third-fastest time, pointing to his skill behind the wheel.

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In January 2021, Block announced the end of his 11-year partnership with Ford. It was a friendly breakup, and Ford Performance even put out a video saying goodbye with a message the automaker's CEO Jim Farley.

Before his relationship with Ford, Block had close ties to Subaru, including rallying for the Subaru Rally Team USA. Subies also appeared in the earliest Gymkhana videos.

Source: Audi