To countless automotive fans the world over, Ken Block needs no introduction. His exploits as a rally driver, drifter and stunt driver are legendary and his amazing driving videos have amassed millions of views on Youtube as well as being featured in countless promotions and television specials. For anyone not familiar with Block’s prowess behind the wheel, it really has to be seen to be believed. The precision he exhibits whether he be drifting his way up Pikes Peak, or driving the  streets of San Francisco or London as you’ve never seen before, his talent is nothing short of extraordinary. Now, Block is teaming up with Audi to work on a number of exclusive projects with electric mobility at their very core, and the 53-year-old couldn’t be more excited. 

“Electric mobility is the future”, says Block. 

“I see the electric car as a leap forward for us as a society in order to create something that can not only reduce emissions and hopefully make the planet a better place. But not only that: it’s also about performance. I love anything that makes me go faster. Electric cars can do that.” 

Although more often associated with internal combustion machinery, Block has himself been pushing the envelope in electric vehicles recently, testing and racing various electric cars. He recorded the third fastest time in the final stage of last year’s Dakar Rally with an electric prototype and won the inaugural race of the ‘Projekt E’ rallycross series at Höljes (Sweden) in the same year.

For Block, working with Audi offers a special thrill, given it was the Audi brand that first fired up his imagination and desire to pursue a life in motorsport. The all-conquering Audi quattro cars were rewriting world rally history when Block was a teenager, so to now work with the brand that developed and launched quattro onto the world is is a special association.

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

And as for the difference in sound output between combustion engines and electric, that’s not even on the radar.

“I have kids who don’t care about that,” he says.  “They think that the sound of electric cars is just as cool as the sound of internal combustion engines.”

But while the future beckons, on his first ever trip to Audi, block was given the opportunity of literally getting behind the wheel of some hero cars from the past, driving the Audi Sport quattro S1 and the Audi V8 quattro from the DTM as well as the futuristic Audi e-tron Vision Gran Turismo.

In addition, he had the chance to experience the brand’s most powerful electric vehicle, the Audi RS e-tron GT.

“The Audi RS e-tron GT really surprised me,” says Block. “The design is exquisite with great attention to detail and a perfect finish. The driving experience is amazing: the car is incredibly fast and handles very well. The centre of gravity is very low so you can change direction quickly.”

“At Audi, motorsport is paving the way for future technologies,” says Julius Seebach, Managing Director of Audi Sport GmbH and responsible for motorsport at Audi. “Electrification is a game changer, just like quattro drive once was. With Ken Block, we’ve got exciting things in store that go perfectly with our strategy.”

It’s a collaboration that can only produce amazing results, and one that will no doubt show e-mobility in a way it has never been seen before.