Photo: Ford
After a disappointing Gymkhana 8, Ken Block finally delivers some good news. The 48-year-old rally driver confirmed his entry in the 2016 FIA World Rally Championship behind the wheel of the Ford Focus RS Rallycross, previewed in the end credits of Gymkhana 8. His teammate is Andreas Bakkerud, a 24-year-old rallycross driver who won the European Rallycross Championship twice in the Super 1600 category.
Previously known as the Monster World Rally Team, the Hoonigan Racing Division will field two factory-supported Ford Focus RS rally cars with mind-boggling specifications: 600 horsepower, 900 Nm (664 lb-ft), and 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) in under 2 seconds. Compared to the 2.3-liter turbo-4 of the street-legal Focus RS, the rallycross car uses a 2-liter EcoBoost 4-cylinder modified by Ford Performance and M-Sport.
Its key features include a 45 mm restrictor for the Garrett turbo, engine management by Cosworth Electronics, as well as a race-ready intercooler and radiator combo. The transmission sending all that grunt to the wheels is a Sadev 6-speed sequential with a triple plate AP carbon clutch. Of course, the front and rear differentials are mechanical.
With great power comes great responsibility, which is why the car has 4-pot Brembo calipers with 350 mm rotors and a Sadev hydraulic handbrake. In terms of suspension, the 2016 Ford Focus RS Rallycross employs an SLA-type arrangement joined by 3-way adjustable Reiger dampers front and rear. When all is said and done, the car is promising, but only time will tell if Ken, Andreas, and the team have what it takes to win the season. Andreas’ most recent win was at the World RX of Italy in October 2015.
The 2016 edition of the World Rallycross Championship starts on April 15 with the World RX of Portugal. “Ken, Andreas Bakkerud and Hoonigan Racing give us insight from the competition and driver perspectives,” said Mark Rushbrook, motorsports engineering manager at Ford Performance. “Our three organizations have a great working relationship, and we’re all looking forward to seeing the Focus RS in action.”
Its key features include a 45 mm restrictor for the Garrett turbo, engine management by Cosworth Electronics, as well as a race-ready intercooler and radiator combo. The transmission sending all that grunt to the wheels is a Sadev 6-speed sequential with a triple plate AP carbon clutch. Of course, the front and rear differentials are mechanical.
With great power comes great responsibility, which is why the car has 4-pot Brembo calipers with 350 mm rotors and a Sadev hydraulic handbrake. In terms of suspension, the 2016 Ford Focus RS Rallycross employs an SLA-type arrangement joined by 3-way adjustable Reiger dampers front and rear. When all is said and done, the car is promising, but only time will tell if Ken, Andreas, and the team have what it takes to win the season. Andreas’ most recent win was at the World RX of Italy in October 2015.
The 2016 edition of the World Rallycross Championship starts on April 15 with the World RX of Portugal. “Ken, Andreas Bakkerud and Hoonigan Racing give us insight from the competition and driver perspectives,” said Mark Rushbrook, motorsports engineering manager at Ford Performance. “Our three organizations have a great working relationship, and we’re all looking forward to seeing the Focus RS in action.”
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