Ken Block: 10 Best Gymkhana Films Ranked

Over the next few days, we will be reminiscing about some of the highlights of his life and career. And we couldn't think of a better starting point than his series of Gymkhana movies. When the first one was uploaded to YouTube almost 15 years ago, the concept of "viral video" was virtually unknown to most people. The video-sharing platform itself had only been around for a few years at that time, and no one had ever seen such a spectacular independent production before.

Ken Block starred in a total of 10 Gymkhana videos so far, which we will be ranking today. But we also need to mention that just a few months ago we saw him going bonkers in Las Vegas, behind the wheel of the Audi S1 Hoonitron. There's also a Gymkhana Practice bonus video, two Climbkhana videos, and the TopGear feature film, all of which racked up over 160 million views.

As for the Gymkhana ones, these add up to almost 500 million views without adding the ones from Gymkhana Eight. We'll tell you why in a minute. Ranking all 10 movies was not an easy task, as each one of them has got something special going on. Watching them back to back will require just over 93 minutes of your time, but we can't think of any better way to pay homage to one of the most legendary automotive icons of all time. If your Top 10 looks different, we'd love to hear all about it!

10. Gymkhana Practice

Ken Block was 40 years old when he unveiled the Gymkhana Practice video. It's the shortest and least complex one in the whole series, but at the time it had a huge impact on everyone watching. Back then, when you'd mention drifting, most people would instantly think about Ken Block. It was great advertising for all the brands featured on the Subaru Impreza WRX STI because it was so unconventional and cool.

You'll hear plenty of WRX STI owners that they got into the boxer game thanks to Ken Block, just as there were plenty of people wearing DC Shoes and drinking Monster Energy for the same reason. The action took place at the El Toro Marine Corps Station, in Irvine, California. We counted a total of two butt-clenching moments throughout the four-and-a-half minutes of action. Given the age of this video, you'll have to settle for watching it in 480p. But we do recommend you turn up the volume and tune in on a big screen regardless of that minor inconvenience.

9. Gymkhana Two

Ken Block chose the Port of Los Angeles as the shooting location for Gymkhana Two. This would be the last video in the series to have him behind the wheel of a Subaru vehicle, but you're welcome to see the two Pastrana movies if you're a fan of the brand. Gymkhana Two was launched less than a year after the first video and has so far amassed more than three times as many views. Rob Dyrdek made an appearance in this one, but the most exciting moment has got to be one when Block slides under an exploding truck in a very Hollywood-esque turn of events.

8. Gymkhana Six

We had a tough time deciding on the eighth spot on our list, but it goes out to Gymkhana Six. It was filmed at the San Bernardino Airport in California, and it was meant to promote the Gymkhana Grid events and the Need For Speed Rivals game as well. While there are a few cool moments inside, it just doesn't feel as exciting as some of the other episodes. The most breathtaking moment happens as soon as two guys roll in on Segways, and Ken Block proceeds to powerslide around them while they're moving. We'd also like to point out that there are two Lamborghini supercars inside too!

7. Gymkhana Three

Gymkhana Three takes P7 on our list, and it once again proves that Ken Block was more than just a good driver. He was also a marketing genius! Gymkhana Three had two parts. The second one was all about "Killing All Tires", while part one was a music video. Combined, they add up to about 76 million views since their release in 2010. The cool thing about Gymkhana Three is that the team took the action to the other side of the Atlantic, choosing Autodrome de Linas-Montlhry in France for the shoot. While some people weren't happy about Block switching to Ford, the Fiesta proved to be infinitely more capable and spectacular than the Impreza.

6. Gymkhana Nine

Gymkhana Nine was shot in New York and it revealed the Hoonigan Master going all out in the Ford Focus RS RX on an industrial playground. At this level, you'll already notice how much the production quality has improved over the years. The intro to this video is one of the best ones in the series, but the final scene is pretty insane too. One thing is certain, Ken Block and his team have tried to outdo themselves with every single Gymkhana episode. Just think of it this way: When's the last time you saw a Ford Raptor hanging down from a helicopter?

5. Gymkhana Four

We feel that Gymkhana Four is the fifth-best movie in the series, and it's also probably the funniest one. It was shot at Universal Studios Hollywood, and at the time of its appearance in 2011, it was the longest episode thus far. The Epic Meal Time guys are in this one too, alongside a few more interesting characters. Those of you with a keen eye for cinematography might remember that the production team used a very cool technique involving an array of GoPro cameras back then, but there's also a suit of somewhat-cheesy effects put to good use as well. You'll probably be shocked by how it all ends, but it will still put a smile on your face regardless.

4. Gymkhana Five

Gymkhana Five takes P4 on our list today, even though it's the most-viewed episode so far. At almost 115 million views, it accounts for almost 23% of all the traffic generated by the 10 episodes. The action takes place in San Francisco, and there is only one other Gymkhana video with more butt-clenching moments than this one. We must warn you about the final few moments though, where Ken Block is standing next to his car while "Come Sail Away" by Styx is playing in the background. Hearing those lyrics almost had us burst out in tears given the circumstances: "I'm sailing away, Set an open course for the virgin sea"

3. Gymkhana Eight

Deciding on the best three Gymkhana movies felt almost impossible. It was a close battle between them, but Gymkhana Eight finally takes P3 overall. This was initially uploaded on a third-party channel and has been unfortunately set to private. Luckily, there are a few re-uploads out there for us to see. This episode came out in 2016, just like the ninth one. It was shot in Dubai, so you can expect to see a fleet of several different supercars inside! There's even a drag race at one point, and you'll notice a Bugatti at the start line going up against KB's Fiesta RX43. They brought in Terry Grant to work his driving-on-two-wheels magic, and Ken has also chosen to go sideways around the largest moving object that you could think of.

2. Gymkhana Ten

Gymkhana Ten is the longest and most complex Gymkhana movie of all time. Seeing the whole thing takes 19 minutes, and there's a good reason for that! Dubbed the Ultimate Tire Slaying tour, it was shot in five different locations: Sweden, Mexico, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Shamrock, Texas. Given the length of it all, it has the most breathtaking moments of any Gymkhana video featuring Ken Block, and it was also his last one before handing over the reins to Travis Pastrana. KB is driving a different vehicle for each of the locations in the film, and you'll realize how big of a project this was when you'll see the end credits.

1. Gymkhana Seven

So from our point of view, Gymkhana Seven is still the best one ever made! Filmed in Los Angeles, this thing will have you sitting on the edge of your seat for 12 minutes straight. The Hoonicorn was epic and it made for an epic intro. You'll get some "Gone in 60 Seconds" vibes now and then, but the real treat is when KB comes across a man and his lowrider! Gymkhana Seven might not be perfect at all times, but it feels like it's the best put-together episode of them all. So it's no surprise that it reportedly required a budget of over $1 million! That's a wrap, for now, we'll be back with more highlights from Ken Block's life soon.