What Is the Hoonicorn?
Lisa Steuer McArdle
· 5 min read
Many supercars and hypercars are not only gorgeous, but can also perform well on highways and racetracks. But relatively few rare and expensive cars can give you racecar performance and control when facing rugged obstacles.
If you're a gymkhana enthusiast, however, you've probably seen some pretty spectacular vehicles maneuvering around barrels, cones, and tires in record times. And you're probably familiar with the obstacle-clearing Hoonicorn, although, for more casual car enthusiasts, this automotive masterpiece modeled after a
Ford
may be unfamiliar.
What is the Hoonicorn?
The Hoonicorn is a custom performance vehicle developed as a collaboration between racecar driver Ken Block and Ford. Modeled after a 1965 Ford Mustang, the original Hoonicorn debuted in 2013, sporting a Ford 5.8-liter V8 engine, which produced 845 hp. A lighter suspension and overall weight, coupled with identical front and rear track width, made for precision control of the all-wheel-drive vehicle.
According to
Top Gear
, the most current Hoonicorn features a Roush-Yates 6.7-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine that generates a whopping 1400 hp and 1250 lb-ft of torque. It features a six-speed manual transmission and can hit 60 mph in a lightning-fast 1.8 seconds (as well as 100 mph in 3.15 seconds). Given its significant wheelspin, the Hoonicorn is ideal for sustained drifts, which is helpful when it's handling obstacles in timed races.The Ford partnership also yielded the impressive Hoonitruck, based on a Ford F-150 pickup. But this is no ordinary F-150. Powered by a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 EcoBoost engine, the Ford F-150 produces 914 hp and 702 lb-ft of torque. Given its 79-inch width, it was designed to be modular for transportation. It can be taken apart, transported and rebuilt on-site as necessary.
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Ken Block and Gymkhana
Noted rally car driver Ken Block has been showing off what the Hoonicorn and the Hoonitruck can do since the beginning of the Ford partnership by barrelling through gymkhana courses.
Gymkhana events aren't held on well-known sports raceways like Sonoma Raceway or Indianapolis Motor Speedway. But the courses do involve unique and significant obstacles that professional drivers in highly customized vehicles must get through quickly. To do so, they have to use many advanced driving techniques, such as parking boxes, 360 spins, and figure 8s, among others.
Gymkhana, also known as Autotesting in the UK and Ireland, and Motorkhana in New Zealand and Australia, has its roots in horse racing. Racers had their horses tackle challenging obstacle courses that the average horse and rider couldn't handle. In fact, the equestrian sport of gymkhana is still practiced today. However, the auto version of gymkhana requires souped-up transportation, which is where the Hoonicorn comes in.
If you check YouTube, you can find any number of videos with Ken Block destroying not only gymkhana events in the Hoonicorn, but also performing some pretty insane stunts. They're definitely not the kind of feats you should try at home, even if you have a modified high-performance car in your garage.
Why "Hoonicorn"?
For a souped-up rally car, "Hoonicorn" isn't exactly the first name that comes to mind. But when you realize that Ken Block is part of the Hoonigan Racing Division and head of the Hoonigan Industries apparel brand, it begins to make sense. Hoonicorn is a portmanteau word, combining "Hoonigan" and "unicorn."
The Hoonigan Racing Division was originally founded in 2010 by Block as the Monster World Rally Team, stemming from a sponsorship with Monster Energy. However, by 2013, it was the Hoonigan Racing Division.
What exactly is a Hoonigan? If you check out
Honnigan.com
, you'll find a definition of Hoonigan as "a person who operates a motor vehicle in an aggressive and unorthodox manner, consisting of, but not limited to, drifting, burnouts, doughnuts as well as acts of automotive aeronautics. One who 'hoons.'"While the apparel is still being sold, Block has shifted his focus to electric vehicles. He recently ended his partnership with Ford to work with Audi or electric vehicles. Block may be looking to get ahead of the curve, given the recent regulatory efforts to cut down on emissions in the motorsports industry.
Insuring custom cars
You can't hoon or be a hoonigan in just any old vehicle. And with Block's partnership with Ford ending in 2021, you may be able to pick up one of his souped vehicles if you've got a spare seven figures. As per
The Drive
, you may be able to purchase the Hoonitruck for an asking price of $1.1 million.Now, if you're looking at a custom-made rally car, supercar, or hypercar, insurance coverage can be quite expensive. Even if you keep it parked in your garage, you'll have to pay a pretty penny for insurance. In fact, some estimates hold that insurance coverage for a NASCAR rally car is at least $9,000 a year.
If you're in the market for a rare and expensive car, you'll not only want to find coverage that doesn't break the bank, but also fully covers your vehicle. Jerry's AI-powered platform will help you find the best coverage at the most competitive price, no matter what vehicle you need to be covered. Contact
Jerry
today for your coverage needs.
