Ken Block was scheduled to attend the 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon. With the shocking news of his passing, TOYO TIRES pays tribute to the legend.
On January 2nd, Ken Block’s sudden death shocked the auto industry. As Hoonigan confirmed in an Instagram post, Bullock died in a snowmobile accident in Utah. Block began his rallying career in 2005 and has since pushed the boundaries of driving like no other driver has. He was “a visionary, a pioneer and an icon,” Hoonigan wrote in a statement. In addition to his many rally victories, Ken Block was also known for his Gymkhana videos. More recently, he also audi The S1 Hoonitron – the first electric gymkhana car held in Las Vegas – was rightly called the Electrikhana. We went to the 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon and immediately headed to the TOYO TIRES booth where Ken Block’s Audi was sitting.
Ken Block returns to 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon with Toyo tires
As the official ambassador for Toyo Tires and its Proxes tire series since 2016, Ken Block participated in the Tokyo Auto Salon (TAS) in 2019 with the tire manufacturer. He was set to make a long-awaited comeback at this year’s TAS, according to Toyo Tires Japan’s announcement a month before the Tokyo Auto Salon. Bullock was scheduled to participate in talk shows and autograph sessions throughout the event, alongside other members such as New Zealand’s Mad Mike and Toyo Tires’ D1GP driver line-up.
Speech about Ken Block from Takashi Shimizu, CEO of TOYO TIRES JAPAN
The sudden news of Brock’s death prompted TOYO TIRES to adjust their program and create a space for fans to gather and reminisce. On the first day of the Auto Salon, Takashi Shimizu, CEO of TOYO TIRES JAPAN, delivered an opening address to the media, paying tribute to the late Ken Block. “We have always had a lot of respect for Ken Block, who bravely challenged roads he had never driven before. We have always been a proud partner,” Takashi said in his speech. I was. “His passionate driving will live forever in our memory. I will remember this moment in his feat and wish his soul rest in peace.”
Ken Block’s S1 e-tron quattro ‘Hoonitron’ on display at TAS 2023
Marked with Block’s number 43, the S1 e-tron quattro ‘Hoonitron’ was one of the main displays at Toyo Tires’ booth, lifted onto the stage where the Electrikhana video in Las Vegas played on the main screen. Audi Hoonitron fitted with Toyo Tires Proxes tires, with a total torque of 6,000 Nm he produces 1400 bhp and the electric motor can reach his top speed of 28,000 rpm. The four 14,4 kWh batteries used in the Hoonitron come from standard Audi PHEV models and in total supply up to 57.6 kWh to the drivetrain system.
Electrikhana’s video captured Ken Block drifting down Las Vegas Boulevard at 150 km/h and spinning 360 degrees. Block told Audi in an earlier press release of his that this was a “whole new experience” for him. The Electricana put a new twist on the long line of fuel-powered gymkhanas, and the Hounitron was a revolutionary car that surprised many with its raspy electric sound. And huge clouds of tire smoke coming from non-gasoline cars.
Space for fans to say ‘thank you’ shows Ken Block’s impact on fans
Throughout the weekend, people gathered around the S1 Hoonitron, silently looking at the car with a mixture of admiration and sadness. Audi, an electric car, reminded people of Ken Block’s respect for his daring attitude to always try new things in unknown places. And to write down any thoughts you want to share with the rally legend, TOYO TIRES has a black wall next to it for everyone to write on. “Rest in peace!” reads one of his messages in English. “Thank you for the dream,” another said in Japanese. Ken Block’s absence from his 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon was heartbreaking, but this space for remembrance will give fans a sense of comfort and closure, and in a way, let him be in our psyche. It gave me the feeling that I was in
