Is the Mustang outgunned?
There’s no denying Ken Block’s famous Hoonicorn is a crazy car. Ken Block and company took a 1965 Ford Mustang and turned it into a fire-breathing race car. Then it starred in Gymkhana, wowing people for good reason. However, the Hoonicorn might have met its match: a 4,000-horsepower NHRA Corvette.
Learn the real reason Dodge is cancelling the Hellcat here.
In case you’ve forgotten, the Hoonicorn has a twin-turbo V8 under the hood, well mostly under the hood. Peak output is 1,400-hp which is a lot but the competition in this race is pretty fierce. A 6-speed paddle shift SADEV is a good plus and so is the all-wheel drive. Tipping the scale at just 2,998 lbs. this is also a lean, mean machine.
However, the NHRA Corvette is no pushover. Climbing out of the hood is a twin-screw supercharger, which is bolted up to a 526ci Hemi V8. Backing that is a 3-speed Lenco transmission. Everything about this car has been built for straight-line, extreme acceleration and speed, including the aero, so that’s a problem for the Hoonicorn. Plus, it only weights 2,800 lbs. Fortunately, it hasn’t been converted into an all-wheel-drive car, so there’s that.
A big twist comes with this race: instead of Ken Block piloting the Hoonicorn, his 14-year-old daughter Lia will be racing against the NHRA Corvette. She’s apparently been working on her skills, but will she be able to coax the heavily-modified Mustang into a victory? It’s a tall order and would be even if her dad were behind the wheel.
Yes, this doesn’t even seem like a fair race, but you might be surprised by what happens. There’s even a little bit of controversy about how fair the competition was, which honestly adds to the fun.
If you want to skip straight to the racing, go to 12:51.
