When Ken Block switched alliances earlier this year – ditching his Subaru Impreza WRX STI for a a rallified 2011 Ford Fiesta – there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that an all-new Gymkhana variant was right around the corner. Tonight in San Francisco, we finally got an eyeful of Block’s new ride, and as you’d suspect, it’s meaner, wider and ridiculously more powerful than its predecessor.

The Gymkhana Three Fiesta was built by the same team that produced his Monster World Rally Team hatch, and includes a boosted four-pot capable of 850 horsepower (de-tuned with a restrictor plate to output 650 hp) and 660 pound-feet of torque. Partnered with a Olsbergs Motorsport-developed MSE Maktrak six-speed sequential transmission and powering all four wheels, the new Gymkhana contender will hit 60 mph in two seconds flat and according to Block, can “handle loose, while still providing complete control.”

We plan to grill Block about his plans this evening, but in the meantime, make the jump for the official details and check out the teaser from earlier today.

Source : carmagik.com

SALEM, Missouri, February 27, 2010 – American action sports icon Ken Block and his Monster World Rally Team have scored their first victory in the Rally America series with a win for the Ford Fiesta at the 100 Acre Wood Rally in Missouri.

Ken Block proved the strength and reliability of his Monster Energy Drink Fiesta by winning the 2010 Rally America 100 Acre Wood Rally by 21-seconds over second place Antoine L’Estage. The win is the first for the Ford Fiesta in a North American Stage Rally and the first for Fiesta in Rally America competition. The win for Block was his fifth straight victory at the two-day 100 Acre Wood Rally.

“I can’t tell you how difficult and challenging this weekend has been,” said Block. “This is the location of my first national rally win, so I have now won this rally five years in a row and it is a pretty good feeling to get the Fiesta home in first. The Fiesta is a big change from the car I was racing before, but I am finally starting to come to grips with how to drive it and how to go as fast as I can. It is very fun to drive and I am really enjoying the Fiesta.”

Block started the second day over a minute behind the leader and in third place. Overnight changes to his Fiesta allowed Block to win three of the ten stages and overcome the deficit and secure victory.

“Two months ago this program did not exist and today Ken Block and the Monster World Rally Team have celebrated Ford Fiesta’s first Rally America victory. It has been nothing short of amazing to see Ken’s Fiesta program develop before our eyes,” said Jamie Allison, Ford Director of North America Motorsport.

“The Ford Fiesta is proving to be an incredibly competitive platform for rallying,” said Gerard Quinn, Ford of Europe’s Motorsport Manager. “Within the last six months Fiesta has won X Games gold in North America, our UK-based rally partner, M-Sport, took a Fiesta S2000 to victory on the 2010 Monte Carlo Rally and now Ken Block’s car has claimed its first stage rally win in the United States. What an incredible start for Fiesta!”

The two-litre turbocharged Monster Fiesta Rally America car is prepared by Swedish team Olsbergs Motorsports Evolution (OSME) and is based on the successful production-based Fiesta Rallycross car that competed in the FIA European Rallycross Championship in 2009. It was OSME that took a Fiesta Rallycross car to last year’s famous Pikes Peak hillclimb in the United States and two weeks later won the X Games event.

Block’s four-wheel drive Monster Fiesta Rally America car has been modified to comply with Rally America’s Open class regulations. It is fitted with a turbo restrictor to comply with championship regulations and produces around 330bhp (326PS).

But the Monster World Rally Team has precious little time to enjoy its victory as the team is moving on quickly to Mexico where Ken Block will make his FIA World Rally Championship debut for Ford in a Focus RS WRC.

Epic conditions in the LBC called for chaos to unravel on the eve of 2010. Clear dark skies, a crisp 60-degree ocean breeze and the not-so-warm-looking, pitch-black waters lit by a blue moon welcomed the Red Bull: New Year. No Limits. world record attempt. The Queen Mary in distance, the waters of Long Beach’s Rainbow Harbor would remain calm until Pastrana stirred up the evening.

ESPN’s broadcasted the live coverage across a big screen towering the grass area near the lighthouse.
Under the blue moon was the place to be along with thousands of cheering spectators. The area surrounding the lighthouse was jam packed like a can of sardines. Making our way down to the media area was a journey in itself; people were less than excited about letting us through. We had to make our way through 70,000 spectators along the way I hear people arguing Pastrana’s success rate of the attempt. The ruling seemed to be thirty percent of the fans hoped for quick-action from the recovery team; the other seventy percent knew just what Pastrana was about to do. Bulldozing our way through the anxious mob, we also overheard people remarking that it was an optical illusion from the lighthouse. It was no visual arts trick, the landing ramp was definitely taller than the take-off. We were lost in a sea of people, it was time to call for some sidewalk assistance. A friend of mine came to the rescue and led us on the correct path through the impatient crowd to a slim media area that grazed the rocks of the harbor waters. Once reaching our destination, I recognized a few well-known moto photogs lining the fence including BrownDogWilson, who was armed with two cameras. He let me shoot the jump with one, very cool! Thanks BDW! A big screen set-up projected the live ESPN show, hosted by Jamie Little and Joe Tessitore. The big screen entertained the crowd while Travis and his crew prepared for the big flight. The world record for a ramp-to-ramp car jump was set by Subaru teammate Ken Block at 171 feet in 2006. Travis seized the record…

On December 31st, 2009, just as New Yorkers rang in the New Year, Pastrana set the world record for jumping a car ramp-to-ramp and the first record doing so over water. Pastrana goes into 2010 holding over ten Guinness World Records including First Person to perform a Double Backflip on a Motorcycle, Lowest Motorcycle Backflip (3 feet) and Most Motorcycle Backflips in 30 seconds.

The crowd went wild as Pastrana made the 269 feet rally car flight look like a perfected routine. People were jumping up on the fences and cheering as the dare-devil just made record-taking history among their presence. With few practice runs on dirt, he had one shot at the jump over water and he did it with excellence. Message boards crowded the internet with the question, “Even if he does make it, how is he going to stop the car?” A safety barrier would be the answer and the end of the road for the airborne Subaru WRX STi. The car slammed into the barrier wall leaving it incapacitated. Travis quickly aborted the car to let fans know “I’m okay, I did it!” The ecstatic Wonder Boy ran to the top of the landing ramp began the afterparty with a gainer into Rainbow Harbor. Yes, Travis ended up in the water and overshot his planned record by 19 feet. Travis also noted on camera that the moisture from the ocean made the floating barge as “slick as ice,” making it difficult to stop the Subaru.

Launching a rally car off an 80-foot-long ramp into the air hoping that landing is on the other side is just plain insanity. First off, you have to find someone that is willing and crazy enough to commit to this stunt. Second, they have to actually do it and all in front of the world on live television. Third, the car must make its way down a 900 foot runway reaching 90mph before taking flight. Fourth, it must land on the barge to set an official world record. Travis Pastrana was the man for the job. He committed, he flew 269 feet, he landed, he conquered.

Red Bull gives their athletes as much room needed to push the limits of action sports, I can’t wait to see “what’s next,” who will set a new high or attempt a new world record in 2010.

See what all went into to making this jump possible at www.redbullnewyearnolimits.com.

Credit : Lindsey Lovell | Photography by Lindsey Lovell