Legendary Hoonigan Racing Division rally driver Ken Block left behind an unforgettable legacy. His Gymkhana videos and the one-of-a-kind vehicles that starred in them still have an impact on the motorsports world, prompting the Petersen Museum to launch an exhibit honoring the late Block. A handful of Block’s vehicles are currently on display at the museum, including the 1965 Ford RTR “Hoonicorn” V2, which was showcased in a recent video posted by the institution.
Hoonigan cofounder Brian Scotto sat down with the Petersen Museum, spotlighting the highly modified 1965 Ford Mustang that became the Hoonicorn. The vehicle was specifically chosen to star in Gymkhana because it needed to feel “cartoonish,” according to Scotto – like a die cast toy a child would play with.
“Its only purpose is to look incredibly badass sideways,” Scotto says of the decision to go with a Ford Mustang. “So we can stuff a ton of power in it. We can also put a V8 in it because we were stretching four-cylinder turbos to their max and the V8 just sounds a a certain way and speaks to the audience.”
The 1965 RTR Hoonicorn “spoke to a different audience” than Block’s prior rides. It stood out amongst a swath of other custom builds and became a viral sensation in and of itself. It’s regarded as the most iconic car that Block drove, even though he never actually competed in it.
“I think this is one of the most important cars built in the last 20 years,” Scotto says. “There are cars that are probably more capable at certain things than this, maybe have better engineering, fabrication done to it… it’s not just the car. Look at what this car meant and why this car was different and how this car impacted the way other people built cars, the way people looked at the livery, design, the aesthetic of it.”
The Hoonicorn is on display alongside Block’s 1994 Ford Escort RS Cosworth and his 1977 Ford F-150, nicknamed the “Hoonitruck.” The exbibit, called “People’s Champ: The Impact of Ken Block,” opened on February 15th, 2025.
Comment
Actually made more sense for Ford to make a AWD, V8 car inspired by Ken Block than to make a “RTR” ecoboost. But then again price would be insane.