Bye Bye Ken Block...

U

user098123

Active member
Not sure if this is a repost or not, kinda sad to see him go cause I love watching him drive his custom STi's but I feel he is making the right choice since Subaru no longer competes in the WRC.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/15/report-ken-block-heading-to-wrc-with-new-monster-ford-team/

"One of the most significant deals in rally history. That's how news of

Ken Block's imminent move to the World Rally Championship is being

touted in the motorsport press. And we couldn't agree more.

Now don't get us wrong. We enjoy watching Block's famous antics behind

the wheel of his purpose-built Gymkhana Subaru Impreza as much as the

next guy. Probably more. But we can't help but feel that the

superstar's otherworldly car control skills couldn't be put to better

use than pure showboating. And this deal could give him exactly that

opportunity, graduating from the relatively low-visibility Rally

America series to the top-tier WRC.

Since Subaru, for whom Block competes in the USA, pulled out of the

WRC, Ken's been hunting for another ride in the premier series, and

reports now indicate that he – along with former Subaru driver Chris

Atkinson – will be driving the 2009-spec Ford Focus WRC for the new

Monster Energy Drink World Rally Team (which could, incidentally, go

some way towards explaining what the two rally stars were doing behind the wheel of that old Ford Escort).

Once the details are hammered out, both Block and Atkinson are expected

to start next season in select rounds of the championship before

challenging the full calendar the year after, presumably behind the

wheel of the new rally-spec Fiesta."
 
I think he's doing something awesome with this, i love the way the new Focus RS looks, and the AbuDhabi WRC Ford car is DOPEEEEEEEE. Plus there's finally a few americans taking the jump to WRC. The WRC has been having some troubles for a few years, or thats what i've been hearing, so maybe Block will be able to pump that up and maybe we'll be seeing a WRC event here in the states sometime soon.
 
"new rally spec fiesta"

lolz. that just sounds funny because that not at all what i think when i see fords.
 
ford_wp_1600.jpg


Looks pretty sick eh?
 
Apparently ford on an international level is way different then what we see here in th eUS. Which is weird...seeing as how they are based here. But they have some pretty crazy cars worldwide.
 
I think they should make the LSPR race up here in the UP of Michigan a WRC race, seeing as they've cut it from the schedule for next year. And drivers like TP and Block have said its their favorite place to race because its got so much variety up here, it was the only RallyAmerica rally that had a tarmac section, and it was the longest running event in RallyAmerica's history.
 
i was talking to my buddy about that. how come ford in America, its home or whatever, gets the shit?! all the gay cars we get, they get in europe, with rwd, and turbos! i wish we got that cool shit, then ford wouldnt be as gay.
 
Ford makes legit rally cars... I don't understand the hate. I'm a american car guy and love Ford. NS has a love affair with Subaru.
12581285752006_FOCUS_3.jpg

 
ken is makin a name for homself and thats all that matters. he is doing what is best for him, and to get him name even bigger. if this is what he wants to do, and will make him happy then dont hate on him for doing it.
 
internationally this will make his name more known, but i think America will definitely not hear as much about him now.
 
Rally is actually a lot bigger than most people think, I agree its not big by any means, but if you go to a rally, you'd be surprised the kind of scene there is. There's definitely lots of guys trying to get into it with cars like older eagle talon TSI turbos and neon SRT-4's and lots and lots of old golf GTI's. Its pretty cool too, because if you talk to rally drivers and ask how to get started, most of them say go get an older golf or GTI.
 
its from a south park episode dipshit, people outside of /b/ use it also... infact im pretty sure its standard internet procedure when making a list.
 
i love how if this was a skier... switching to a new ski company that can premote him better internationly . coughwallischcough.... everyone would be hating on him and calling him a sell out...
but fuck this suck ken is the man subaru is the fuckin shit at least we still have travis hahhaa
 
wait what???everyone one was hating on him and calling him a sell out..i dont agree with him being a sell out i think it was a great chioce for him.. did i miss some epic thread that put everyone in thier place and explained why tom switched??
 
I don't like Ford, however Ford international is different than Ford USA. Plus Ford (and American auto makers) look like they are actually trying to make decent cars now. This could be the start of a big pleasant change. I'm just gonna see where it goes. One thing that would definitely suck is if they used him in super mainstream commercials. I'm sure Ken is about to make so much money working with Ford, as oppose to Subby. Nothing's really gonna change with his driving, except more funding, I'm stoked for the new videos.
 
I think kids here need to stop getting raging Subaru boners, yes, I agree they're fine cars and have tons of potential to be wicked fast. BUT, there are other sick as hell cars out there, not many people seem to notice. I would take a Focus RS or a GTI R32 or a Citroen C4 or a new Lancia Delta over an STI any day just because they're something different and out of the ordinary.
 
i didnt buy my subaru becuase its fast.. i bought it cuz its quility built and is AWD and affordable. by far the most affordably function awd car out threre. that why i have boner for them.. cuz there not out of my league
 
Ford in Japan and when I was in Australia about 7 years ago (Australia could have changed now, and probably has) are generally some of the most owned cars in those two countries and a lot of the kids in high school in Japan want a Ford the way American kids want a Skyline. It is so funny, cars we see here as the little compact car that is stupid, like a Focus or something in Japan they would want. And the Skyline, in the States it is considered a sports car of "legendary" proportions... they are family sedans in Japan.
 
subaru AWD > Ford AWD

besides you can get a wrx for under 25k

there's no arguing that there is substantial value in subies.

but yes american automakers are uping their game and I'm very excited to see where it goes. i wanna see more turbos on smaller engines and more turbo diesels.
 
09 imprezza Ouback Sort.. LOADDDED baller rims, sport package, winter package. baller warrenty under 20k to be exact 16,500 USD and they run forever
 
with dam good gas millage... i get 30 highway with a roof rack easy and 27 on the way up the canyon to the resorts.summer time without a rack im pushin 35 easy
 
OMG FORD OMG OMG

THATS NOT SUBARU OMG I HATE YOU KEN BLOCK I LOVE SUBARU I LOVE STI's THEY ARE THE GREATEST YOUR AN IDIOT FOR SWITCHING IDIOT
 
this.

why the hell did they drop out anyway? i must have been under a rock when it happened because i never got the story, i just heard they dropped out
 
I think he was being sarcastic.

But if not, Subaru probably lost too much $$ and it became not good enough advertising for the cost.
 
I think they're going to start making the sti more of a street-track car if they bail on rally altogether.

but it is kind of understandable how subaru bailed on WRC, wrc is bleeding money from what i hear.
 
eh i dont know man. how many people do you see drive wrx's these days? a lot. the impreza was a result of the wrc i dont know how subaru can say that the wrc has not helped their sales.
 
They aren't bailing on rally, just the WRC. The WRC itself wasn't being profitable for them anymore but they are still doing Group N rally. This new model STi is somewhat lacking and is losing some of the rally heritage which is unfortunate, hopefully they will go back to it in the future.
 
Sorry I was mistaken, it was the changes to Group N rally that made Subaru drop out and almost impossible to run a Boxer engine in the WRC. They still do other non-Group N rally though.
 
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