Born on November 21, 1967, Kenny Paul Block is a member of the Hoonigan Racing Division (formerly the Monster World Rally Team) and a renowned professional rally racer. He has also participated in several action sports competitions, such as skateboarding, snowboarding, and motocross. Block is one of the founding members of DC Shoes.

After selling his share in DC Shoes, Block switched his company's emphasis to Hoonigan Industries, a clothesline for motor enthusiasts. He is the co-owner and company's “Head Hoonigan In Charge” (HHIC).

After 11 years of working together, Ford Performance and Hoonigan Racing Division announced their separation in January 2021. Block made the announcement that he will be returning to Subaru in April. Block then revealed that he would be working with Audi on “Joint initiatives in the area of electric mobility” in September 2021.

Through the years, Block has been fine-tuning his cars into WRC cars, one of them being his lovable Ford Escort Cosworth.

Ken Block's mission to transform all the classic fast Fords into track toys is still ongoing. His Escort Cosworth follows his Mk2 Escort and “Hoonicorn” Mustang, in addition to a sizable collection of contemporary Fiestas and Focuses.

Let’s have a look at Ken Block’s Ford Escort Cosworth.

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What Happened To Ken Block’s Previous Escort Cosworth?

Ford Escort Cosworth(Cossie)
via: Hooniganracing

Ken Block formerly owned a Ford Escort Cosworth. The crucial word here is “used to,” since the Cosworth crashed just after Ken's head-mounted GoPro recorded good footage of him blazing through the road and whipping through turns.

Block revealed his multi-series racing schedule for 2018 in April. He said he would participate in the new Americas Rallycross Championship (ARX), the World Rallycross Championship (WRX), Gymkhana Grid, and a few stage rallies in the United States that year.

Unfortunately, Block tragically lost one of his cherished possessions while competing in the New England Forest Rally due to a vehicle fire. The cause of the fire is unclear. However, it broke out when Block apparently experienced transmission problems, which ultimately caused a rollover and a fire. It was during Stage 4 of the rally that Block's Escort met this catastrophic demise. At the time of the tragedy, he and his co-driver Alex Gelsomino were in third place overall.

After the fire, Block made a choice to construct a new Escort Cosworth because he could not preserve anything from the damaged shell.

The “Cossie V2” Has To Be One Of The Wildest Escort Cosworths Out There

Ford Escort Cosworth(Cossie V2) side
via: Hooniganracing

The vehicle rides noticeably wider than a conventional Escort Cosworth. This is because it has fender arches and aero features that are directly borrowed from the current generation of Ford Fiesta WRC cars, and a track that is 4.3 inches wider than the original.

Block's team added a second Gurney-style flap to the world-famous wing as part of the aero improvements, in addition to the strengthened stance. The Cossie V2 also offers interchangeable choices for a rear-mounted center-exit exhaust system and twin side-exit exhausts, depending on the rules at particular events.

Beyond that, a Ford YB engine that Julian Godfrey developed and tweaked powers the vehicle. It produces 371 horsepower with a 34 mm restrictor installed. Additionally, it has modernized suspension and geometry and an enhanced safety cage that the team took directly from the top-spec WRC Cosworths of the past.

The Cossie V2 also has a Sadev six-speed sequential gearbox, which has one less cog than the original seven-speed, but Block and his team chose it for the Cossie's improved dependability and longevity.

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What Gearheads Don’t Know About The Cossie V2

Ford Escort Cosworth(Cossie V2) rear
via: Hooniganracing

The Hoonigan Racing Division created the design direction for the vehicle, and MDV Engineering in the United Kingdom collaborated on the project.

The construction of the Cossie V2 includes a fun tribute to Block's original Cossie. Death Spray Custom assisted in grinding up certain pieces of the burned vehicle that Block's team utilized later as metal flakes on the roll cage of the latest Cossie.

However, one of the most novel aspects of modernizing this 25-year-old racecar was Ash Thorp's rendering of the complete vehicle in CGI for Block and his team at Hoonigan. This was so they could review and modify it before having the final bodywork constructed in reality. In fact, Thorp's renderings were so thorough and excellent that Block and his crew utilized them as the only launch graphics, which was a first.

Block picked Troy Lee, a well-known moto helmet painter and moto gear designer, for his 2019 livery in order to continue the trend of collaborating with artists from previous seasons.

Along with a contemporary moto aesthetic that fits with what he was doing with his current line of motocross gear, Troy gave the Cossie V2 a vintage racing livery vibe. Lee likewise painted block's 2019 helmet.