Press Release
Ken Block, Hoonigan, and Ash Thorp launch NFTs of the Hoonifox:
The Ultimate Fox Body Mustang
COMPTON, CA – October 18, 2021
From the mind of professional rally driver Ken Block, and the skills of renowned artist Ash Thorp, comes a set of NFTs of the wildest Fox body Ford Mustang concept ever: the Hoonifox. Leading automotive lifestyle brand Hoonigan, along with co-founder Ken Block, announced today that they have partnered with digital artist and creative director Ash Thorp (ALT Creative, Inc.) to produce five unique NFTs of the Hoonifox, released in varying quantities for auction and sale. The NFTs will drop on the Ethernity Marketplace at ethernity.io on October 21.
Inspired by the success of Block’s infamous all-wheel-drive, 1,400 horsepower, real-life 1965 Ford Mustang dubbed the Hoonicorn, the Hoonifox is a concept vehicle that Block wanted to build for video content such as Gymkhana – aka Hoonigan and Block’s award-winning viral film series with over 600 million views to date. As a step towards making the car a reality, and bringing their wild ideas and creative concepts to life, Block teamed up with artist Ash Thorp to visualize the Hoonifox in a hyper-realistic way. After designing the racecar, Block and Thorp took it to another level, bouncing concepts back and forth – from wild designs, fiery donuts, an all-gold design, to digital tire smoke that bends the limits of CGI.
“I have a lot of fun creating wild automotive concepts with Ash, because we’re able to get creative with cars in ways that aren’t possible in real life – or at least take years of building and development”, says Block. “So, this NFT gives us a unique way to develop the story of the Hoonifox – and have some fun with it, of course. Ash’s signature design style, combined with some really challenging technical CGI elements he has perfected just for these NFTs, make this the perfect step into digital collectibles for us. The Hoonifox is a car that Hoonigan and I still want to build someday, and this NFT project is the next step for us to bring this to life for the fans.”
Ash Thorp, known for his original graphics and design content for Hollywood feature films like Ghost in the Shell, Total Recall, and many other blockbusters, has partnered with Ken on several unique automotive designs. Now, for the Hoonifox NFTs, he has pushed the limits of both the creative and technical realities even further to create this special art with Block. “I absolutely love working with Ken,” said Ash Thorp. “Since he is an artist as well, Ken truly understands the creative process and encourages me to push the boundaries of automotive design. Over the years, we have produced some extraordinary and fun concepts together, but the Hoonifox is still a project that holds such special value for me. I am so excited for this NFT release with Ken and for us to share the Hoonifox with the world in an all new form.”
The highlight of the collection - a 1 of 1 version of the Hoonifox in all-gold, with hyper detailed surfaces and an etched signature from Block - will be auctioned off to the highest bidder. For this version alone, Block and Hoonigan will be creating a unique physical gift that will be sent to the winning bidder: a one-off display showcasing the Hoonifox’s wheel face, machined to specs of the Hoonifox concept’s real-life dimensions. Which could be said is the first ever Hoonifox part created in real life.
NFTs, aka non-fungible tokens, are collectible digital assets that hold value in the form of cryptocurrency and are sold on blockchain marketplaces. The Hoonifox NFT launches on October 21st, with the collection available on Ethernity.io for a purchase window of three days. Hoonigan, Block, and Thorp are releasing 5 unique pieces of Hoonifox art: some available for immediate purchase and one, rare, specially designed NFT sold on auction as an exclusive 1 of 1 minted piece. Each unique piece will feature a special livery design and other features specific to that design. For several of the tiers of NFT being sold, there will be a chance to win a unique physical item that is signed by Ken Block and Ash Thorp to accompany the NFT purchase.
“We are very interested in experimenting with blockchain technology and NFT markets as new ways for Hoonigan to offer new experiences for our fans. The Hoonifox and the creative partnership between Ken and Ash are the most authentic way for us to begin… and who knows, we may be able to build the real car if the launch goes well!” said Brian Scotto, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer at Hoonigan.
ABOUT HOONIGAN:
Headquartered in Compton, CA, Hoonigan is a next generation automotive lifestyle brand with a large and passionate fan base. By championing a subculture that is fueled on the shared passion of going fast and having fun, Hoonigan has built a global community driven by an authentic passion for motorsports and automotive culture. The Company’s deep library of owned, original, franchise and branded content speaks directly to consumers, as exhibited by its over 30 million monthly views and 175 million average monthly minutes of content watched on YouTube. Included in this catalog of content is the award-winning Gymkhana Films, the largest automotive viral series in existence. Hoonigan also sells a range of auto parts and merchandise both online and through specialty retailers, and the company’s racing division competes in rally and rallycross racing events globally.
ABOUT ASH THORP / ALT CREATIVE:
Ash Thorp is the founder of ALT Creative, Inc. and a multidisciplinary artist whose skillset spans across many mediums from motion graphics, VFX, concept/digital art, photography, illustration, animation, to directing. He has worked on numerous high profile projects across several industries from automotive, commercial, television, to film. His creative designs and concepts have been featured in movies such as Ender’s Game, Underwater, Assassin’s Creed, and Ghost in the Shell. Beyond his extensive portfolio of commissioned work, Thorp also enjoys focusing his time towards creating passion projects and short films, including Edifice, Epoch, and his most recent release titled Evinetta. Compelled to give back to others in the industry, Ash Thorp started The Collective Podcast in 2013 as a way to personally share his experiences and connect artists from all over the world together.
ABOUT KEN BLOCK:
Ken Blockʼs rally career began in 2005. His skill and car control became quickly apparent and Block aptly nabbed Rookie of the Year that season in the Rally America Championship. Since then, Block has continued to race in the series, racking up numerous overall wins as well as plenty of podium appearances. He’s also accumulated five X Games medals since the start of his race career. In addition to his performance in the car, Block has been a driving force in shedding light on the sport of rally within the United States. His keen branding and marketing acumen, combined with his talents and skills behind the wheel, has also allowed Block to achieve global fame as a rally driver through his wildly successful viral Gymkhana series of videos. With all ten of his Gymkhana videos clocking in at well over 600 million views on the franchise in total, as well an Emmy-nominated 8-part Amazon Prime Docuseries called “The Gymkhana Files”, they have helped put Block in front of eyeballs around the world. The franchise has also racked up several awards, including making the top 10 viral video charts by Ad Age, as well multiple One Show Interactive Gold Pencil Awards in the category of Online Films & Video/Long Form – Single, for excellence in an advertising campaign. In January 2010, Block formed the Monster World Rally Team and signed with Ford to pursue his dreams of racing in the World Rally Championship and in doing so, became one of only four Americans to ever score points in the WRC (more Americans have actually landed on the moon than scored points in the WRC). Additionally, his signing with Ford included campaigning domestically in racing (Global RallyCross Championship, X Games, and Rally America), as well as continuing with his Gymkhana driving. In 2012, Block re-named his team Hoonigan Racing Division, with the goal to further push the boundaries of motorsports marketing. In 2013, 2014 and 2015, Block dedicated himself to competing in the Global Rallycross Championship, finishing second overall in
2015. 2016 saw Block move to racing full-time in the FIA World Rallycross Championship which he did for the full 2016 and 2017 seasons. For 2021, Block has kicked off an all-new partnership with Audi – with major projects in the works for 2022. In addition, he will compete in a variety of races: ranging from the Baja 1000 to U.S. National Rallies as well as creating multiple video projects.
Contact: For Hoonigan:
Ron Zaras
Brand Director
ron@hoonigan.com
For ALT Creative:
Monica Thorp
Producer
info@altcinc.com
