Ken Block's last Gymkhana video before he tragically passed away in 2023 was in the Audi S1 e-tron quattro, and despite that car being an EV, Block gave us an unforgettable show on the streets of Las Vegas. Now, xtreme sports athlete Travis Pastrana has taken up the Gymkhana challenge, and he's proved just as impressive as the man who started it. In 2020, he revealed the Airslayer STI, which he called the "wildest WRX STI ever," for his first crack at the Gymkhana series, and in 2022, he took to the streets of Florida in a Subaru GL nicknamed the Family Huckster. This December, the Subaru partnership has continued with a pickup called the Brataroo 9500 Turbo, a custom 1978 BRAT with 670 hp and a redline north of 9,500 rpm (the highest of any Gymkhana car to date), and Pastrana has used every inch of the tachometer in his latest Gymkhana film, Aussie Shred, which went live today and is embedded at the bottom of this article.
Australia Changed Its Tune for Pastrana
According to local publication WhichCar, Australian authorities reportedly had no interest in having someone like Block or Pastrana show their skills on public roads, even if those roads were closed, fearing that it would encourage automotive silliness. They've clearly softened their stance since Gymkhana 9's attempt in 2016, allowing the Brataroo to dance through the Outback and on the streets of Sydney. Fun fact: Australians coined the term 'hoon,' which describes dangerous driving and inspired the name of the media house that Block founded, Hoonigan. And this Subie pickup is certainly capable of insane hooning.
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The 2.0-liter turbocharged boxer four-cylinder engine produces a whopping 680 lb-ft of torque, feeding all four wheels through a six-speed SADEV sequential transmission. The Khyzyl Saleem-designed bodywork, which features some insane active aero, is made of carbon fiber, and the chassis is from Vermont SportCars, with a WRC-grade roll cage included. As you'll see below, Pastrana tests the limits of sanity several times in this film, and it must have been nice to know he would have been fully protected if anything went wrong.
Travis Pastrana Has No Fear
As he did in Florida with his last Gymkhana film, Pastrana dipped a wheel over the edge of a body of water, and although we know that no Gymkhana film is shot in one take, nor is any single stunt typically attempted only once, Pastrana's skill behind the wheel is a joy to behold and gives one shivers contemplating the possibility of failure or misjudgement. The scenes in the sandy Outback are less scary, but even there, Pastrana's fearless driving makes for exciting watching. Subaru says this is the ultimate Subaru Brat, and it probably is, but is this the wildest Gymkhana yet? Jumps, drifts, and near-misses reach new heights. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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