Review: HPI Ken Block WR8 Flux Rally Car

It’s no secret that Ken Block is the master of sideways car control. His Gymkhana videos have proven that, and seeing an AWD car do things that seem impossible (or at least extremely difficult) is one of the best things on the internet. HPI has given us a chance to prove our sideways prowess, throwing big horsepower, grippy tires and KB’s replica Monster Energy Drink body on their WR8 rally car. Time to go big, go sideways and get some!

AT A GLANCE
WHO MAKES IT: HPI Racing
WHO IT’S FOR: Everyone
HOW MUCH: $479.97
BUILD TYPE: RTR

FACTS
• Of course, the first thing you’ll notice about the KB WR8 is the body, wheels and tires. HPI wrapped the Ford Fiesta in KB’s complete Monster Energy Drink livery all the way down to the single black front wheel. There is definitely a lot of man hours into that body.

• Since the real Ford Fiesta is running somewhere in the vicinity of 600bhp, HPI wanted to make sure the WR8 had a few ponies under its hood too. In went the HPI Flux Vapor Pro ESC and Vektor 4000kV brushless motor. This system, combined with a 3S pack, is capable of getting your Block-ified WR8 into the 60+mph range. Even Ken would say that’s haulin’ the mail!

• Keeping in tune with Ken’s Fiesta, the WR8 is full-time 4WD. The drivetrain is as simple as can be with dogbones connecting both ends of the car. Three fluid-filled gear diffs round out the rally package.

• Gymkhana (and rally) tests a car’s limits not only by how much traction you can get from the suspension, but also how the car works once it loses traction. HPI has included some nice tuning features like anti-roll bars, toe and ride height (via pre-load clips). Camber is static and cannot be adjusted, which is kind of a bummer, but thankfully the attachment points are standardized so it’s only a matter of time before I switch these out to adjustable links.

• The padded battery box has thick Velcro straps to hold a variety of packs in place. ‘Ears’ molded into one end allows you to use packs that have the wires coming out the side of the battery instead of on top. Nice touch. I also like the Ken Block logos imprinted on the straps.

• To help keep dirt out of the important parts, HPI has molded in a set of debris guards around the chassis. In addition, guards are also attached to the front of the rear suspension arms. The receiver sits in a cozy little, waterproof compartment near the back of the chassis.

PROS
+ Obviously first on the list is the absolutely KILLER looks. Nailed it!
+ The KB WR8 includes HPI’s uber-powerful Flux system that is capable of handling 2 or 3S LiPos.
+ Receiver box keeps the dirt and debris out and off the all-important 2.4GHz control system.
+ Soft, licensed Pirelli tarmac replicas wrap around true-to-scale fifteen52 licensed wheels.
+ Full-time AWD system features three stout, fluid-filled gear differentials.
+ 3mm chassis has integrated dirt guards. Even the rear suspension arms feature dirt guards.
+ Padded battery box includes ‘ears’ for battery leads.

CONS
– ESC does not have an on/off switch
– While the chassis isn’t as flashy as the body, it gets the job done.

BEHIND THE WHEEL
I want to first state that I had some pre-conceived idea of how the Ken Block WR8 was going to perform. The tires feel soft and grippy, the suspension seems a bit bouncy and the electronics look kind of small for a car so big. And then I put it down…

From the get-go, the KB WR8 is nothing like I expected. From the first stab of the throttle there was tire-spinning power and the car was immediately screaming to be thrown sideways which, I might add, is quite even with the grippy tires! Turn the wheel, mash the throttle and it was go time, and I hadn’t even hit the dirt yet! The SW-10W servo effortlessly keeps up with my steering demands even when I’m flailing from lock-to-lock. Put the WR8 on the dirt and things were just the same…only dirtier. You need to be a little more careful with the throttle as it takes far less input to get Ken’s Fiesta sideways, but once it is, it’s all about throttle control (like the full-size car).

Since all the videos show KB jumping stuff (like an entire street in the San Francisco edition), I gave the WR8 a little up-in-the-air test session as well. While the suspension on the WR8 is set up for drift (mostly), it does handle jumps quite well. Getting up in the air is simple, but the landings are where the fun begins. Because the tires are soft, when you leave the ground (with any kind of throttle applied) the tires tend to grow and, depending on how it left the ground, can grow to different sizes when it finally touches back down. This causes the WR8 to squiggle around a bit when it lands. I found a really easy fix to this problem…yank it to full throttle! Full throttle causes the front tires to pull the WR8 in the direction you are pointed, helping to settle the car down. I’m sure this is exactly how Ken does it…I got your number buddy!

THE LAST WORD
HPI’s WR8 is a fast and furious little machine. Add the oh-so-popular Ken Block livery and you’ve created a Monster…literally. I found myself looking for obstacles I could drift around (staying mere inches from the apex, of course) and small inclines I could jump up and over (sideways, if possible). I’m not sure I’ll ever have a killer video like Ken does, but one things for sure, I’m going to have a whole lot of fun trying!

LINKS
HPI, hpiracing.com, 949-753-1099