San Francisco closed down several streets to shoot Gymkhana FIVE: Ultimate Urban Playground – San Francisco, a video from DC Shoes and Ken Block. It's the ultimate display of drifting cars engaged in a zero-to-60-in-1.8-seconds performance. Cameras follow Block in his 650-horsepower Ford Fiesta HFHV through a seemingly, never-ending off-ramp. Block launches across the Golden Gate Bridge, pirouetting around two moving trolley cars, and uses Potrero Hill as a personal landing strip.
The Fiesta with Ken Block at the helm made for one killer, high-performance event that brought new meaning to the art of drifting. Witnessing the abuse the car suspension withstands may get you thinking about your own car shocks. Automotive experts recommend replacing car shocks every 50,000 miles, but according to an article in Modern Tire Dealer, 86 percent of vehicles arriving at junkyards still have their original shocks and struts. That's crazy, especially when you consider how car shocks impact braking and cornering ability, as well as tire wear. A study by Monroe found that even if one of four car shocks is degraded by 50 percent, stopping time can increase by 4.3 percent and stopping distance by 5.7 percent. That's major.
If you want to see some crazy moves, watch Ken Block's Gymkahna spectacular. However, if you want the scoop on how he drives it and other background on Ken, driving and motorsports, watch this Shakedown interview with Ken and Leo Parente. And for help with choosing the right shocks for your vehicle, talk to an Advance Auto Parts team member.
