Hoonigan’s ‘Family Huckster’ Is An 862bhp 1983 Subaru GL Wagon

We’ve come to expect nothing less than the craziest power sliding machines from Ken Block’s Hoonigan motorsport team, and this Subaru GL Wagon is no exception. The ‘Family Huckster’ has been built to propel Travis Pastrana to sideways-heavy glory in the next instalment of the notorious Gymkhana videos, and it looks absolutely bonkers.

Designed in collaboration with Subaru Motorsports USA, the boxy racer began its life as a 1983 Subaru GL Wagon, but in typical Hoonigan fashion, not much of the original car remains. Naturally, the car’s original body panels have been tossed out in favour of bespoke carbon fibre pieces, while the car’s chassis has been upgraded to a lightweight tubular spaceframe.

Under the hood lies a four-cylinder boxer engine, which sounds rather traditional until you find out it’s been tinkered with to produce a monstrous 862bhp. This power is delivered to the car’s all-wheel-drive system via a six-speed sequential gearbox – the perfect setup for power sliding through the tight, twisty turns that usually make up a Gymkhana location.

See also: Ken Block Eyes Pikes Peak Victory With 1,400bhp Porsche 911 “Hoonipigasus”

Under the wide-body shell of the Hoonigan-built-hotrod lies a long-travel suspension setup derived from the firm’s ventures in World Rally Championships, while active front and rear aero flaps and a frighteningly large electronically adjustable rear wing have been bolted onto the car’s outer bodywork.

“An active rear wing is helpful to an extent,” Pastrana said, “but the 83 wagon flies about as well as you would imagine: kind of like a brick. This makes the jumps way more sketchy but also more predictable. The Family Huckster is without a doubt my all-time favourite vehicle to drive”. Sounds exciting, but we’ll leave the death-defying stunts to you, Travis.

On the inside of the Family Huckster, you’ll find the original car’s 1983 radio encased within a flashy blue carbon fibre dashboard, while the 12-inch digital gauge cluster has tricked out to look like something straight out of a 1980’s sci-fi movie. It’s safe to say that this Subaru Wagon is a crazy machine, but which do you prefer – this or Ken Block’s 1,500bhp Pikes Peak-destroying Porsche 911 Hoonipigasus?