Pro rally driver and American hero Ken Block — not to be confused with American anti-hero Ken Bone — has performed a few donuts in his lifetime. So it should come as no surprise that the man’s world-class drifting skills make him the perfect driver to demonstrate the power of Ford’s new Performance Drift Stick, a rally-inspired electronic handbrake.
Designed under Block’s watchful eye for the Focus RS, the Drift Stick is an aluminum lever that connects directly with the vehicle’s electronic all-wheel-drive and antilock braking systems via a diagnostics port. When pulled, it offers clutch-free drifting, similar to what rally cars provide.
The major advantage the Drift Stick has over the hydraulic handbrake is that it works with the system that’s already present in the car and requires no drilling or welding to be installed. Also, since its electronic, an integrated USB port in the Drift Stick allows owners to download diagnostic and performance data so they can analyze their driving skills.
“I think it’s really cool Ford Performance is offering customers a way to create large-angle drifts in the Focus RS,” Block says. “Obviously it’s something that I’m really passionate about having been a part of the development of the production vehicle, so it’s exciting to see it come to life.”
Intended for track use only, non-warranty-altering Drift Stick kits will be offered at authorized Ford Performance Parts distributors starting on December 1st for $999.
We expect vacant parking lots nationwide to be quite busy come December.
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