Travis Pastrana’s new Gymkhana movie just came out and it’s already the most chaotic installment the franchise has ever released. Aussie Shred is now live on Hoonigan’s YouTube channel and you can sense the team’s intent from the opening shot of the action-packed 11-minute film.
The last time Pastrana strapped on a gymkhana setup, he set new standards. This goes even further and you can see it immediately. After almost a decade of no-go permits from local authorities, the land Down Under finally has its chance. Now the government is on board, and Hoonigan wasted no time pushing the boundaries.
The hero car is the Subaru Brataroo 9500 Turbo, which broke cover at SEMA this year. Subaru Motorsports USA and Vermont SportsCar built it based on a 1978 Subaru BRAT; Anything to help Pastrana defy the laws of physics. The Brataroo produces 670 horsepower and 680 pound-feet of torque from a 2.0-liter turbocharged boxer engine that revs over 9,500 rpm. The chassis and aerodynamic work goes far beyond any previous Gymkhana model, with active systems that ensure the truck stays airborne at high speeds, sideways in a slide or during long jumps.
Pastrana rides the Brataroo across Sydney Harbor with the famous Harbor Bridge and Opera House in the background, deep into the red dust of the outback and up to Bathurst’s Mount Panorama. He jumps over a 160-foot-high ravine, overtakes a road, hangs two wheels from a pier and flies over a lake in a seaplane. He admits the car has scared him more than once and the footage backs this up. The margin for error seems slim, and the Brataroo seems designed to endure punishment rather than politely survive.
Aussie Shred also relies on strong local talent. Two-time Dakar winner Toby Price competes wheel to wheel with Pastrana. Subaru WRC rider Chris Atkinson also appears in the film, as do Nitro Circus BMX names Ryan Williams, Jaie Toohey and Will Brown. V8 Supercars drivers line up for a drag run on Conrod Straight. Powerful car mods are emerging. Even the Mad Hueys get some screen time for a Shoey.
This is Pastrana’s final Gymkhana film, and Hoonigan’s Brian Scotto calls the project an unfinished business. He and the late Ken Block tried to film in Australia ten years ago but were refused permission. Thankfully, things are very different today, and that sense of closure gives weight to this project.
Images: HOONIGAN
