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Chris Harris checks out Ken Block's Hoonicorn '65 Mustang

Ken Block's Hoonicorn, which stars in Gymkhana Seven, might still bear a passing resemblance to a vintage 1965 Ford Mustang, but underneath the skin, the car is one of the baddest custom machines to ever do a smoky burnout on the road. The ever enthusiastic British auto journalist Chris Harris is now showing what really makes Block's new ride tick on video, and Harris even gets to go for quite a ride. The only Mustang components really left on the Hoonicorn are the A-pillar, B-pillar and roof, according to Harris. Everything else is ditched to create Block's ultimate Gymkhana tool. The 845-horsepower, 6.7-liter Rousch Yates V8 sits behind the front axle, and the grunt is routed to all four wheels through a Sadev gearbox usually found on Dakar Rally vehicles. The whole drivetrain is packed with cool little touches; like that giant handbrake that also disconnects power from the front wheels when in use. The superlatives about the Hoonicorn could go on forever, but settle in and let a very excited Harris tell you about just some of them. He's like a kid in a candy store here, and the look that combines surprise, fear and joy during his ride with Block is the kind that lacks a suitable word in the English language.

Weekly Recap: Volvo buys Polestar, makes performance a priority

Volvo is taking its performance business in-house, and the Swedish carmaker announced Tuesday that it bought tuning company Polestar, which has long been known for producing sporty Volvos. The move allows Volvo to ramp up its performance business, and it plans to increase Polestar-branded vehicle sales to 1,000 to 1,500 annually, up from the 750 total projected for this year. The companies have been working together on motorsports projects since 1996. Financial terms of the sale were not released, and Polestar workers will move over to Volvo. Former Polestar owner Christian Dahl will keep control of the Polestar racing team and operate it under a new name. In addition to sales volume, Volvo has ambitious plans for other parts of Polestar, including its aftermarket business. Volvo also said it will use its twin-engine hybrid technology for Polestar models in the future, though specifics and timing were not revealed. Meanwhile, Volvo announced it will offer a run of 265 total Polestars in the United States for the 2016 model year, with S60 and V60s available. "Driving a Volvo Polestar is a special experience. We have decided to bring this experience to more Volvo drivers, placing the full resources of Volvo behind the development of Polestar as the model name for our high performance cars," Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelsson said in a statement. OTHER NEWS & NOTES 2016 Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra, get nose jobs Automakers tend to refer to light updates as 'facelifts,' and that's exactly what Chevy gave the 2016 Silverado and GMC Sierra. Chevy slightly changed the front end of the truck. Using the one photo released of the new Z71 model as a guide, we can see that the headlights went from a stacked vertical design to single bulbs, and they are set on top of LED running lights. The grille has more body-colored elements instead of shiny metal, and the hood has a new line running down the middle (look really closely). The design theme will be similar across the portfolio, though materials and details will vary, a spokesman said. Some models, like the High Country and LTZ will have more chrome, and the LEDs are only for the upper trims. Chevy also said it will use the eight-speed automatic transmission on more versions of the Silverado, and it updated the MyLink feature to support Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Uber hopes facilities in Detroit will help shape its autonomous future

Hot off the heels of unleashing its fleet of self-driving vehicles in Pittsburgh, PA, Uber announced plans to open a new facility in the Detroit, MI area, reports Automotive News. The new facility was announced at an event hosted by Society of Automotive Engineers in Detroit, MI. Uber's vice president of global vehicle programs Sherif Marakby revealed the news, reports Automotive News. The facility is meant to help the ride-sharing company collaborate with suppliers and automakers in the area. There's no word on where Uber will build the new facility or how big it will be, as those factors have yet to be determined. Just like Pittsburgh, PA, Detroit, MI could become another testing ground for the ride-sharing company. The latest move to open a facility in the Detroit area comes after Uber offered users in Pittsburgh the chance to ride in one of its autonomous vehicle as it looks to gain vital real-world testing. Uber is utilizing a fleet of modified Ford Fusions. Earlier this year in April, the automaker announced a partnership with Google, Lyft, Uber, and Volvo to develop autonomous cars. A new facility in Detroit would strengthen the partnership and help Uber, as well as Ford put autonomous vehicles on the road faster. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: AOL Green Ford Volvo Transportation Alternatives Technology Emerging Technologies Autonomous Vehicles Detroit Uber taxi Lyft ridesharing facility