A daring video project previously banned by “anti-hoon laws” has been welcomed “with open arms”, going viral online this week.
The extreme stunt driving video, Gymkhana 2025: Aussie Shred, was filmed across Sydney Harbour, the Outback, and Bathurst’s Mount Panorama after the Australian government agreed to a production that was once blatantly rejected.
It’s the first time the franchise has filmed in Australia, with Hoonigan partnering with Subaru Motorsports USA to bring the project to life.
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The Gymkhana series began in 2008 as a low-budget experiment by rally driver Ken Block to showcase his precision driving skills and promote his shoe brand, DC Shoes.
In January 2023, Ken Block tragically passed away after he was involved in a snowmobile accident.
Now Travis Pastrana is continuing the legacy.
Hoonigan co-founder and action director Brian Scotto said Australia had always been high on the wish list, but when he asked to film a couple of years back with Ken Block, Australia’s anti-hooning sentiment killed the idea.
“We were met with a resounding no because of the climate of anti-hoon laws at the time,” Scotto said of the attempt to shoot Gymkhana Nine in Australia.
“A decade later, when we reapproached the Australian government, we were met with open arms.”
In the end credits of the film, Hoonigan mentions special thanks to various government councils, including the City of Sydney and Broken Hill Council. Along with them, Transport for NSW and NSW Police also mentioned their assistance with the filming.
That revival set the stage for what Subaru Motorsports USA is calling the wildest Gymkhana yet.
Travis Pastrana uses a purpose-built Subaru “Brataroo” to ‘shred’ through the country while tackling some of the biggest jumps, closest calls, and craziest tricks.
The Brataroo is a radically re-engineered 1978 Subaru BRAT pushing 670 horsepower from a screaming 9,500 RPM turbo engine.
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The car features advanced active aerodynamics and was designed specifically to “corner, slide and fly” in ways previous Gymkhana vehicles never could.
Pastrana said the build needed to survive the film’s most extreme stunts.
“Every part of this car was designed to take the abuse we threw at it while making this film,” Pastrana said. “From hanging two tyres off a pier to flying 160 feet across a 10-story deep canyon gap over a road train. Skimming across a deep lake and scaring myself every step of the way. The Brataroo is hands down the craziest Gymkhana car we’ve ever built.”
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The film is packed with Aussie cameos, including Dakar champion Toby Price, Subaru WRC star Chris “Atko” Atkinson, V8 Supercars drivers, and YouTube duo Mighty Car Mods.
For Scotto, shooting in Australia wasn’t just a bucket-list item — it was unfinished business and the final chapter for Pastrana in the series.
“This combination of the unfinished business we had down under and this being Pastrana’s last film in the series not only makes it very special to me, but also puts the pressure on to push the limit of what we could do both in the car and behind the camera,” Scotto said.
