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The latest Gymkhana video, titled “Aussie Shred”, just landed on the Hoonigan YouTube channel, and it might be the wildest one yet. This time, Travis Pastrana tears across Australia in a purpose-built Subaru BRAT known as the “Brataroo 9500 Turbo”, a retro-inspired monster with 670 horsepower, active aerodynamics, and a soundtrack that screams to 9500 rpm. From drifting above Sydney Harbour to jumping canyon gaps in the Outback and drag racing Supercars at Bathurst, it’s an 11-minute adrenaline shot that blends precision driving with big-budget stunt work and a good dose of Aussie humour.
This is the latest entry in a long-running series of Gymkhana films that have taken us to city streets, mountain passes, ports, airfields, and now the Australian wilderness. While the series began with Ken Block behind the wheel of rally-built Fords, it’s since evolved into a showcase for Travis Pastrana’s high-risk, high-reward driving style and a rotating cast of custom-built cars designed to shred tires and defy expectations. Hoonigan, the channel behind the series, has turned Gymkhana into a genre of its own, part motorsport, part stunt show, and part cinematic spectacle. Each video pushes the boundaries of car control and vehicle engineering, and Aussie Shred is no exception.
Let’s take a look at what Gymkhana is, what makes the latest Brataroo build so special, and why this film is another standout in one of the most creative automotive series on the internet.
What Is Gymkhana?
So what exactly is Gymkhana in the automotive sense? At its core, gymkhana is a style of motorsport akin to an automotive obstacle course – less about raw speed and more about precision, agility, and supreme car control. Drivers must execute complex maneuvers like 180º spins, 360º drifting donuts, figure-eights, and other stunts around cones or obstacles, all as quickly and cleanly as possible. In other words, it’s the ultimate test of a driver’s skill and a vehicle’s responsiveness.
Ken Block took this niche motorsport concept and supercharged it for a global audience. Starting in 2008, he fused gymkhana driving techniques with Hollywood-grade production to create viral short films that captivated even non-motorsport fans. Instead of just weaving through cones in a parking lot, these videos feature rally-bred cars drifting through iconic city streets, jumping over obstacles, and dancing precisely around props, all set to slick cinematography and a driving soundtrack. The Gymkhana videos are not races or competitions, but choreographed showcases of extreme driving talent. They combine the drifting and precision driving of autocross or drift competitions with a rally driver’s fearless attitude (after all, both Block and Pastrana come from rally racing backgrounds), then drop it all into wild cinematic locations. Over the years we’ve seen Gymkhana films tear through the streets of San Francisco, navigate abandoned industrial ports, and now, in Aussie Shred, traverse everything from the Outback desert to downtown Sydney. The result is a unique blend of motorsport and movie magic, part race, part stunt show, and all tire-shredding fun. Creative driving stunts are the hallmark of Gymkhana, and each film tries to up the ante with even more outrageous feats than the last.
Watch Gymkhana 2025: Aussie Shred Now
Ready to see the Brataroo in action? You can watch the full Gymkhana 2025: Aussie Shred film on the official Hoonigan YouTube channel. Packed with world-class driving, wild stunts, and incredible Australian backdrops, it’s a must-watch for anyone into cars, performance builds, or just crazy automotive entertainment.
The Subaru BRAT – Reborn as the Brataroo 9500 Turbo
Every Gymkhana video has a star car built specifically for the occasion, and for Aussie Shred, Hoonigan pulled out something truly special. Travis Pastrana’s vehicle of choice is a heavily modernised 1978 Subaru BRAT, a tiny old two-seat pickup, that has been transformed into a monstrous Gymkhana machine nicknamed the “Brataroo 9500 Turbo.” Built by Subaru’s technical partner, Vermont SportsCar, the Brataroo is essentially a rally supercar in vintage disguise. Under the hood, it packs a fire-breathing turbocharged 2.0-liter boxer engine pushing out 670 horsepower and 680 lb-ft of torque, with a screaming redline over 9,500 rpm. That makes it the highest-revving and one of the most powerful Gymkhana cars to date. Power is sent to all four wheels through a six-speed sequential racing gearbox and rally-spec differentials, so launches and slides are delivered with lightning-quick shifts and maximum traction.
To handle the abuse of Pastrana’s driving, the Subaru’s chassis and safety systems are top-tier. Vermont SportsCar engineered a custom tube-frame chassis with a full roll cage built to current WRC (World Rally Championship) safety standards, hidden under the BRAT’s classic body shape. Speaking of the body, it’s completely bespoke. The Brataroo wears a lightweight carbon fiber widebody shell that retains the quirky look of the late-‘70s BRAT, but with a radical modern twist thanks to designer Khyzyl Saleem’s handiwork. Its livery pays homage to Subaru’s and Australia’s shared heritage: the paint scheme has a 1970s retro vibe with vintage Subaru logos, Outback sunset colors, and even kangaroo graphics giving a nod to the BRAT’s nickname “Brumby” in Australia. In fact, the very name “Brataroo” is a cheeky tribute to the land of roos; this Gymkhana build was conceived as a tribute to Subaru’s legacy Down Under and the fanbase that’s grown around the brand there.
One of the standout features is its active aero system. Adjustable front vents and rear wings help control the car in mid-air during jumps and give it extra stability through corners. Even the aero is driver-controlled through the original BRAT’s old dash sliders, a fun retro touch.
Inside, the build features proper motorsport safety gear. Pastrana sits in a pair of Recaro bucket seats secured with Schroth harnesses, harnesses that we have available at GSM Performance. It’s a great example of using top-tier components to match high-level performance and safety, which is exactly what our customers look for when building serious race-ready vehicles.
The Brataroo keeps the quirky charm of the classic BRAT, but with everything dialled up to 11. It’s loud, fast, and built to take massive abuse, a perfect tool for the madness of Gymkhana.
Highlights from Aussie Shred
The Gymkhana 2025: Aussie Shred film is absolutely packed with eye-popping stunts and memorable moments. Below are some of the standout highlights that had us rewinding and grinning in disbelief. Pastrana and the Brataroo really pulled out all the stops in Australia:
Mind-Blowing Canyon Jump:
In the Australian Outback, Pastrana launches the Brataroo across a 160-foot canyon gap, soaring ten stories high over a giant “road train” truck in a truly jaw-dropping jump – the longest and gnarliest in Gymkhana history. This scene alone proves Aussie Shred isn’t kidding around with upping the ante.
Two Wheels Over Sydney Harbour:
In a nail-biting stunt by the water, Travis hangs not one but two wheels off the edge of a pier in Sydney Harbour, drifting the car with half of it literally hovering above shark-infested waters below. It’s a heart-stopping homage to Australia’s coastal vibe, and it shows just how precisely he can place the car – one wrong move and the BRAT would be swimming with the fishes!
Mount Panorama Supercar Duel:
The film pays tribute to Aussie motorsport heritage by hitting the legendary Bathurst circuit. Pastrana takes the Brataroo to Mount Panorama and engages in a rolling drag race down Conrod Straight against a pack of V8 Supercars (Australia’s famed touring cars). As the Subaru shares paint and trading blows with the V8s, we even see the Brat nudge a Supercar, showing that this little truck has the punch to battle Australia’s fastest.
Donuts Around a Kangaroo (Literally!):
Gymkhana videos always include some humor, and Aussie Shred delivers with a comical cameo – a person in a kangaroo suit riding a Segway. Pastrana proceeds to rip copious donuts around the kangaroo on a Segway as if it were a moving pylon. It’s a hilarious nod to Aussie wildlife and definitely a “did I really just see that?” moment unique to this film.
Hydroplaning Across a Lake:
As if tarmac and dirt weren’t enough, the Brataroo also takes on water. In one sequence, Travis skims the Subaru across a deep lake at high speed – essentially hydroplaning like a jetski. The car literally surfs across the water’s surface, rooster tail spraying, before clawing back onto land. It’s an homage to a stunt Pastrana pulled in a previous video, and he admitted this time it seriously had his heart racing.
Star-Studded Aussie Cameos:
Aussie Shred is packed with appearances from local legends, adding to the spectacle. Two-time Dakar Rally champion Toby Price shows up, as does former Subaru WRC driver Chris “Atko” Atkinson, and a crew of Nitro Circus BMX riders join the fun. Popular Aussie YouTubers Marty and Moog from Mighty Car Mods make a cameo, and even the “Last of the V8 Interceptors” (a reference to Mad Max’s famous Ford Falcon) rolls in for a burnout. To top it off, the film ends with the Mad Hueys (Australian stunt performers/fishermen) performing a celebratory “shoey” – drinking champagne from a shoe – alongside Pastrana. The blend of motorsport heroes, movie references, and Aussie inside-jokes makes the whole 11-minute video a wildly entertaining ride from start to finish.
Each of these scenes is filmed with spectacular camera work, including drone shots, onboard footage showing Pastrana sawing at the wheel, and slow-motion replays of the Brataroo flying through the air. The Aussie backdrop adds extra flavour, from the red dirt of the Outback to the glittering Sydney skyline. It’s clear the Hoonigan team went all-out to make Aussie Shred a visual feast as well as a driving exhibition. If you’re a car enthusiast, you’ll be replaying these stunts to catch every detail (and probably shaking your head at the sheer audacity of it all).
Aussie Shred Delivers Big Stunts and Bigger Ideas for Builders
Gymkhana 2025: Aussie Shred might just be the wildest chapter in the series so far. With Travis Pastrana at the wheel of the 670hp Subaru Brataroo, the film delivers huge jumps, tight drifts, water skims, and wheel-to-wheel moments that feel more like action movie stunts than traditional motorsport. It’s an impressive display of what happens when precision driving meets serious engineering.
What makes it especially exciting is how the Brataroo blends vintage styling with high-performance hardware. From a full WRC-spec roll cage to active aero and a sequential gearbox, this build is both extreme and functional, proof that well-planned setups can take on just about anything. It’s the kind of project that sparks ideas for custom car builders everywhere.
At GSM Performance, that’s what we’re all about. Whether it’s racing seats, harnesses, or control upgrades, we supply the parts that help make bold builds like this possible. Aussie Shred reminds us that with creativity, commitment, and the right equipment, even something as unlikely as a 1978 Subaru BRAT can become a track-ready monster.