What do you give the car partisan who has everything ? How about something so well , you could n’t even corrupt it in the United States – until now , that is : the KTM X - Bow . hail from Austria , it ’s the first machine from sport bike manufacturer KTM .
The ex - Bow ( pronounced " crossbow " ) is modest and aggressive , with a silhouette that vaguely resemble aLotus . The longer you look , though , the more differences number to lightness . Most obvious is that the X - Bow is fundamentally an subject - airgo - kart , providing an " unfiltered " experience for " purist , " according to the car ’s North American distributer , British Racing Group , L.L.C.
Deep - pocketed track enthusiasts have been wait since 2008 to get their butts in the place of the X - Bow , but KTM never settle its long - rumored plan to import it . British Racing Group L.L.C. , a boutique dealership mountain range that specializes in locating and selling arduous - to - find cars , has taken over stateside sale efforts . They ’ll dodge sticky legality issues by market the X - Bow as a outfit railcar – in other intelligence , they ’ll sell you the shell . Buying and installing the make - it - go section is your problem ( but it ’s a troth rather common withkit cars ) . Specifically , they say , " The North American stipulation KTM X - Bow is classified as a special construction vehicle by the EPA , NHSTA and state departments of transportation . As such , it is sold without engine and transaxle " [ source : British Racing Group , L.L.C. ] .
British Racing Group ’s damage also include legalese that says , essentially , just because they ’ll deal it does n’t imply the buyer will inevitably be able to drive it , at least harmonize to interior and state governmental regulations . ( However , it ’s cleared for road usance in most of the European Union , as well as the United Arab Emirates . )
The difficulty of own the X - bowing seem only to impart to its cultus - like status . It ’s noteworthy that the cristal - Bow has created such a stir despite its pocket-sized underpinnings . Though the car comes unpowered , it was designed to work with a specificengine– a rather common 240horsepowerfour - cylinder that ’s borrowed from the Volkswagen - Audi fellowship ( more on that afterward ) . Though it ’s rather sprightly in a spartan car , the comparatively down in the mouth power production might be surprising for a track toy that sits just shy of a six - figure price tag . Suffice it to say , the numbers alone do n’t enjoin the whole floor .
So , what makes the X - Bow so sought after – is it just the " ca n’t have it " factor ? On the next page , we ’ll talk more about the X - Bow ’s intent .
KTM X-Bow Design
KTM is known for its racing motorcycle , so it ’s picayune surprisal that the X - Bow performs much like a four - wheeledmotorcycle . But designing a railway car requires a slightly different skill set , so KTM enlist a squad of experts to help oneself ensure the X - bowing would be the leader of the coterie . KTM borrowed the exhaust from its family of bike , and in fact , that ’s the only KTM - produced element of the car . All other major constituent and features are sourced from different suppliers .
The chassis was engineered by Dallara , an Italian racecar design firm that specializes in lightweight and high - tech materials . The tub - similar cockpit is constructed of a carbon copy fibre strain that , harmonise to The Telegraph , is actually called " industrial fiber . " In the front , the cockpit is strengthened with racing - spec carbon fiber crash support and the exhaust provides bread and butter for the rear end . This structure make the hug drug - Bow twice as resistant to twisting as a steel - bodied convertible . The 240horsepowerVolkswagen - Audi 4 - piston chamber FSIenginealso round out the rear .
The X - Bow ’s been uncommitted around its home turf since 2008 , so there ’s been plenty of chance for European and American motoring press to weigh in . The car ’s tub - alike design is a popular fair game for sharp commentary . Climb into the X - Bow ( not a refined task , according to Motor Trend ) and settle into the nonadjustable , hard molded hind end – the controls must be adjust to reach the driver . Paul Horrell of Motor Trend say the want of a roof and windshield is jarring , especially at track speeds : Protection arrive only from the gadget driver ’s helmet . And without a windshield and roof , there ’s no need for the A - pillar that typically forms the support between those panels , provide unobstructed front and peripheral view . A KTM minibike instrument cluster is mounted nearby .
Get in shape before you attempt to whip the X - Bow around a track : It ’s absentminded the grace of powersteeringandpower brake . The hanging allow for a rough , yet purposeful drive , allowing the driver to receive plenty of feedback from the road surface ; however , it ’s generally " very civilized " [ root : Horrell ] . Prospective American buyer can rest easy , though : the X - Bow is available in both left - script and proper - helping hand drive formats .
Now that you know how the X - Bow feels on the route ( at least , concord to the pros ) , you might be wondering what ’s behind the carbon copy fiber facade . Keep reading for the X - Bow ’s vital stats .
KTM X-Bow Specs
KTM has a good range of its strengths and weaknesses – when it came clip to power up this high - pricedgo - kart , it went to Audi for theengineand drivetrain rather than set about to develop their own . The Audi 2.0 - literturbodirect - injected powerplant couple to a 6 - speed manual transmission . It all impart up to 240 HP , which birth 62 mi per hr ( 100 kilometers per 60 minutes ) in just 3.9 s . So , allow ’s get this out of the way up front : Yes , this engine and transmission jazz group can be obtain at any VW dealership in the United States , already installed in a fully - fit out street - legal rider car , for roughly a third of the toll of the X - arc . But then , you ’d be an average railway car shopper . And even though VWs and Audis are jolly fun on a track , would n’t you rather be there with a mischievous little X - obeisance ?
Most of the car ’s ginger can be attributed to its size of it and weightiness . All those " missing " features – like doors , a roof , a windscreen , a trunk and cabin tool comforts – were trimmed with the goal of redeem punt and troy ounce . And 240 horses can get up and go a lot faster when they ’ve have a smaller cart to pull . British Racing Group also notes that its discharge andfuel economy– about 39 miles per Imperial gallon ( 16.6 km per liter ) – are standardised to those of a small passenger railcar .
The carbon - fiber cockpit and Al underbody ride on double triangular wishbonesuspensionfrom supplier WP Suspension . The tires are 17 inch ( 43.2 cm ) in front and 18 inches ( 45.7 centimeters ) in the back , mounted on roulette wheel withaerodynamicplastic composite covers . Below the rollers sit Brembo disc brakes , 12 inches ( 30.5 centimeters ) in front and 10.3 column inch ( 26.2 centimeters ) in back , which allow the X - curtain call to slow from 62 miles per hour ( 100 klick per hour ) to a full plosive speech sound in just 108 feet ( 32.9 meters ) [ source : KTM X - Bow ] .
The X - Bow is available in a few unlike trimness to beseem individual racing want . The least uncomfortable option is the Street modeling , and from there , each additional trim stage shave a few ounces of curb weight while adding high - end backwash accoutrements ( like racing harness , top - of - the - line suspension components and the ever - sobering attack extinguisher ) . A perfect go - Bow in Street trimming ( include drivetrain ) is require to come about $ 95,000 in the United States .
require to brush up on your drive acquisition before your new cristal - stem arrives ? The next Sir Frederick Handley Page will pave the road for more racing and high - end car brainwave .
