Crosse Atomic
The KTM X-Bow A Road Racer That Looks Like No Other
When the Austrian manufacturer KTM announced it would build a new lightweight X-Bow road car back in 2006, it stunned the assembled journalist with its looks and design. KTM had already built up a reputation in the production of endurance motorcycles, where it had already dominated several rally raid events, most notably the demanding Paris Dakar rally, however the company was now turning its attention to manufacturing high performance light weight road cars.
The X-Bow is KTM's attempt to diversify and expand its business in the face of falling numbers of bike licences in Europe, and certainly when the first cars were released in 2008 wearing KTM's famous orange and black racing colours it was easy to see that they had started their design from a blank sheet of paper.
Quite simply the KTM X-Bow looks like no other vehicle on the road today, with its all carbon fibre tub, exposed suspension components, angular shaped bodywork and twin rollover hoops this is one car that is sure to get you noticed. In fact, this is not a car for shy and retiring types, although because the X-Bow lacks a windscreen you could drive it wearing a helmet for added protection and privacy.
Power for the X-Bow comes in the shape of Audi's 2 litre Fsi engine, which produces a claimed 237bhp, although rumours suggest that these cars actually leave the factory with much closer to 300bhp. With a total kerb weight of just 800kg KTM's claimed time of 0-60 in under 4 seconds seems entirely plausible as does an extra 200kg of downforce generated by the body work at 124 mile per hour.
As you would expect from a motorcycle manufacturer, simplicity of design is paramount, there is no ignition key to fire up the engine just an electronic key fob that you keep in your pocket and a dash mounted starter button. Whilst in place of an ordinary instrument binnacle there is just one centrally mounted rubberised LCD control panel, which challengingly asks Are You Ready to Race each time it is switched on.
When it comes to the drivers and passengers seat the simple answer is there isn't one, instead there are blocks of moulded foam stuck in strategic points inside the cabin and adjustable pedals and a removable steering wheel.
In its class only the Ariel Atom or Caterham R500, have the handling and performance to keep up with the X-bow, and of those two contenders only the exposed scaffolding shaped chassis of the Ariel Atom has the looks to compete.
However by the time all of the must have extras have been added to the X-bow like the F1 steering wheel, adjustable suspension, xenon headlights and carbon fibre floor it can cost twice as much as the Ariel Atom, and to be frank that’s quite a price to pay for a road racer that will probably only be used during weekends in the summer.
About the Author
Jo Alexander is an online, freelance journalist and keen windsurfer. Jo lives by the sea in Essex.
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