An aggressive design and sporty potential: the X-Bow is not merely a milestone in the KTM brand’s more than 50-year history, it’s also a new citation in the small, but elite segment of radical, lightweight sports cars. This exceptional position is the result of the concept: for their first car, KTM employs the finest materials, high-tech and the know-how of respected development partners such as Audi and Dallara. The result is a street-homologated sports car with racing technology, like an avantgarde, carbon-fiber monocoque. Thanks to the basic version’s light weight and the 220 bhp Audi TFSI engine, the performance values of the KTM X-Bow outstrip those of super-sport cars with more than twice the power: with a deadweight of approx. 1543 lbs, the KTM X-Bow accelerates to 62 mph in just 3.9 seconds.
But the X-Bow isn’t just a racing machine, even if it is going to accomplish spectacular performance feats on racing circuits. With its modern technologies and exceptional solutions, it’s much more oriented towards sporty drivers who seek a purist’s driving experience. By foregoing electronic assistants and today’s standard comfort features, the X-Bow offers an unfiltered adventure – aided by its standalone wheels in the style of monoposto racing cars, transparent technology and the car’s reduced concept, i.e. no roof, doors or windscreen. The sports car has only a 70-millimeter, transparent wind deflector. With all these unique features, driving the KTM X-Bow becomes an experience with an immediacy that otherwise can only be felt when riding a motorcycle.
Carbon-fiber Monocoque: Racing Know-how from Dallara
Carbon-fiber monocoques have been the Formula 1’s safety net for years. On the road, this technology was formerly reserved for the elitist, super sports cars in the highest price classes. KTM would now like to be the first to offer this solution in a much more affordable environment.
KTM has thereby been able to call upon the expertise of its development partner, Dallara. These specialists from Varano (near Parma) in Northern Italy have long been acclaimed as carbon technology experts, from the conception to the production of components made of this light, yet rigid material. The monocoque developed for the KTM X-Bow is not only extremely robust it is also safe, thanks to an integrated crashbox. And yet it weighs only about 70 kilos and is therefore a crucial factor in the vehicle’s spectacular performance.
The Engine: TFSI Technology from Audi
KTM was able to gain Audi AG as its partner in developing the drive unit. The four-cylinder TFSI engine represents the X-Bow’s construction principles in an ingenious way: by featuring lightweight, high-performance and intelligent technologies.
The engine’s outstanding attribute is its gasoline direct injection technology, FSI. In this case, it’s combined with an exhaust turbocharger plus an intercooler. Thanks to FSI, the engine can utilize fuel better than one with ordinary intake manifold injection and it even gets by on less fuel in the frequently used partial load range.
The KTM X-Bow’s long-stroking, four-valve engine delivers a powerful performance: 221 lb-ft of torque peaks at a level between 2200 and 4000 rpm. The peak performance of 220 bhp is achieved at 5900 rpm. Even more powerful engine variations in the 300-horsepower range are planned at a later date.
The drive unit package is complemented by a manual 6-gear transmission, which is also made by VW and can be equipped with a limited-slip differential if so desired. An optional S tronic transmission will also be offered. The drive comes from the rear wheels.
The Aerodynamics: Exceptional Contact Pressure
The primary development goal for the KTM X-Bow was not attaining extreme final velocities, but in optimizing the driving dynamics. The sports car is thereby aided by an ingenious aerodynamics arrangement, the result of many hours in Dallara’s wind tunnel. The most vital element in this area is the underbody, which is equipped with a prominent diffuser at the rear. To make this diffuser work even more effectively, the linking points for the rear suspension were set as high as possible. This enables the KTM X-Bow to achieve a phenomenal downforce of about 200 kilograms at a speed of 126 mph – about three times more than most other super sports cars.
In combination with the high-performance chassis, this fantastic downforce makes extreme curve speeds possible. The transversal acceleration of 1.23 g that can thus be attained noticeably surpasses the usual values achieved by street homologated sports cars.
A decision will be made concerning the small-series production of the KTM X-Bow by the end of April 2007.
