With the aid of Dallara and the Kiska design organization, Austrian motorbike maker KTM released into a enjoyment aspect gig earning the track-day X-Bow (pronounced “crossbow”) in 2008. Promising not to make additional than 100 for every calendar year to manage emphasis and exclusivity, the past 14 several years have witnessed 1,300 products bought as the lineup expanded to six products. The raciest of the range is the GT2, released in 2020 as the “ultimate observe weapon” to compete in GT2-course sports motor vehicle racing. Autocar reviews there’s seventh sibling on the way, with KTM at the moment in advancement of a street-legal variation of the GT2.
KTM has claimed the street car will keep the 176-pound carbon monocoque chassis and cover cockpit enclosure, with a target on security and crashworthiness. The six-speed sequential transmission has now been jettisoned in the switch from hitting apexes to scraping curbs, replaced by a seven-pace immediate shift gearbox. Soon after that, nevertheless, we do not know how a lot will adjust, if nearly anything. This could stop up remaining a race vehicle with some aspect mirrors. Speaking of which, the pictured prototype doesn’t have aspect mirrors — but it does have a license plate holder — so KTM is either generating mirrors a late addition or heading with Euro-welcoming cameras to give rear sights.
As to electrical power, whilst the a lot less aggro X-Bows make 300 horsepower from an Audi-sourced 2.-liter TFSI four-cylinder, the GT2 can make 600 hp and 531 pound-toes of torque from its Audi-sourced 2.5-liter inline five-cylinder. That’s the engine from the somewhat exceptional Audi RS3, generating 401 hp and 369 lb-ft in its Ingolstadt software. KTM credits the operate of German tuner Lehmann Motorentechnik for the electrical power increase, attained without having getting to vacation resort to cast internals, and it would be great to see all these horses escape from observe to road. In a vehicle that weighs significantly less than 1,050 pound dry, owners would be handled to a exclusive sort of gumption.
The X-Bow GT2 expenses €294,000 ($327,500 U.S.), that looks like a affordable commencing place for a street version. The first consumers are anticipated to get their keys someday up coming calendar year.