KTM tests its 2010 X-BOW RACER in full GT4 spec

2010 KTM X-BOW GT4

KTM successfully tested several new racing developments on its X-BOW GT4 over the final weekend of the 2009 British GT championship last weekend (19-20 September).

The invitation KTM racer, with Reinhard Kofler in the cockpit, qualified just 0.45 seconds behind the MTECH GT3-specification Ferrari 430 Scuderia for race one, and 0.70 seconds in qualifying for race two. In each of the two races, the X-BOW was consistently over three seconds faster than the GT4 championship-winning Ginetta G50 around Brands Hatch’s GP circuit and one second faster than a strong invitation entry from Morgan. Furthermore, Kofler lapped all the GT4 competitors in each outing. The excellent performances were achieved despite enduring 30-second pitlane penalties in each race for voluntarily foregoing the mandatory driver change.

The first competitive outing for the upgraded X-BOW GT4 signals a move up to full GT4 racing in 2010, having previously competed in the more restrictive Supersport class, which has yet to be confirmed for both the GT4 European Cup and British GT championships for next season. It is also a strong demonstration of KTM’s continued commitment to pursuing GT racing to promote the company’s “Ready to Race” range of fully-homologated road-legal X-BOW sports cars.

At the heart of the new developments being tested at Brands Hatch included a tuned version of the 2.0-litre TFSI Audi engine, an improved aerodynamics and cooling package and a revised, stiffer chassis set-up. KTM aims to make the X-BOW GT4 a highly competitive and cost-effective proposition for drivers and teams targeting entry-level GT racing next season.

“While we have enjoyed success in the Supersport class, it’s not been as popular as the British or European organisers had anticipated,” said Jeff Lau, Manager of KTM UK. “KTM in Austria therefore took the decision to develop a full GT4-specification X-BOW for the 2010 season.

“We’re greatly encouraged by our performance over the weekend at Brands Hatch and with how the different elements of the new package have come together in quite a short space of time,” he said. “Nevertheless, we’ve set ourselves some tough performance targets and there is still some further work to do in the close season. The objective for KTM is to position X-BOW as the leading contender in British and European GT4 racing next year, while also being cost-effective.”

A factory-supported Team Reiter KTM X-BOW secured the Supersport class of the GT4 European Cup in 2008, and X-BOW privateer, Augustin Eder, celebrated winning the 2009 title earlier this month.

[Source : KTM via NEWSPRESS]

KTM X-BOW to make British GT debut

ABG-KTM_X-BOW_GT4

Supporters of the British GT will be the first in the UK to see the stunning KTM X-BOW GT4 race car in championship competition this season.


KTM's X-BOW service partner for the north-west of England, ABG Motorsport, plans to run a FIA-approved GT4 model in the British GT series this season.

Announced yesterday at the SRO's British GT media launch, ABG's campaign will be the first competitive outing for the X-BOW in a domestic British championship. KTM successfully debuted the X-BOW GT4 in the Sports Light class of the European GT4 last season under the management of experienced GT outfit, Reiter Engineering, dominating each round and claiming the first three championship places in class.

Peter Hignet, proprietor of ABG Motorsport, said: "We're very excited about the prospect of running a X-BOW in British GT this season. The car is an exceptional feat of advanced and innovative engineering, and we're confident that our expertise will help deliver a really strong showing."

Jeff Lau, KTM's UK X-BOW manager, said: "ABG Motorsport have a formidable GT track record and have put a lot of faith in the car and its capabilities. The 'Ready to Race' X-BOW was mixing it up with cars in more senior classes in the European GT4 series last season and we're excited that British GT crowds will see ABG's entry dicing with the Astons, Ferraris and Lamborghinis this year."

The first round of the British GT championship takes place on 11 - 13 April at Oulton Park.

[Source : KTM via NewsPress]

KTM takes off in 2009, with a capital increase and a new model line-up!

KTM X-BOW ROC

MATTIGHOFEN, Austria : March 4, 2009 - The series version of the X-BOW is celebrating its first anniversary, so KTM is going to doubly commemorate it! First, KTM’s long-anticipated capital increase was successfully completed just before the start of the 79th International Motor Show in Geneva; second, the Austrian vehicle manufacturer will be presenting its new model line-up in Geneva from 5th – 15th March!


The KTM Power Sports AG has successfully concluded its capital increase:

Last week, based on the subscription orders received, the management board of KTM Power Sports AG set the amount of the capital increase at 687,357 new shares and set the subscription price per new share at EUR 25.00. All of the new shares offered were successfully sold during the subscription period and the capital increase ultimately amounted to EUR 17.2 million This increases the capital of the KTM Power Sports AG and thus secures the financing for important future projects like that of the KTM X-BOW.

KTM X-BOW GT4

CEO Stefan Pierer at the X-BOW’s 1st anniversary: “We are staying on our path.”

KTM’s CEO Stefan Pierer, who will be in Geneva in 2009 as well to see the presentation of the new models, is optimistic about the future: “The KTM company has been strengthened and the X-BOW project is in no way intended to be a short-term venture. We believe in the potential of our technological innovations, just as we believe in our product philosophy “Ready to Race” – which we have once again demonstrated with our new model line-up. We will continue on our path, undeterred!” In the course of its reorientation, KTM is very consciously relying on existing structures to utilize their synergies: The marketing and sales/distribution departments were transferred to the Mattighofen headquarters, while the R&D department has been entrusted to KISKA and to KTM Technologies in Salzburg. The manufacturing plant remains in Graz, where about 60 employees are still at work.

KTM X-BOW Superlight

The 2009 KTM X-BOW: A model line-up and many more innovations:

KTM has already sold a good 400 units of the X-BOW; thanks to its extremely lean manufacturing structure, the company can now react to the new circumstances very well. Instead of 1000 units per year, the sales goal for 2009 is 600 cars, the model cycle has been extended, our network of service partners has been greatly expanded – and we’ve introduced a very attractive line-up of models: Our road-suitable line-up runs the gamut from the X-BOW Street (49,980 Euros*) to the X-BOW Clubsport (59,980 Euros*), to the X-BOW Superlight (79,980 Euros*), all the way to the X-BOW ROC (69,980 Euros*), while the KTM X-BOW GT4 (82,900 Euros*) is the racing machine for the track. In addition, KTM is organising the X-BOW Trophy 2009, offering a spectacular RaceOrange programme for customers and prospective customers, and has PowerParts and PowerWear collections at the ready which were created especially for the X-BOW.

* plus national taxes and import duties

2009 KTM X-BOW line-up

[Source : KTM]

X-BOW GT4 : Get ‘Ready to Race’ in 2009

KTM X-BOW GT4

MATTIGHOFEN, Austria : February 26, 2009 : KTM is giving professional teams and individual racing drivers the opportunity to attend a full-day track test session with its championship-winning X-BOW GT4 race car, ahead of the 2009 motorsport season.


The event will be held at Circuit Paul Ricard (Le Castellet, France) on 17 – 18 March 2009. Guests will be given an introduction to KTM’s motorsport and factory support programmes, before a drivers’ briefing and extensive vehicle test session.

The KTM X-BOW GT4, which is eligible for entry in a variety of GT championships across Europe, is designed exclusively for use on track. The Dallara-designed carbon fibre monocoque delivers both light weight and high chassis rigidity – for excellent handling and safety – which, combined with class-leading aerodynamics thanks to the racing underbody with diffusor, enables the car to achieve 1.8g lateral acceleration on semi-slick tyres.

In its inaugural season in the 2008 GT4 European Cup, the KTM X-BOW swept to a 1-2-3 finish in the ‘Sports Light’ championship at the hands of German-based Reiter Engineering. The fantastic result and comparatively low running costs for the car throughout the season reinforce the manufacturer’s ‘Ready to Race’ ethos.

The cost to attend each track test session is €990 (exclusive of tax, travel and accommodation), which is refundable on purchase of a car.

KTM X-BOW GT4

[Source : KTM]

ABT powered KTM X-BOW up to 300 hp!

Abt KTM X-BOW

KEMPTEN, Germany : February 11, 2009 - The cult X-BOW of the Austrian motorbike manufacturer KTM and ABT Sportsline are now together. This is because the unique sports motorbike is now available from the exclusive Allgäu tuner. As a large outlet partner, the tuner professionals take on not just the sale of the X-BOW, but also all the service work on the vehicle. And for anyone who wants to give the road racer an additional course of power treatment, the engineers at ABT are currently working on a suitable power increase for the X-BOW.

With the X-BOW the cooperation between KTM and ABT Sportsline has reached a new high: the vehicle bridges the gap between the road and motor sport, thereby embodying the ideals of ABT. The X-BOW is extremely innovative and dynamic – the car sprints to 100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds. The 2.0 TFSI (240 HP/177 kW) engine takes the 790 kilogram light open-air athlete in its stride, ensuring that the sporty vehicle lives up to its name. The X-BOW is actually pronounced "crossbow” and consequently the flat racer also moves as fast as an arrow. With the performance improvements from ABT Sportsline the values are even more impressive: thanks to ABT Power the sports motorbike will soon bring 300 HP (221 kW) onto the road. An extensive datasheet will provide information about the technical key data of the even more powerful Allgäu X-BOW version – once the standard tests have been carried out by ABT.

With lots of carbon and plenty of motor sport technology, KTM has constructed the bike with a road monocoque chassis. As a result the X-BOW also suits ABT Sportsline perfectly. Anyone entertaining the idea of purchasing this special vehicle in the area of southern Bavaria now has a competent partner at their side.

[Source : ABT Sportline]

First time for KTM to offer performance kits - Convert your KTM into a factory bike

2008 KTM 450 SX-F

MATTIGHOFEN, Austria : December 23, 2008 - It is the first time for the KTM Austria Motorsport Division to offer exclusive Factory-SXS-Kits with high-end RACE components for ambitious owners of KTM four-stroke SX bikes.

2009 KTM 450 SX-F Kits

Replacing the successful SXS model line up KTM collected all the experience and know-how of the very successful KTM Factory Team in order to offer exclusive Race kits at the highest possible tuning level. The goal is to give fast MX1 and MX2 riders the chance to tune their KTM SX bikes to the highest possible level of performance and reliability in order to make these bikes competitive against pure factory machines on international GP level as well as at national championships. MX2 and MX3 World title and many podium results in the 2008 GP season have proven the high technology level of KTM.

For the MX season 2009 there will be two engine kits available, one for the 250 SX-F and one for the 450 SX-F.

[Source : KTM]

KTM Takes Triple Honours In Topgear.Com Awards

KTM X-BOW

GRAZ : Dec. 09, 2008 - KTM, one of the newest car manufacturers in Europe, celebrated triple honours at the TopGear.com 2008 awards last night.


The stunning ‘Ready to Race’ KTM X-Bow is Top Gear’s ‘Sports Car of the Year’, while KTM’s CEO Stefan Pierer, and X-Bow Chief Chassis Engineer, Loris Bicocchi, are both recognised among Top Gear’s ‘Men of the Year’.

Made in Austria, the KTM X-Bow (pronounced crossbow) is a minimalist two-seater mid-engined sports car - featuring a state-of-the-art carbon fibre monocoque - that delivers a pure and exhilarating driving experience. Its 2-litre TFSI Audi engine develops 240 ps (177 kW) and catapults the X-Bow to 62 mph in 3.9 seconds.

The team at Top Gear magazine – the most widely read motoring publication in the UK – and TopGear.com – which boasts over two million unique users each month – reports in this month’s ‘Car of the Year Awards’ issue that the X-Bow they drove in New York “...cuts enough of a dash to stop traffic on its own… beautiful carbon and a great engine courtesy of Audi combine to make it one the greatest things we’ve been in all year.”

Top Gear enthuses that Stefan Pierer will “... chat for hours about racing. We like it that he donated KTM’s DNA to a machine with four wheels.”

And in crediting Loris Bicocchi with the X-Bow’s dynamics, Top Gear observes that the X-Bow “... turned out delicious. That’s the mark of Bicocchi.”

[Source : KTM]

KTM X-Bow Selected For The Race Of Champions

KTM X-BOW - The Race Of Champions

MATTIGHOFEN, Austria : November 11, 2008 - The stunning KTM X-Bow has been selected for the “Race of Champions”, the crowning finale of the motorsport year, which takes place at Wembley Stadium in December.


The minimalist Austrian sportscar was launched in the summer of 2008 to critical acclaim. It’s inclusion in the annual Race of Champions was announced by event organisers Michel Mouton and Fredrik Johnsson on 7 November.

“The X-Bow is an exciting new sportscar, it looks completely unlike anything else,” explained Fredrik Johnsson, President of Race of Champions organiser, IMP. “I’m particularly delighted to welcome KTM to our event, as I think being able to actually see the drivers at work in the car will add a new element to The Race of Champions.”

The Race of Champions, taking place on 13 and 14 December, brings together some of the world’s best drivers for head-to-head motorsport competition on a bespoke track at the wheel of a variety of cars. Already confirmed for this year’s event are a number of stars from Formula One, the World Touring Car Championship, the World Rally Championship and the World Superbike Championship. Further participants will be announced over the coming weeks.

“This is really an ingenious car concept,” said David Coulthard, one of 2008’s Formula One stars confirmed for the event. “I think it looks absolutely stunning – I can hardly wait to get behind the wheel in December.”

Mr. Werner Wilhelm, KTM Sportcar CEO, is delighted with the inclusion of X-Bow in this year’s Race of Champions. “To be a part of this event is a really exciting for KTM and it backs up our company ethos of ‘Ready to Race.’ We are confident that the X-Bow will provide a lot of fun for both drivers and fans!”

Images : KTM X-BOW Race Model





[Source : KTM]