Compared to the KTM X-Bow (let's say "arrow"), your prized supercar languishing in the garage is morbidly obese. That's right. Porsche GT Whatever, Ferrari Speciale Blah Blah, McLaren Whatever, you name it. fat. pig. KTM is not the 1,400-pound elephant in the room. Don't take it personally—KTM has certainly entered the wild world of motoring.
Sure, your piggy supercar has 500, 600, or even 700 horsepower. And it's especially thrilling when you're hurtling straight ahead; most of the power can handle that extra load. But when do you turn around or stop? Sir Isaac's Second Law of Motion cannot be denied.
In the world of high-performance motoring, adding less weight makes everything better, especially when it comes to changing direction. Corners. winding. My reason to live. And if you're reading this, you're also interested in things like that. You want to spin that wheel and feel those g-forces pulling you.
Your favorite supercar weighs more than 3,000 pounds. Now consider the relative freedom from the earth's ugly bonds every time you enter your favorite bend. But let's go a step further: Let's remove the cockpit. No windshield, no top. Wind/speed factor. Like my beloved motorbike, the sensuality is enhanced but without the risk of pain and injury on the road. It keeps getting better, you have to agree. You're walking on the wild side now, kid.
The X-Bow is built on a complete carbon monocoque body that wraps up to shoulder height—very strong and superior to steel tube frames. Luckily, it also has a deformable structure to dissipate crash energy, built to FIA GT racing standards. You sit in that tub and move the steering wheel and pedals to get it just right. It's twice as good at resisting rolling as your favorite convertible. I could feel that stiffness on the track. Only the suspension moves; it was a revelation.
You can see the suspension is working because it is pushrod type, partially open, with the shock mounted above the driver's knees. This design reduces weight and aero drag on the suspension and allows sophisticated control of spring rate via rocker angle. Very racing car. It's not surprising because KTM collaborated with rival chassis manufacturer Dallara to create its first four-wheeled vehicle.
While there is a European street-legal version, the official launch in the US was for the X-Bow Comp R, which is intended for the racetrack only. Thus, the American version includes a fire extinguisher system, front/rear brake balance control, full harnesses, head restraints, and more track-specific touches. MSRP is $104,500, which isn't bad for a complete gun.
The WP brand's triple adjustable shocks are also rude.
It's best to stick with factory settings or get a real race technician. The potential is extraordinary. A good shock tuner can get it where you like it. This place is rarely straight and also rarely flat. Up and down, left and right are endless and further magnify the best side of this car: its agility. Compared to the world supercars I've come across on MotorTrend, this is a completely different experience,
The KTM is low and open. My visibility is only slightly higher than the green grass of a wet Bay Area winter. The wind howled and whistled over my helmet, my face shield being the only windshield. With the center of gravity around the navel, I felt like I was part of the monocoque, not like I was riding it. Minimal roll occurs around me, not under me.
The steering is unassisted, like most everything on this KTM, and like the steering of the Norma prototype. The response is instantaneous, but the ratio is not very fast. That's a good thing because it might be too much. With a transverse mid-engine and short wheelbase, there is a little polar moment. In other words. It kicks in fast enough that high-speed corners should be treated with respect, lest you get more than you bargained for. Downforce from the splitter and underbody aero helps keep it stuck to the exit.
At low speeds, I found this car to be fun to drift. With some targeted patience before applying the throttle, the tail would start to slide through the middle of a corner, which I could then maintain with copious midrange torque from the 2.0-liter turbo. Ever come out of a corner and found yourself wishing the camera had caught it?
KTM claims the X-Bow weighs under 1,800 pounds; its Audi-sourced engine makes 300 horses in the Comp R and slightly more lb-ft of torque. For reference, the Lotus Elise Sport comes in at around 200
pounds heavier with 83 less hp and 126 lb-ft less torque. So yeah,
The X-Bow will cover your ears when going through slow corners. The TFSI direct injection engine
has a wide gap of 3,200 rpm between torque and peak power, so you are not picky when choosing gears.
And although there are six gears, the combination of the Audi box and shifter is not this car's strong point. The longish, vague throw lacks the quick reflexes of most of the pack. But there's also a dual-clutch DSG version to try, great for keeping boost and preventing costly and dangerous gearshift errors.
