Many Phoenix Arizona residents know the feeling of passing a mini amusement park or family fun center on the way home from work, seeing a go kart race, and thinking about just how fun driving was as a kid on that track. That fun and sense of competition and thrill is what Austrian auto manufacturer KTM is seeking to reinvigorate in it’s adult customers.
For almost 80 years Phoenix Valley auto enthusiasts have known the Austrian company for it’s dirt bikes, street bikes, and mopeds. In the past few years, however, the manufacturer has branched out in the race car category with the open air KTM X-Bow. The result of this branching out is a street-legal sports car with pure-bred racing technology, such as an avantgarde, carbon fiber monocoque, which is now standard equipment in Formula 1 racing because of the weight and safety advantages it offers.
Thanks to the basic version’s light weight and the 177 kW (240 hp) Audi 2.0 TFSI engine, the KTM X-BOW sets new standards and outstrips supersport cars: with a weight of approx. 1738 lbs, the KTM X-BOW accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in just over 3 seconds. With all of this, its fuel consumption and pollution emissions are comparable to those of a compact car with a high-quality engine.
Phoenix Valley auto enthusiasts should be aware that KTM is still seeking a distribution partnership in the US for stateside sales of X-Bow. Phoenix Arizona residents should expect to likely see the X-Bow at one of the many Scottsdale luxury dealerships relatively soon. Until then, the X-Bow CAN be bought stateside as a kit car from British Racing Group L.L.C., a boutique dealership chain that specializes in locating and selling hard-to-find cars. Of course, when buying a kit car, some assembly is required.
