KTM builds plant exclusively for X-Bow
The X-Bow is a light weight roadster offering the kind of performance you'd get from a supercar for a fraction of the price. Little surprise then that demand for the new roadster has forced its manufacturer, Austrian motorbike specialist KTM, to build a new factory specifically to supply enough X-Bows to meet the growing list of customer orders.
Being KTM's first attempt at building a sports car, no one predicted the surging demand the X-Bow has received. The company originally planned to build just 500 examples per year but ended up taking nearly 1,000 orders before the car even went on sale. It's scheduled to arrive in early 2008 and will feature a price tag around the $55,000 mark.
For that money, customers will get a carbon fiber monocoque track special powered by a 220hp 2.0L TFSI engine sourced from Audi. It's lightweight, minimalist design should allow it to accelerate from 0-60mph in under four seconds and reach a top speed in excess of 180mph. Not bad for $55K.
[Source: Autocar]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
naggs 7:15PM (9/25/2007)
i prefer this to the atom, although it all comes down to how it drives. although if i was going to spend this kind of money on a track toy i would have to go with the LCC Rocket. makes all these things look like MecBenzes.
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vectorbug 8:47AM (9/26/2007)
yeah, this looks like it was just engineered to take out the atom, and nothing else was really taken into consideration, including giving it any sort of soul.
Evan Brom 7:29PM (9/25/2007)
Not that I would not want one, but as this is a track car only there are plenty of other fast options and some even cheaper all be it smaller (shifter karts etc)
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Mark 4:25AM (9/26/2007)
it's intended as a track car yes, but it is road legal, aren't many other cars with this kind of performance for this price that you can drive to and from the track
Evan Brom 11:21AM (9/26/2007)
Is it street legal in the us? I know the atom is as long as you do it kit car style not turn key. And in the UK anything seems to pass for a road car like a radical etc..
zamafir 7:45PM (9/25/2007)
I love this thing, love the engine, and would love to drive it on the street. I'm also glad to hear orders are so high!
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why not the LS2/LS7? 8:00PM (9/25/2007)
I'll take mine with a 2.0L turbo Ecotec, please.
A Mitsu engine wold be even more juicy, but I have to figure the Ecotec is cheaper.
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Preston M 1:05AM (9/26/2007)
I honestly have no idea what to think about this vehicle, so i'll just wait for Jeremy Clarkson to tell me.
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R 1:51AM (9/26/2007)
Is this US legal?
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kab 12:24PM (9/26/2007)
No soul? If by that you mean no unneeded amenities to distract the driver from the issue at hand, so be it.
This is what sports cars are supposed to be like.
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Justin 12:36PM (9/26/2007)
Agreed. So many self-important "enthusiasts" on here talk about cars with or without soul. Show me more than half a dozen modern cars that might even possibly have anything resembling some soul.
This is made for one thing: cheap high performance. It has it in spades and can run circles around whatever POS sports car with soul most of these idiots drive.
Get off your soapboxes and appreciate this for what it is.