The most hardcore sports car to hit the market since the Ariel Atom will come to the UK next week. The eagerly awaited two-seat KTM X-Bow, will take its UK debut at the Autosport International Racing Car Show at the Birmingham NEC, which opens to the public on Saturday 12 January.
This track-tuned but road-legal racing car - built by a brand known only for its motorbikes - will cost around £35k, making it a direct rival for the Lotus 2-Eleven and Ariel Atom 300. It goes on sale later this year and will be built in Graz, Austria.
A ‘Gleaming White’ version of the X-Bow will be shown for the first time at the Autosport event. If you want one, you’ll have to get on the waiting list soon – KTM’s already taken more advanced orders than expected but now intends to build 1000 X-Bows per year.
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Re: KTM X-Bow to get UK debut at Autosport
I am one of those people who have sold the 'exotica' to run a 'cheaper' track car. Of course, the KTM isn't cheap at £37k, by any means, but it's the overall costs and style of car that has to be taken into consideration...
My Porsche Cayman S was a fantastic all-rounder I could drive in comfort to the circuit, with Sat Nav guiding me, and clmate control to keep me comfortable. All you had to remember was to press the Sport button and disengage the phone module when you're entering the circuit!
The downfall of course, was the cost of tyres, pads & discs, servicing intervals reduced, and the fear of even marking one of those body panels or the very expensive carrera sport wheels, let along a serious knock!!
The KTM on the other hand has smaller tyres, smaller brakes, less body panels (which are all 'bike-like' floating panels, and easily replaced), less weight, so I'm presuming less strain on the mechanical parts, cheaper clutch, etc, etc....
Judging by the Ariel Atom, the KTM should also hold its value far better than any road car. Going halves with a friend is often a good idea too, as you're not going to be wanting to drive something like this every day of the week! At least it halves running costs.
I'm certainly looking forward to taking delivery later this year, and with the extra performance, it certainly makes a lot of sense to me!
Dan
Re: KTM X-Bow to get UK debut at Autosport
Lets face it, in the real world exotic or not, bespoke track day cars are still bloody expensive, and I for one would still be scared wit less to run around £20K worth of machinery that could get crunched in a big way.
The market that could grow, especially in time of an economic squeeze, is either ex track cars, or older cars that can be converted using very little time and money. I built and ran an old Porsche 944, gutted and caged, on a couple of track days. It was as quick as a standard Elise round Brands Hatch and if I had of stuffed it, I could have walked away knowing I'd only spent £2k on it.
All you have to really do is look at the thread about the Autocar 250 (videos section) to see how much fun you can have with out spending silly money.
Re: KTM X-Bow to get UK debut at Autosport
you are right of course, in difficult times people will always be a bit more careful about what they spend their cash on, esecially if its a toy.
I meant more the maket for track day cars within the market for performance cars was to increase. I think that as the roads get less fun to drive on more people wil get their kicks on the track and of those less will want to do it with a ton and a half of expensive exotic and more will turn to the lightweight track car like the ktm ,atom,caterham etc