KTM is well known for its menacing, fun-packed motorcycles. But they also make cars and almost 10 years ago, released a track-only X-Bow in partnership with Kiska Design, Audi, Reiter Engineering GmbH, and chassis maker Dallara. They have now followed it up with a new model, called the X-Bow GTX.
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When KTM first introduced the X-Bow, it was a fun little package with amazing on-track capabilities. It used a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, TFSI petrol engine from Audi which made 354 bhp and a massive 500 Nm of peak torque. Couple it with a feather-light chassis and you have an astounding power-to-weight ratio. The X-Bow GTX takes the madness even further as it now features an extra cylinder and uses a 2.5-litre five-pot TFSI motor, again sourced from Audi.
The five-pot motor is good enough for 600 bhp in GT2 spec and cranks out about 500 HP for the homologated GTX version. If this doesn’t excite you, let this sink in, despite the considerable bump in power figures, it weighs two kilograms lighter than the model it replaces. It is really astonishing because the same motor which does the duty in the likes of Audi RS Q3 and TT RS, produces 395 bhp. KTM sprinkled some of its own brilliance to churn out this level of performance from Audi’s five-pot motor. The GTX has a closed cockpit, although under all that fancy new bodywork is the same Dallara-designed carbon-fibre monocoque.
KTM is looking to enter this example into a few racing series because the X-Bow GTX will be available for sale but will also be GT2 homologated. It’ll be eligible for various different series, including the newly established SRO GT2 class, in which Porsche and Audi also have entries. The GTX is the first car that offers the combination of a homologated monocoque, a homologated GT cage, and a homologated advanced seat. KTM plans to make 20 examples of the GTX this year and will follow it up with a one-make series for the car in 2021.