Time for some GT4 racing.
There's a New KTM X-Bow Racer on the Way and it's Going to be Insane.
KTM is all about devotion to the track driving experience (it also builds awesome motorcycles). Hence its X-Bow, that absolutely wonderful ultralight road and track car. With its turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder Audi-sourced engine, it supposedly has a 0-62 time of just 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 135 mph. But now KTM has announced a new project. Joining forces with Reiter Engineering, KTM will soon build a new X-Bow GT4 racecar "for use in motorsport."
t’ll be sold to customers in Europe as well as the US and Asia. The two companies promise to build a car that’s a "revolutionary new vehicle concept into international customer motorsport." We’re told the X-Bow GT4 (or whatever its final name is) will be eligible to compete in many GT4-spec series such as the British GT and the GT4 European Series where it’ll go up against other GT-4-prepped Lotus Evoras, Aston Martin Vantage V8s, and Porsche 911s. There’s no official release date just yet, but word has it the new X-Bow will be ready for the 2015 season.
Good News indeed, though we can only illustrate such news with the image posted above. Because it's only a render at this stage, details are a little scant.
KTM tells us the new racecar will be a "completely new X-Bow for use in motorsport," to be championed for international customers across Europe, the USA and Asia.
The Austrian company will partner with Reiter Engineering - responsible don't forget, for the Gallardo GT3, Murcielago GT1 and the Camaro GT3 racers - to build a "revolutionary new vehicle concept into international customer motorsport".
In fact, we're told it was Hans Reiter's idea for a new type of racing X-Bow. His company will handle the actual construction, logistics, sales and supply of spare parts for the new racer.
"This is an opportunity I did not want to miss," explains Hans, "and I presented my ideas to KTM. I'm convinced the new model will attract a lot of interest and will be very successful internationally."
KTM is equally punchy about the new car. "We have established a highly successful one-make series competition for our customers who are also motorsport enthusiasts. There is a demand among them for a racing car that can compete in international races.
"We are hundred per cent convinced that the result will be a real ‘ready to race' product in the best KTM tradition," the spokesman added.
The pair have previous form, too: Christopher Haase won the European GT4 championship in 2008 driving a GT4 KTM X-Bow engineered by Reiter. We'll bring you more info as we get it.
What with electric motocross bikes and its latest single-cylinder Enduros, KTM's eye has been away from the car game for a little while. But the X-Bow is very much still around, and the Austrian company has now detailed its plans to race its car again.
Well obviously it's orange
Again? Yes, the latest GT4 X-Bow is a follow-up to the original 2008 version, a car that in fact won the European GT4 Championship six years ago. As you can see, the new car carries the significant addition of a roof for the first time, presumably for aerodynamic benefit.
Reiter Engineering will build the car again but as yet there are no further details on the X-Bow GT4. Reiter is notable for having campaigned a Chevrolet Camaro GT3 to attract 'a younger public' than its Lamborghini Gallardo GT3 car. It seems like a good team to have building your racing car. Hans Reiter said of the news: "Now is the ideal time to introduce a revolutionary new vehicle concept into international customer motorsport... I'm convinced that the new model will attract a lot of interest and will be very successful internationally."
The X-Bow will be eligible to compete against a wealth of other GT4-spec cars in series like British GT and the GT4 European Series. The cars include Lotus Evora, Ginetta G55, Aston V8, Toyota GT86 and Porsche 911. KTM hasn't released a date yet for the GT4's release but here's hoping for a 2015 season debut.
