Specifications

Engine: 2 liter TFSI inline-4

Weight: 1742 lbs

Aspiration: turbocharger & intercooler

Torque: 229 lb-ft

HP: 240 hp

HP/Weight: 7.3 lbs per hp

HP/Liter: 120 hp per liter

0-62 mph: 3.9 seconds

Carbon Fibre Monocoque: Racing Equipment for the Road

Carbon fibre monocoques have been Formula 1’s safety net for many years. On the road, this technology has always been reserved for the elite supercars in the highest price ranges. KTM is proud to be the first company to offer this chassis technology in a much more affordable form, and has called upon the expertise of its development partners for this project, Dallara, and carbon fibre specialists Wethje Group, to make X-Bow a reality.

The Italian specialist from Varano Melegari, near Parma, Dallara has long been acclaimed as a carbon technology expert from the conception and design through to the production of components made of this light, yet rigid material. Dallara currently supplies the monocoque race-car chassis for international formula such as GP2, Indy Car (IRL) and Formula 3.

KTM has also been able to utilise the expertise of Wethje Group to manufacture the carbon fibre monocoque for the X-Bow. Widely considered as one of the most experienced specialists for carbon composite construction components, Wethje is a successful supplier to premium segment car manufacturers, as well as to Formula 1 and touring car teams.

The monocoque developed for the KTM X-Bow is not only extremely robust, it is also safe, thanks to an integrated crashbox in the nose, and yet it weighs only 75 kilos. This low weight is a crucial factor in ensuring the vehicle’s spectacular performance.

The Engine: TFSI Technology from Audi

To power the X-Bow, KTM was delighted to form a partnership with Audi AG for developing the drive unit. Audi’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder TFSI engine reflects the X-Bow’s construction principles by featuring lightweight, high-performance and intelligent technologies.

The engine’s outstanding attribute is its gasoline direct injection technology, FSI. For its KTM X-Bow application, the engine also boasts an exhaust turbocharger plus an intercooler. Thanks to FSI technology, this engine utilizes fuel more efficiently than one with ordinary intake manifold injection and it even consumes less fuel in the frequently used partial load range.

With FSI technology, the fuel injection takes place at a pressure level between 30 and 110 bar. Valves in the intake system direct the inflowing air into a cylindrical movement, and a continuously variable intake camshaft ensures optimal cylinder charging at any engine speed. Two counter-rotating balancer shafts compensate the second order inertia forces and so guarantee superior, low-vibration operation.

The KTM X-Bow’s long-stroke, four-valves per cylinder Audi engine delivers powerful performance with 310 Nm of torque between 2000 and 5000 rpm, while peak power (177 kW / 240 bhp) is achieved at 5500 rpm. Even more powerful engine variations in the 300-horsepower range are planned for the X-Bow in the future.

The transversely-mounted engine and drive train package is complemented by a VW-sourced six-speed manual transmission as standard. Drive goes to the rear wheels via an optional mechanical limited-slip differential. An optional S-tronic semi-automatic transmission will also be offered at a later date.

The Chassis: Direct and Competent

The X-Bow’s driving dynamics benefit from the car’s low centre of gravity, the sporty bias to its front/rear weight distribution and its superior chassis, which draws on racing technology for its basic principles. The relatively long wheelbase (2430 mm) and wide track (1644 mm front, 1624 mm rear) provide the foundations for a comfortable ride and excellent stability.

Employing double wishbones, front and rear, the suspension features components and damping elements by WP Suspension, with a pushrod arrangement up front. Available with a choice of ‘Sport’ or ‘Racing’ set-up, the chassis can be biased for road or track use respectively. While both options can be adjusted for traction and pressure settings, the Dallara-designed ‘Racing’ configuration is fitted with a pre-load adjuster for adjustment of the vehicle’s ground clearance.

KTM is also expanding its partnership with the famous Italian brake manufacturer Brembo into the world of automobiles. The X-Bow’s immensely powerful braking system consists of 305 mm ventilated discs with 4-piston fixed callipers at the front and 262 mm solid discs with 2-piston fixed callipers at the rear. The combination of the vehicle’s light weight, ideal balance, low centre of gravity and high-performance Continental tyres – 205/40 R17 front and 235/40 R18 rear – results in spectacular braking performance. When the brakes are warm, the KTM X-Bow needs only 33.1 metres to decelerate from 100 kph to a standstill.

The Aerodynamics: Exceptional Contact Pressure

The primary development goal for the KTM X-Bow was not attaining extremely high top speeds, but in optimising its driving dynamics. The sports car’s performance is aided by an ingenious aerodynamics arrangement – the result of many hours work in Dallara’s wind tunnel. The most important aero element is the underbody, which is equipped with a prominent diffusor at the rear. To make this diffusor work even more effectively, the mounting points for the rear suspension were set as high as possible. This enables the KTM X-Bow to achieve a phenomenal downforce of almost 50 kg at 100 km/h and nearly 200 kg at a speed of 200 km/h – approximately three times more than most other supercars.

The high-performance chassis plus this fantastic level of downforce makes extreme cornering speeds possible. The X-Bow can generate a lateral acceleration of 1.5 g. These g-forces and cornering speeds comfortably surpass the values achieved by most street-legal sports cars.

The aerodynamic concept posed a great challenge for the designers. They had to ensure that sufficient engine-cooling air could be channelled into the inlets located in the sides of the vehicle, behind the passengers, while not upsetting the aero-balance or the generation of downforce. This challenge was accomplished by using special air baffles, which are installed horizontally on the sides of the car so that the driver and passenger can also use them as boarding aids. The radiator is also located at the rear of the vehicle, to avoid having to install longer, heavier water hoses.

Safety: Racing Technology

The crucial component protecting the driver and the passenger is the rigid, carbon fibre monocoque – safety technology straight from the world of professional motor racing. This structure is supplemented by a crashbox in the nose of the vehicle, which fulfils stringent FIA Formula 3 safety requirements. At the rear of the car, the exhaust silencer is also designed to act as a crashbox; absorbing the force of an impact to the rear of the vehicle.

The driver and passenger are protected by four-point safety belts, which can be equipped with a fifth securing point (a crutch strap) as an option. Twin roll bars are a distinctive feature of the X-Bow’s striking appearance. They not only look solid, they are skilfully integrated into the monocoque’s structure to offer the highest level of safety.

Design: Floating Elements

Gerald Kiska’s design studio can take credit for the shape of the X-Bow. Coming from Salzburg, Kiska has worked closely with KTM for the past 15 years and has been entrusted not only with the design of the motorcycles, but also with the appearance of the company itself.

For the concept of KTM’s first automobile, Kiska incorporated many characteristics that are more closely associated with motorcycles than cars. Every part of the 3.67-metre long X-Bow fulfils a function, the technology remains transparent, the form is noticeably simple. The few, orange-coloured body panels are ‘floating elements’, like those of motorcycles, and suggest lightness and simplicity.

The deliberate minimalism is applied to all things, even the lights: simple headlamps, embedded indicators flush with the car’s contours and round lights at the rear, avoid superficial, showy effects. Instead, the functional carbon structure also takes on design duties, meaning that components which are frequently hidden in cars, such as the silencer, suddenly serve an aesthetic purpose in addition to their usual functions.

The Equipment: Pure and Functional

As a result of its strong, clear concept, the KTM X-Bow can do without a lot of elements that ordinarily add complexity and extra weight to cars. For example, the narrow wind deflector makes an elaborate heating system and windscreen wipers unnecessary; doors are also not included in the design, due to the vehicle’s low profile and the extra-low side profile which makes for easy access.

Drivers will also search in vain for a standard instrument panel. All the information needed for driving is presented in the multi-functional display on the steering wheel.

The seats are further examples of the X-Bow’s intelligent and simple construction. The shells for the driver’s and passenger’s seats are already integrated into the carbon fibre construction of the monocoque, in a fixed position. An overlay provides firm support and comfort. In order to provide the best ergonomics for drivers of various heights, the X-Bow has manually adjustable pedals.

The KTM X-Bow doesn’t have a luggage compartment, but instead features an innovative, mobile storage box for the car documents. The equipment required by law, such as a warning triangle, first aid kit and a tyre-repair system, are carried in storage compartments beside the passenger’s foot well. A cover to protect the interior of the car when parked is stowed in the same location. Two helmets can be fixed in the passenger’s foot well.