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KTM's latest supercar takes the racing tech of the X-BOW GT2 and unleashes it in a high-performance road legal supercar
Only recently, The Ariel Motor Company revealed perhaps their most ambitious creation yet. They are most famous for the Atom and the Nomad, but have now revealed the incredible Ariel Hipercar. This is a wild machine with a Cosworth 800v lithium-ion battery, and it is clearly one of the most absurd performance car creations to come in recent years. It has all-wheel drive, four-motors and an astonishing design. Now though, it has a new challenger.
Enter the legends that are KTM, builders of the epic X-Bow. Most famous perhaps for their motorbikes, the company has launched its new X-BOW GT-R. This is something they say is “the closest you can get to a purebred race car in a road-legal vehicle”. That is certainly some claim, but it's one that KTM look likely to stand by. This might not be an EV, but it looks set to become the closest thing Ariel has to its Hipercar, at least in the short term. This is everything you need to know about this latest creation from one of the maddest car companies out there.
The GT-XR is one hell of a machine. The basis for this car is the KTM X-BOW GT2, a race car that is effectively converted into a road car. The GT2 has multiple victories and title wins on international race circuits, and KTM have taken every aspect of that race car to build as close a representation of it as possible for the road. KTM say they have created a lightweight and aerodynamically efficient machine. The carbon monocoque helps to keep the weight down, and the jet fighter style canopy gives the car a very sleek appearance.
Under the hood of this amazing looking thing is a 2.5-liter five-cylinder turbocharged engine from Audi. KTM say that is more compact, lighter and more efficient than comparable engines as well as more powerful. This engine produces 493 hp and 429 lb-ft of torque at 5,550 rpm. More than you would get in an Audi TT RS for example. Transmission wise, KTM have packed in a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the DQ500 variety, also from within the Volkswagen Group. A mechanical motorsport differential helps to guarantee ultra-rapid shifting without dropping torque according to KTM, and allow performance delivery to both rear wheels equally.
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All that power is useless if the car weighs too much. Thankfully though, the GT-XR does not way too much. The extensive use of carbon fiber material throughout the car means it weighs just 1,250 kilograms, or 2,755 lbs. That lightweight construction and powerful engine allows the car to reach a top speed of 174 mph and have a 0-62 time of just 3.4 seconds. The jet fighter canopy is also very light, but KTM have ensured that they have not let lightness get in the way of safety for their latest machine.
The canopy has a carbon frame with a windscreen and separate glass doors that can open to the left- and right-hand side. And it can withstand a remarkable six times its own weight, making it incredibly tough. The carbon bucket seat is also made entirely of carbon composite material, making it not only lightweight but incredibly strong too and should help to protect the driver well in the event of an accident. A four-point safety harness keeps the driver passenger strapped in securely in extreme driving situations, and again will help to protect them in the event of an accident.
KTM have also ensured the suspension within the GT-XR can handle track and road environments. The GT-XR makes usage of Sachs dampers, with drivers able to adjust the right height at both the front and rear of the car. The weight is, say KTM, distributed 44:56 to the front/rear. Braking wise, the GT-XR makes use of lightweight monobloc fixed brake calipers made from aluminum, but there is also the option of having ceramic brakes available at no extra cost to the customer. One other amazing details is that every single one of the carbon fiber bodies are hand-painted, resulting in truly unique finishes for each one.
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The GT-XR is certainly a very striking looking machine, with its wedge-like body shape and the streamlined front-surface. KTM have gone to town on the aerodynamics too, with a floor maximizing the effect of ground effect while a rear diffuser and wing help to keep the car hunkered to the ground. The GT-XR makes use of the new AirCurtain system, generating vortices around the front spoiler which are then routed around the floor of the car, to seal the air underneath the GT-XR and keep it planted on the ground. All of this KTM goodness is available from 284,900 euro, or roughly $246, 400.
Covering anything from JDM cars to classic jets. Contributed to HotCars since the Autumn of 2018. Writes features, news and list articles.