The overwhelming success of the two KTM riders and the 450 Rally bike also heralds a new era for KTM in rally sport. As soon as the final result was announced, there was a strong message from the company headquarters in Mattighofen, Austria that the production model of the new bike would begin immediately and that KTM would use the Dakar Rally as its major marketing platform as it launches into a much more aggressive era in the sport.