On 6 September 2022, KTM Sportcar GmbH unveiled the KTM X-BOW GT- XR1, one of the most uncompromising road-legal super sportscars ever seen, to the general public. The unique concept behind the new car can be summed up in just a few words: born on the racetrack, raised for the street. And the KTM X-BOW GT-XR has been turning heads ever since its launch.
“Our vision was to bring an ultimate lightweight, high-performance car for real individualists to the road,” says Hubert Trunkenpolz, CEO of KTM Sportcar GmbH. “That vision became a reality last year with the KTM X-BOW GT-XR. We are so thrilled that our first super sportscar remains so popular among car enthusiasts all over the world. Since its launch, 37 models have been assembled by hand and delivered out to passionate drivers. Thanks to them, the KTM X-BOW GT-XR is now finally out on the roads and on the circuits. Naturally, we are delighted with the reception for the car, not only from car journalists and professional drivers but also from our customers.”
1 Fuel consumption combined (WLTP): 9.1 l/100 km, CO₂ emissions combined (WLTP): 214 g/km, emissions classification: EURO 6D
That reception is reflected in 35,200 different individual configurations in the 3D car configurator, the 70 road tests and reports and more than 30 articles in the specialist media, in which the car’s outstanding driving performance and striking design have been highlighted.
One of the most renowned test drivers for the car has been rally legend Walter Röhrl: “For a petrolhead like me, driving one of these cars feels like all my Christmases have come at once! The immediacy of the lightweight car’s responses to my inputs and the handling are what impress me the most. There is state-of-the-art technology wherever you look – from the carbon monocoque to the sport steering wheel. These are all things that grab my attention as a car fan.”
MotoGPTM driver Pol Espargaró was also a big fan after his first turn behind the wheel: “This car is simply without parallel,” says the Tech3-GasGas rider and future KTM X-BOW GT-XR owner. “I have seen and driven a lot of good cars, but this feels like a real racing machine – only for the road. It’s just crazy! Driving it is a dream come true.”
Sports car specialist Lukas Hinterberger, CEO of Wagenwerk GmbH and one of the first KTM X-BOW GT-XR customers, also had plenty of praise for the car: “Incomparable and breathtaking! I have huge respect for an Austrian manufacturer bringing a car like this onto the market. We celebrated the birth of this model right from day one and are thankful for this masterpiece of engineering. Hats off to KTM!”
The sophisticated motorsport technology and innovations in every KTM X-BOW GT-XR have been the subject of universal praise. Plenty of column inches were devoted to the fully carbon outer shell, the highly resistant jet fighter canopy, the camera monitor system (CMS) and the removable sports steering wheel. The KTM X-BOW GT-XR was also presented a numerous international events, attracting the attention of thousands of motorsport and car fans at the likes of the MotoGPTM race at the Red Bull Ring, the Nürburgring 24 Hours and the prestigious Goodwood Festival of Speed.
“The enormous excitement the KTM X-BOW GT-XR generated at all these events shows that it is already a flagship for KTM in the automotive sector,” says Trunkenpolz. “That’s why we will continue to present it at emotionally charged events. And we will also be giving our customers more opportunities to customise the car according to their requirements. Soon there will be new and exclusive KTM PowerParts available for those who wish to make their KTM X-BOW GT-XR even more unmistakable, quicker and lighter, and also give it more performance.”
The new KTM-XBOW GT-XR is available from EUR 299,150 (excl. local taxes and import duties). Thanks to the European small-volume production authorisation, the vehicle is available and road-legal across the continent. Anyone looking to pick one up should act quick and contact their KTM X-BOW dealer – the 2023 and 2024 contingents are already sold out.