KTM Motorcycles introduced its first sports car at the Geneva Motor Show in 2007 with the KTM X-Bow. There was also a limited edition of the X-Bow… The X-Bow Dallara (only 100 will be made). This is in honor of Dallara, the Italian racing and sports car specialist. This Italian company is also involved in the development and tuning of the chassis. The chassis itself is double wishbone and has pushrod suspension up front. An additional option is a racing chassis that has modified suspension and settings and has a preloaded adjuster so you can adjust the ground clearance.

The X-Bow is a lightweight, mid-engined vehicle that has a carbon fiber monocoque (Greek and French word meaning single shell). This is a construction technique that supports structural load using the external skin of the object instead of using an internal frame or truss which is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin. Another term for this technique is called Uni-body construction.

This is a highly developed technique for Formula 1 racing, racing cars, and those expensive exotic sports cars. This particular case is made by specialists in Wethje, in the south of Germany. It has a lock box located at the front and a “solid sandwich structured floor panel”. Due to the carbon fiber shell, the vehicle weighs just 2,370 pounds. Because it is so low in weight, it can outperform many of the other super cars that are more powerful.

This sports car was designed for winter fun, so it’s equipped with four-wheel drive. It is also equipped with a two-liter Audi TFSI Inline-four. The engine weighs 1742 pounds. Torque is 229 pound-feet. Horsepower is 240 or 7.3 pounds per horsepower. Top speed is 0-62 in 3.9 seconds.

This vehicle, with its radical and advanced technological solutions, is designed for the ultimate open-air car driving experience. This means no roof and no windshield. At least not at the conception stage, when it was first unveiled in 2007 at the Geneva Motor Show. So the focus had to be on unleashing the riding experience that can only be found riding a motorcycle. There have been very minor alterations to the prototype and the production model that was on display in 2008.

There it was seen that, for the most part, the biggest change was to enlarge the central air intake located between the headrests. This is to allow for increased engine cooling during demanding activities.

Another obvious change is the new arrangement of the instruments. Originally all the gauges and controls along with a display on the steering wheel, which turned out not to be a good place for them. So now the screen, which is rain resistant, is now located at the top of the center console. And the control buttons are still on the steering wheel.

Another big change was the addition of small polycarbonate side windows and a smaller windshield. The upholstery of the seats is also new. The seat shells have to be rigid and are made of carbon so that the seats can be attached directly to the monocoque, so damping is necessary and it comes in different sizes to suit the drivers. A pedal box that can be mechanically adjusted is also available so that the driver can set a driving position that is comfortable. And if you like the “sporty sound”, the KTM X-Bow has a muffler with dual tailpipes for fine tuning. Many of the options that are also extras on the Dallara edition can be ordered for the standard KTM X-Bow, except for the Dallara plate and special graphics.

Currently, it is certified to be road legal in most European countries. The “European Small Series Homologation Regulation” which is set for the first part of 2009 will make it road legal throughout Europe.

Speaking of Europe, although the authorities do not require the X-Bow driver to wear a helmet, KTM insists that they recommend that they do. At the Geneva Motor Show, they had two available (both were X-Bow branded). The models were the Arai Closed Racing Helmet and one from Schuberth, a German company. The Arai meets the requirements of the motorsports authorities by providing comprehensive protection, while the German has better peripheral vision.