This thing looks like a lot of fun! Perhaps a nice challenger to the Atom!

YouTube - KTM X-Bow


First Look: 2008 KTM X-Bow

 

Jalopnik is reporting that the X-Bow is coming to the US and will be road-legal!!

 

Yep! Thats where I first saw the story. I was doing some digging on the Ariel, when I saw that article. Very cool looking sled.

Being a lifelong motorcycle guy(literally),I love the notion of the Ariel's and now, the X-Bow. Interestingly enough, my wife likes the notion of either one of these cars. (This is a new and very intriguing development!)

 

I'm a huge fan of the X-Bow. Dallara chassis engineering, Audi DSG drivetrain, CF everything... If it's reasonably priced (i.e. not $100K like the Atom), it'll be a big hit!

 

Unfortunately, Jalopnik is not correct in this case. I was one of the first people to have a deposit on this car. Literally would've been one of the first 2 or 3 in the country to have one. KTM reported to me about 6 months ago that VAG (Audi) threatened to pull their involvement with this project if the car was sold to the US market. Essentially, they're afraid of the liabilities (fallout of Ben Keaton's accident/death IMO) and therefore KTM had to make a choice to not sell the car in the US in order to keep Audi on board.

KTM returned my deposit. Sorry y'all it looks like we're not going to see this one unless a few of us get creative and import them.

p.s. that video got sent to me about 8 months ago in a promotional package. Seems like Edmunds/Jalopnik,etc might be playing catch up here.

 

Well damn...
Thats disappointing!

 

Like Silver Surfer said, you need to get creative and just import one here. Not a problem. If you really want it, that's the way to do it.

 

Sweet little machine, although I'd say the Atom looks better. Who cares though?

Too bad they're not coming stateside...

 

Autoblog posted this today:

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/08/25/c...gal-ktm-x-bow/

Coming to America: Street legal KTM X-Bow

Posted Aug 25th 2008 2:59PM by Noah Joseph


Click above for a hi-res gallery of the KTM X-Bow

Although KTM has been making motorcycles since 1934, it's new to the car business. Evidently, no one told them that if you're going to go back on something you said in the auto business, it's supposed to be really disappointing. Instead, KTM has announced its intention to bring the X-Bow track car to the United States and make it street-legal to boot, despite previously saying that the X-Bow would only be sold in Europe and Asia and that it would be confined to the track.

The announcement was made by KTM sales and marketing chief Hubert Trunkenpolz at the recent annual gathering of KTM bike dealers from across North America in Salt Lake City, Utah. Apparently the company has received some 600+ requests from American KTM dealers for the X-Bow to make the transatlantic trip. Trunkenpolz (now we just like saying Trunkenpolz) noted that they will need cooperation from Volkswagen/Audi, who supplies the running gear, and from local authorities, but that the company "will do whatever is possible to bring the car to the U.S. – that, I promise." Thanks for the tip, everyone!