KTM X-Bow R 2017 | selling price of a new car

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2017 KTM X-Bow R Price List
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After a four-year battle with local legislation, motorcycle specialist KTM joined forces with importer Lotus Sydney Sports Cars (SSC) to import 25 of its two-seat X-Bow sports cars a year.

The X-Bow will cost buyers a whopping $169,990, and if the company sells its full quota of 25 vehicles a year, that's 25 percent of the X-Bow's total annual production.

It will be retailed at two locations, SSC in suburban Artamona and in Brisbane through sports car retailer Motorline, and each will carry a two-year, unlimited-mileage warranty.

The X-Bow was originally scheduled to arrive in Australia in 2011, but due to Specialist and Enthusiast Vehicle Scheme (SEVS) regulations, including crash testing, the project stalled.

It's not about dollars and cents. It's about the lifestyle we enjoy together with our clients.

KTM has sold 1000 X-Bows since they first went on sale worldwide in 2007, and despite the entry-level R being the only one of the three options that can be registered with Down Under, the brand is also considering more comfortable GT.

KTM cars Australia COO Richard Gibbs said he and his partner Lee Knappett, the founder of SSC, have been trying to import KTMs for five years.

“We started working with KTM before we became a Lotus dealer,” he said. “Even then, five years ago, we realized that this car fits into the lifestyle that we are engaged in. We invest as much in their lifestyle as they do.

“If you broke it down into pure dollars and cents, people would ask why you do it. It's not about dollars and cents. It's about the lifestyle we enjoy together with our clients."

To get approval, KTM had to crash test the car, which they did in Germany, as well as adding a seat belt warning light and increasing the ride height from 90mm to 100mm.

“There are certain criteria that need to be met before a car can get into the SEVS scheme, then once it is on the SEVS registry we have to go and prove it meets all the ADRs that we have to meet,” Mr. Knappett said.

“We have met all of these requirements and this car has received all European approvals, including the most recognized ECE approvals. Unfortunately the ADRS pair didn't match up with the ECE even though they are very close, so we went ahead and crash tested to the ADR specs."

The X-Bow is built around a tub and carbon fiber body panels with adjustable A-arm suspension at all four corners.

It doesn't have a roof with a small deflector screen that acts as a windshield, and SSC will provide two Bluetooth-enabled helmets for the car. There is no dedicated storage space anywhere.

The front suspension is controlled by a rocker arm, while the rear uses a helical design.

The X-Bow is powered by a mid-mounted 220-liter four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine manufactured by Audi with an output of 400 kW/2.0 Nm.

Stopping power comes from Brembo brakes on all four wheels measuring 17 inches at the front and 18 inches at the rear, wrapped in Michelin Super Sport tires.

The X-Bow is powered by a mid-mounted 220kW/400Nm Audi 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that propels a 790kg pocket rocket to 0 km/h in 100 seconds.

It is paired with a VW Group six-speed manual transmission with a limited-slip differential and short gear, and a Hollinger six-speed sequential gearbox as an option. Fuel consumption is declared at 8.3 liters per 100 km.

Inside the "cockpit" are two fixed seats with Recaro upholstery of various thicknesses, a detachable adjustable steering wheel and four-point fixed seat belts for both passengers.

Dashboard readings include a digital speedometer, display of gear position and engine parameters, and a lap time recorder.

Options include air conditioning and an entertainment system.