Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/698493
www.PowersportsBusiness.com NEWS Powersports Business • July 11, 2016 • 11 1,000th vehicle rolls off factory line in Austria On June 7, 2016, exactly eight years after the start of production, the 1,000th KTM X-BOW was completed during a press conference held at the production plant in Graz, Austria. Over 100 of the hand-made Austrian supercars drive out of the factory each year. Together with Audi, a solution has been found for the launch in North America. KTM officials said it looks as though the first vehicles designed specifically for the North American market will be arriving in the U.S. and Canada in spring 2017. In the meantime, KTM Sportcar GmbH will gain a North American subsidiary, along with a small network of dealers selected exclusively for the planned "track day" car. During the press conference, KTM CEO Stefan Pierer first emphasized the importance of the unique supercar to the KTM Group: "Firstly, it has changed the way that KTM is perceived in the automotive industry. Not many people believed that we could succeed in getting such an extraordinary vehicle on the road. The fact that this didn't turn out to be a flash in the pan, despite all the challenges we faced, has also improved our reputation. In addition to the production plant in Graz — a popular showcase of Styrian technological prowess — subsidiaries such as Salzburg-based KTM Technologies have also been established, which play a crucial role when it comes to tech- nological innovation within our group." Pierer stressed that the KTM X-BOW is also an economic success story: "This was of course a steep learning curve for us, in part due to the global economic crisis that started when the product was launched. However, after selling 1,000 cars to many delighted and enthusiastic customers, the KTM X-BOW cannot be seen as anything other than a success story — espe- cially in purely economic terms!" Pierer, the KTM majority shareholder and chairman of the Executive Board, is also put- ting a lot of thought into the future of the KTM X-BOW: "We have successfully established ourselves in the extremely specialist niche of lightweight supercars, and we are the largest small series manufacturer in mainland Europe. Thanks to Georg Silbermayr, organizer of the X-BOW BATTLE, we have one of the most successful one-make cups in Europe. And with the high-tech KTM X-BOW GT4 racecar developed in collaboration with Hans Reiter and Reiter Engineering, we have also achieved international success in the field of customer racing. We will of course be continuing this success story in the future, and with Gerald Kiska as the designer, the development team for the KTM X-BOW are already coming up with some exciting ideas!" Dr. Christian Buchmann, Styrian Minister of Economic Affairs, also visited the Graz fac- tory to take part in the anniversary celebra- tions, where he made the following statement: "The KTM X-BOW is an ambassador for the Styrian flair for innovation in the automotive sector — and not just in Austria. The produc- tion of this supercar in Graz is an international showcase project." According to Buchmann, this was all made possible thanks to the commitment and pas- sion shown by Pierer. KTM's X-BOW project was only made pos- sible with the help of Italian sports car chassis manufacturer Dallara and support and techni- cal assistance from Audi. Romolo Liebchen, project manager for sport derivatives at Audi AG/quattro GmbH, supported the develop- ment of the vehicle and the collaboration between Audi and KTM right from the start. The 1,000th model is not a "standard" KTM X-BOW, but rather the first KTM X-BOW R to get a facelift. Careful renewal of the body ele- ments, based on the 2013 KTM X-BOW GT with its fixed windscreen and glass side doors, has attracted a wider variety of customers. The change in design approach taken by Gerald Kiska and his team can also be seen in the "R" version. The body elements have a more vivid appearance, and sharply drawn lines help to structure surfaces clearly. The engine cover, which now has grill-like ventilation slits (simi- lar to the GT), connects extensively with the rear bodywork elements, which make the rear part of the vehicle appear even more muscular and powerful thanks to its new shape. The front of the car also received a makeover. The technical basis of the vehicle is the tried-and-tested complete package, including the 2.0 liter TFSI engine from Audi with 300 PS. The new net purchase price is 74,900 euros (excl. VAT), or $82,386. PSB KTM announces North American plans for X-BOW The North American market will see the KTM X-BOW available in spring of 2017, officials said.