RE: KTM X-Bow Production Halted

[Rarst]

would be good if it turned into a robot or had machine guns.

[bobbym]

Agree with many of the earlier comments re price, but I also think it is a bit of an issue producing a car with no roof for the UK market. I know the Atom doesn't have one (very niche though let's face it), and I know this is basically a track car, but I think many would be put off in this country by the total lack of weather protection. I suspect I may be lampooned by others suggesting why stop at a roof when you could have airbags, 4 doors, big boot etc, but I do think it makes a difference.

By the way I'm aware the cabin is weatherproof. More the driver I'm thinking about!!

Edited by bobbym on Monday 24th August 14:34

[Wilburo]

Another reason it might not have sold so well here in the UK is that the equivalent vehicles (Caterham, Lotus 2-11, Atom) are all built in the UK. Cheaper, better-reviewed and home-grown!

The UK does a good turn in ultra-light vehicles

[f111lover]

I loved this car as soon as I saw it at Le Mans a couple of years ago, but the price!!!! Makes the Lotus look ridiculously cheap.

Edited by f111lover on Monday 24th August 14:30

[leon9191]

Rarst said:

would be good if it turned into a robot or had machine guns.

I'd have one then.

[Davi]

bobbym said:

Agree with many of the earlier comments re price, but I also think it is a bit of an issue producing a car with no roof for the UK market. I know the Atom doesn't have one (very niche though let's face it), and I know this is basically a track car, but I think many would be put off in this country by the total lack of weather protection. I suspect I may be lampooned by others suggesting why stop at a roof when you could have airbags, 4 doors, big boot etc, but I do think it makes a difference.

I'd agree with that, an option of weather proofing can only serve to increase popularity. Especially at this price bracket

[ctallchris]

That is a shocker I've never seen the price before! who'd buy that for 50k whe you can buy an atom / whole heap of catehams / nobel / lotuses in fact just a whole load of competition for less. The majority of them also have a decent fanbase which means a half decent number of people racing them.

Not only that but they all look better than the xbow...

[bogie]

is it any quicker than a £30K hot Elise/Exige, that you can go to work in also, so much easier to justify

£80K for a weekend toy, and it better be special ...thats a real nice Radical with a trailer, ready to race, and probabaly a seasons racing too

[amare32]

They failed to sell enough because they couldn't deliver what they had promised. To tell the world that you were going to produce a car to rival a Caterham for £30k and then to charge £80k with a few bits added was commercial suicide.

I remember first reading about the car weighing under 500kg with 350bhp which would have been spectacular - so how the hell did the production car gain an extra 295kg?

You would think a bike manufacturer would ensure that the 'power through lightness' ethos would be applied to the X-bow better than anyone else.

Edited by amare32 on Monday 24th August 14:42

[andrew_hurdle]

After a test drive of the X-Bow I went out and bought a 2 Eleven the next day and had lots of change left over. Vague rubber steering, no engine feedback, and lastly for being about as conspicuous as a transvestite with hairy legs were main reasons. In my view if you need the ultimate try the 2 Eleven GT4 for track and occasional street - and the standard 2 Eleven for either - Andrew

[nonuts]

I remember chatting to them at LeMans two years ago, at that time they were hoping it'd be between 20-30k and at that price I'm sure they'd be selling loads. For me price is it's biggest issue.

[RDMcG]

[Riggers]

From the article:

"KTM now says it is aiming to build between 200 and 300 cars a year for the foreseeable future.

For now, with 500 X-Bows built so far and 80 still unsold, KTM has stopped production at its Graz facility, although production is slated to resume in January 2010."

It's not dead, folks, just taking a nap... remember that most major manufacturers have had temporary factory shutdowns too. If anything I'm kind of surprised this hasn't happened sooner.

[Vixpy1]

nonuts said:

I remember chatting to them at LeMans two years ago, at that time they were hoping it'd be between 20-30k and at that price I'm sure they'd be selling loads. For me price is it's biggest issue.

No, for you the issue is you are not man enough for an X-bow

[nonuts]

Vixpy1 said:

No, for you the issue is you are not man enough for an X-bow

• cough* fk off *cough*

[Vixpy1]

nonuts said:

Vixpy1 said:

No, for you the issue is you are not man enough for an X-bow

• cough* fk off *cough*

It could be worse, when Garlick turned up to the ACE a couple of weeks ago in an X-Bow he was not re-inforcing the idea that its very hard not to look like a tt when wearing a Crash helmet in a car

[EL77]

this is a seasonal car without a doubt and if you were going to stop production then now is the time to do it. they have the ability to start production very quickly so and control volumes when required.

80 cars will be sold very quickly with a little focus, only 12 cars are RHD.

i think stratstone Aston Martin had 700 Astons in stock at one stage which is far more worrying, they were also giving the value of a KTM off some to shift the stock!!

[beanbag]

I've seen a couple living here in Vienna however no matter how many times I see it, I detest it's looks. Probably a superb car to drive but not a looker.

[stephen300o]

Looked quite nice to me, or striking may be more accurate. I think the unexpected heavyness was also a factor, with so many lighter track cars.

[dandarez]

It's not dead?
Come back in 12 months time and say that!

God, if you look back over the last 30 years at the so-called cars that the press told us were supposed to take off that just disappeared without trace you could write a book - probably two or three - about them!

23 X-Bows only, registered in the UK...
Yeah, and how many are business or dealer registered of those 23?

ie: exactly how many has it sold to British Joe Public?

There was one at Silverstone a week ago Sunday - on display and was giving rides around the circuit prior to the GT race.
Were any in the GT race?
NO.
It'd have to be in GT4.
Why aren't any in the GT4 racing?
Ok it has appeared in the Euro GT4 but it's no contest for the
cheaper British 35k Ginetta G50, winners last year and winners
again this year even though the season hasn't ended!

The mags all love to extoll the virtues of the X-Bow and other similar non-roof vehicles and tend to make them out to be something they are not.

Which actually begs the question as someone has mentioned Lotus, where are the Lotus 2-Eleven GT4s we heard the press like Autocar and EVO shout about? (which DO cost 80 grand!)
I thought that was the idea - for it to enter GT4?
Sort of a connection there eh? GT4. The Ginetta G50 could do with some competition - it's excellent racing and the grids could do with the Lotus there - or is it too simple just to say it doesn't enter because the 2-Eleven would get beaten by it's old adversary?

Apart from it's effort in Dubai (where it came nowhere - ok, I'll be fair, the g/box blew apart) we were assured it was ready for the 09 season in March and initial 10 orders were ready. I take it they just go to weekend track days - ie non competitive?

They may be 'track day' cars but they certainly don't seem competitive enough for the 'real' track, or surely there would be some entries, wouldn't there?