Though we just lately reported the KTM X-Bow was virtually definitely uselessit might have a brand new lease on life. Bajaj, which purchased out KTMneeds the model to give attention to bikes, so it is offered KTM Sportcar GmbH to a separate group of buyers, hopefully saving the X-Bow sports activities automotive. KTM will proceed to license its title and be concerned with the X-Bow ultimately, however KTM Sportcar GmbH will run independently of the primary firm. The X-Bow was all the time a wierd duck in KTM’s lineup, so this makes an excessive amount of sense.
KTM confirmed to Austria’s Business journal that the De Mevius household, higher recognized for the beer mega-conglomerate AB InBev, is heading up negotiations, together with different nameless buyers. “AB” stands for Anheuser-Busch, which is only one of greater than 500 manufacturers the corporate owns that make it the most important brewer on the earth. This may occasionally seem to be an unlikely pairing, however the De Mevius household is actively concerned in motorsports. Gregory Of Mevius is a long-time rally and Dakar competitor who nonetheless enters the occasional rally right now. His sons, Guillaume and Ghislainproceed racing in his dusty footsteps.
A brand new lineup
Whereas the X-Bow has advanced over time, it is tough for a automotive firm to outlive with just one mannequin within the lineup (simply ask Saturn). The brand new homeowners plan to deal with that by including new fashions, or at the very least variants, to offer patrons a bit extra choice. It will embrace not solely the present track-focused fashions, but additionally street-legal supersports, which appears a pure growth. Automobiles just like the Radical SR3 have already gone there. Whereas not an awesome grocery getter, you may at the very least drive it to the observe, the place you may take pleasure in its full capabilities with out going on to jail afterward.
The brand new possession additionally intends to develop the X-Bow vary in a much less intuitive course with off-road choices. This may occasionally appear bizarre for a observe automotive, however given the De Mevius household’s rally and Dakar historical past, I would not be stunned if that is the place they are going with this. Think about X-Bow given the Rally Fighter remedy, attacking rally phases or leaping desert dunes. Maybe completely different variations could be obtainable for every self-discipline, just like KTM’s completely different motorbike choices for motocross, enduro, and cross nation based mostly on the identical platforms. We’re simply speculating, as no particulars are but obtainable, however it could be nice to see KTM tackling the phases on 4 wheels in addition to two. Regardless, it appears that evidently, like the person on the cart in “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” the X-Bow is not fairly useless but.
h/t RideApart
