The alliance between X-Bow and self was uneasy, initially due to a certain physical discomfort, and latterly thanks to a repeat inability to actually keep it pointing in the right direction.
By way of an introduction, the carbon bath and I went for a vigorous exploration of the back roads around the Top Gear test track. This car has recently had a power-hike, to an alarming 300bhp, that causes your head to arrive everywhere suddenly, violently and before almost everything else both mechanical and organic, evoking a sensation not dissimilar, I suspect, to the trauma of being born.
And things get tougher. At around 55mph vibration renders your vision largely useless, a scenario grimly reminiscent of narcotic evenings in subterranean student nightclubs, standing far too close to the PA. Much past 70mph and you can’t really breathe either. Previous metaphor still applies.
But back at the track, where a smooth surface and snug driving helmet largely eliminate these shortcomings, the X-Bow is in its element. The turbo screams, the transmission clacks, you brake race-car hard and feather the throttle through corners that arrive far sooner than you…
…you’re facing the wrong way.
Or at least, I was. The liberties that track driving affords you are seldom tolerated in a car as honest and tech-less as the X-Bow. No driver aids here to flatter the amateur or paper over the cracks of incompetence. Entertain a modest mid-corner lift and the back of the car executes a quick, snappy overtake of the front. But find some faith, keep the throttle in and the steering minimal, and you emerge from each apex faster than the last, more confident, more impressed. (And, in my particular case, only marginally less frightened).
Watch Stig’s lap in the X-Bow.
There are astonishing depths to the X-Bow’s abilities on the track, depths that a driver of far greater skill than I might still take some time to truly plunder. But even within the limits of only a handful of laps, it was impossible not to grow into that beautifully crafted carbon monocoque, to begin to understand how someone could spend upwards of £50,000 on a car that has no practical application, just for the clinical thrill of it. The X-Bow is complete absurd genius, as addictive as it is ridiculous.
Don’t forget, we’ll be revealing details of one car every day from Top Gear magazine’s Big Performance Car Showdown – a blog with our verdict and video of one of Stig’s laps.
Now watch Stig’s lap in the Aston V12 Vantage.
Read the Aston Martin V12 Vantage blog.
Read the Ferrari 599 HGTE blog.
Read the Porsche 911 GT3 blog.
Read the Audi R8 V10 blog.
First!
Nice lap by the Stig, I think it was around 1:23.0 if that’s real time.
I like it in orange or white.
Just is a matter of time
as longer you drive better is the real engaegment with this car. is fabolous.
The real question is.
Is it better then the Mighty Ariel Atom?
I like them bouth. But the Atom was the ground breaking thing on this sort of cars.
But…as much as i try to dislike the X-bow i find that…i really can’t….
nice lap by the Stig! I enjoyed watching him work his a** off trying to keep the car on the track
There’s something about the X-Bow that leaves me cold. It hasn’t got the character of the Ariel Atom, and when the V8 Atom comes out it will be less powerful aswell.
I dont really get the xbow, it is less powerful than an ariel atom, weighs about 200-300 kilos more and costs about twice as much
Nice lap
looked like a LOT of fun!!
KTM is very light weighted so it must be very good and know all the details:Displacement cm³ 1.984
Performance kW (PS)@1/min 177(240)5.500
Max. Torque Nm@ 1/min 310@2.000–5.500
Valves 4/Zylinder, DOHC
Length x Width x Height mm 3.738 x 1.915 x 1.202
Wheelbase mm 2.430
Height of centre of gravity mm 390
Wheel track front/rear mm 1.672/1.626
Turning Circle m 10,8
Fuel tank capacity l 40
Fuel consumption Ø 7,2 l/100 km
CO2 Emission g 171/km
Aerodynamic ground pressure at 100 km/h kg 48
Aerodynamic ground pressure at 200 km/h kg 193
Deceleration from 100 – 0 km/h m 32,9
Transversal acceleration with series tyres g 1,5
Weight distribution static (front/rear) 37:63
gool lap by stig
That is a completely stupid machine!!!
I can`t wait to see what SLR stirling moss can do
Ugly car. If I would go for a bare minimum sportscar I’d buy the Ariel Atom. I just can’t wait until the V8 comes out. Not that I have the money though (sigh).
The X-Bow looks great. Fab car. I WANT ONE!!!!
X-bow..probably the greatest KTM technology and knowledge investment for road freaks
Bit pricey, but still…. would kick @ss at the go-kart track!
It may be an amazing car, which it is, but it’s ugly as hell!
in the link to this article at the home page, you said too hot too handle. it’s to, not too
well done scheuy
Nice work Stigger, kept on the track like a god. The gearbox looked pretty clunky and hard work though.
I’m not sure if I like it or not (the Ariel Atom looks a tiddly bit better – or it might be the other way round.) It looked quirky round the track, but it isn’t my cup of tea. The Caterham CSR is.
It is a plastic coffin, I WANT ONE !!!
it’s basically a caterham but slightly more luxurious but it hardly makes any noise at all and it’s slower than a r500
you don’t get it ..it is a production car with Kit car wildness and Audi craftquality, carbon FIA safe chassi and road able suspension !
by the way about 10 time cheaper than the next full carbon monocoque supercar done so fare….
its a fast car but i think its ugly
hey, his helmet sorta matches the car.
So the KTM is supposed to be fast -
Caterham Levante
Chassis Caterham SV
Engine 2.4-litre, 40-valve RST-V8 supercharged
Max Power 500+ bhp @ 10,000rpm
Max Torque 300lbsft @ 8500rpm
Supercharge boost 0.8 psi
Gearbox 6-speed sequential with paddle shift option
Transmission LSD
0-60mph under 3 sec TBC
Top Speed 150mph (limited)
Weight From 520kgs
Вообще-то, многое из того, что Вы пишете не совсем так… Ну да ладно,не важно
В очередной раз большое спасибо, хорошие что есть такие люди как вы, которые дают дельные советы:)
just a tiny windshield (batmobile style)would transform this thing and make it road useable,i want one,shame about our climate,im moving to the caribbean tho so may become reality in my garage,id like to test the atom too tho,before i order an exige
Да уж… После прочтения даже мне эта тема стала интересна.
Forerunner 50 Dual
Начинайте тренироватьс вместе с устройством Forerunner 50. Этот компактный спортивный прибор, предназначен ый для любителей бега, велоспорта1 и других видов спорта, поставляется с беспроводным датчиком частоты пульса, шагомером или с обоими компонентами. Кроме того, устройство автоматическ передает результаты тренировок в компьютер для анализа и хранения информации, а также для обмена данными с другими пользователя и он-лайн сообщества Garmin Connect™.
Подробнее…
Я конечно в этом не особо разбираюсь, но после вашей статьи стал гораздо больше понимать. Респект