KTM continues to iterate on its X-Bow sports car. The next version on the horizon is the GT-XR that takes the GT2 racer and makes the machine road legal. These spy shots catch the vehicle lapping the Nürburgring, suggesting the new model should be as comfortable on the track as on the road.
While these spy shots give us a good look at the X-Bow GT-XR, KTM is showing the front and side of the machine on its Instagram page without a stitch of camouflage (see below). This means there's no need to speculate about what this model looks like.
Gallery: KTM X-Bow GT-XR Spy Photos
In front, there are skinny, sharp-edged headlights with a tiny LED strip below them. There are two other, smaller light bars below the main lamps. A wide, trapezoidal opening in the lower fascia has two mesh-covered inlets with a space for the license plate in the center.
The hood is low, and there's a wraparound windshield. The setup appears to offer lots of outward visibility for the driver. There are no doors. Instead, the canopy tilts forward for occupants to step in.
Along the sides, the front fenders stick out past the narrower main portion of the body. A sharp crease along the beltline and extending diagonally below it give the flanks an edgy look that contrasts with the cockpit's smooth shape.
A wing rises from the rear deck. There's a high-mounted, center-exit exhaust with a trapezoid-shaped tip above the license plate. The position lets KTM mount a large diffuser.
The GT-XR reportedly uses a mid-mounted, Audi-sourced 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder, like the GT2. In the racer, that powerplant makes 591 horsepower (441 kilowatts), but the figure might be less for the road-legal version.
The GT2 racer uses a six-speed direct-shift gearbox driving the rear wheels through a limited-slip differential. Again, it's not clear at this time whether the road car shares these parts.
Without fuel, the GT2 weighs 2,310 pounds (1,043 kilograms). With the addition of some amenities to make it more comfortable on the street, we'd expect the GT-XR version to be a bit heavier but not much.
We don't know when the X-Bow GT-XR debuts, but KTM's Instagram post says: "More to come soon." Since the company has no problem showing off the exterior design, it seems like a full unveiling can't be too far away.
