KTM is gearing up to reveal a road-legal version of its high-performance X-Bow GT2 racer.

    Dubbed the X-Bow GT-XR, the Austrian motorcycle and sports car manufacturer has been spied testing a prototype version of its road-going, fighter jet-inspired sports car.

    It’s expected this version of the X-Bow will be revealed imminently because KTM recently posted two official images of the GT-XR on its social media with the caption saying there’s “more to come soon” and to “stay tuned”.

    KTM previously confirmed the X-Bow GT-XR has its roots in motorsport and is based on the X-Bow GT2, but has added “features” to make it road-legal.

    Power will come from a 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine sourced from Audi. This engine shared with the Audi RS3 and TT RS.

    In the track-only X-Bow GT2 this five-cylinder engine is tuned to produce 441kW of power and 720Nm of torque, which is 147kW and 220Nm more than the current-generation RS3.

    It’s unclear if the road-going X-Bow GT-XR will produce the same amount of power and torque as the X-Bow GT2, or if it’ll be closer to the tamer, yet still track-only X-Bow GTX.

    The engine in the X-Bow GT2 is mated to a six-speed sequential transmission supplied by transmission specialist firm Holinger. There’s also a limited-slip differential.

    There’s fully-adjustable Sachs endurance suspension at all four corners in the X-Bow GT2, and the front brakes are six-piston units with 378mm discs backed by four-piston, 355mm discs at the rear.

    Even though it’ll retain a full carbon-fibre monocoque chassis, it’s expected the road-going X-Bow GT-XR will weigh a little bit more than the GT2 model, which has a dry weight of 1048kg.

    The only obvious exterior difference from the track-only X-Bow GT2 to the spied road-going X-Bow GT-XR prototype is the rear spoiler.

    The wing is still quite prominent on the X-Bow GT-XR prototype but loses the swan neck-style that’s synonymous with race cars, as well as the Porsche 911 GT3.

    On the inside, it’s expected the KTM X-Bow GT-XR will retain a lot of the racing-oriented hardware theGT2 has, but it will all have to be homologated.

    At this stage it’s unclear if the road-going X-Bow GT-XR will be offered Down Under.

    KTM first launched the roofless X-Bow in 2008 at the Geneva motor show as part of a collaboration between Kiska Design, Audi, and Italian race car manufacturer Dallara.

    A GT4 version of the X-Bow began racing in a variety of series in 2015, and was given an update in late 2017.

    The X-Bow GT4 was the first X-Bow variant in the lineup to feature a closed cockpit design in order to comply with stringent GT4 regulations.

    One of the most significant to the X-Bow updates came in late 2020 when KTM unveiled the track-only X-Bow GTX and GT2.

    Click an image to view the full gallery.

    MORE: 2021 KTM X-Bow GTX coming to Australia

    Jack Quick

    Jack Quick is an automotive journalist based in Melbourne. Jack studied journalism and photography at Deakin University in Burwood, and previously represented the university in dance nationally. In his spare time, he loves to pump Charli XCX and play a bit of Grand Theft Auto. He’s also the proud owner of a blue, manual 2020 Suzuki Jimny.

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