KTM is worried that the X-bow is incompatible with the fear-and-safety culture of the US (and most of the western hemisphere for that matter) and may act as a giant piece of dangling lawyer bait:
http://autoshow.autos.msn.com/autoshow/geneva2009/Slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=18338062#4
Sad.
KTM's website seems to confirm it, no sales partners outside of Europe:
http://www.ktm-x-bow.com/Where-to-buy.2006.0.html
I'm not surprised by this in the least.
It was lawyer bait. This lawyer was already trying to figure out where to scrape together the coin. Guess now I'll have to buy a Radical. (Or keep my cheap Miata track car.)
Interesting that it's Audi that's put the kibosh on it. Seems like it would be easy enough to stick another engine back there. Or alternatively, sell them sans-engine in the U.S. market and let owners put in their own. (They'd probably want to do that anyhow to take advantage of the kit car rules.)
It's a huge legal PITA to get something like that in the US. VW attributed the lack of feasibility for the GX3 concept to the same reason....too much PITA to deal with the US laws and of course the lawyers that come with the territory. It's a shame, I would love something like even more stripped than an Elise with a bit more stability than a bike, such as the GX3/X-Bow.
Bryce
wait a tick, is that article right about the weight? 198.4 lbs?
I wondered about that, too.
Well I guess there is always the ariel atom to choose from as well.
Nashco wrote: It's a huge legal PITA to get something like that in the US.
Only if you want to let it be road-legal. It's easy as a track-only special and/or as a kit car, in which case the owner can figure out how to get it in/registered.
Nashco wrote: VW attributed the lack of feasibility for the GX3 concept to the same reason....too much PITA to deal with the US laws and of course the lawyers that come with the territory.
Hmmm, Audi=VW. I hadn't made the connection to the GX3 until just now. This lawyer/enthusiast will remember that VW and Audi think dealing with U.S. lawyers is too big a PITA to bring something to the enthusiast market next time he's in the market for an enthusiast car.
That's the weight of the carbon fiber chassis. I had to re-read it too. C'mon guys, that motor weighs more than 200# :-)
If you want a race-bred car, get yourself a Caterham. If you want a "look at me!" lightweight, get an Atom. Both available in the US. The X-bow hasn't fared well on the comparison tests in the UK. Although it is a shame that we can't get it, simply because I'd rather see more crazed featherweights than big heavy musclecars.
Swapping engines with a carbon fibre chassis might be a little more complex than with a steel space frame.
Give me the Weismann instead.
Oooh, yeah that would be damned nice. I love watching that episode of Top Gear.
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