| Sports Car Preview | Autosport International 2008 | KTM X-Bow |

KTM has wowed the sports car world with its radical X-Bow track day car and now it's about to reach the first customers as production begins at the Austrian factory. British car fanatics also have the chance to see the first production version at the Autosport International show on 10-13 January at the NEC in Birmingham.

The first 100 production models of the X-Bow will be in limited edition Dallara Series trim, which provides extra equipment to further enhance the car's track day credentials. This includes a locking differential for on-track grip and the choice of white bodywork instead of the usual orange-painted panels.

The X-Bow is KTM's first car and the Austrian company is more normally associated with extreme off-road and sports motorcycles. However, the X-Bow shuns a motorcycle engine and instead uses a 236bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre Audi engine that sees the 720kg KTM go from 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds. Top speed is 135mph.

KTM expects to sell around 1,000 X-Bows per year and the car is available to order in the UK now with a price tag of £38,568.

Alisdair Suttie - 2 Jan 2008