My FH5 Log: Race-ready X-Bow

First enjoyed back in my British adventure in the previous installment, the KTM X-BOW GT4 racecar made its comeback in FH5 as the Series 5 Update's Wet Season Playlist prize car. Having fought my way through the stunt-packed challenges this season's playlist offered, I am reunited with a familiar face for a bold new trip in this game.

This race-spec X-BOW is the collaboration between KTM and the world's highly specialized companies such as Dallara, Reiter Engineering, and KISKA. Made as an affordable entry to GT4 racing, the X-BOW GT4's 2.0L TFSi engine can produce up to 360PS of power and up to 500Nm of torque, while mated to a Holinger sequential gearbox. It's capable of going from 0-100kph in less than four seconds and onwards to 265kph.

As an extreme track toy, the X-BOW GT4 delivers an ideal weight distribution thanks to its Dallara-derived monocoque chassis and lightweight materials that led to its less-than-ton dry weight and at 200kph speeds, it delivers an aerodynamic downforce of over 400kg. Put it all together and this becomes a worthy contender in the GT4 class and such handling can intimidate the bigger foes it comes across.

With the X-BOW GT4 back in the game, it's time to give this extreme track toy a quick refresher with a quick race. Roll the tape.

Enjoy your new ride!

FH4 Fortune Island: X-BOW GT4 winter holiday

I already obtained the KTM X-BOW GT4 from a previous Forzathon a few months ago but in cased you missed one and you saved a lot of Forzathon points, now's your chance to do so because you have until Thursday morning, Pacific time to obtain the X-BOW GT4.



If you need a quick refresher, the race-spec X-BOW is the collaboration between KTM and the world's highly specialized companies such as Dallara, Reiter Engineering, and KISKA. Made as an affordable entry to GT4 racing, the X-BOW GT4's 2.0L TFSi engine can produce up to 360PS of power and up to 500Nm of torque, while mated to a Holinger sequential gearbox. It's capable of going from 0-100kph in less than four seconds and onwards to 265kph.



Which reminds me, since I already drove the X-BOW GT4 on British roads during the main campaign, how about taking this track toy on Fortune Island to see what it's like. Of course, this is what I'm going to do in case of previously showcased prize cars I already drove in the UK for a change. Anyway, let's get this over with.



Job well done, there's nothing else I can say.

Enjoy your new ride!

Forza Horizon 4: Not your ordinary X-Bow

At first glance, it really is a KTM X-Bow, a hardcore track toy made by Austria's leading motorcycle maker that targets the likes of Caterhams and Ariels on track days, but don't be fooled because what this is is a KTM X-Bow GT4, the extreme track toy made even more extreme for track duty.



I obtained this from this week's Forzathon event and what I'm going to do is to explain what's what with the X-Bow tweaked for racing duty. This race-spec X-BOW is the collaboration between KTM and the world's highly specialized companies such as Dallara, Reiter Engineering, and KISKA. Made as an affordable entry to GT4 racing, the X-BOW GT4's 2.0L TFSi engine can produce up to 360PS of power and up to 500Nm of torque, while mated to a Holinger sequential gearbox. It's capable of going from 0-100kph in less than four seconds and onwards to 265kph.

As an extreme track toy, the X-BOW GT4 delivers an ideal weight distribution thanks to its Dallara-derived monocoque chassis and lightweight materials that led to its less-than-ton dry weight and at 200kph speeds it delivers an aerodynamic downforce of over 400kg. Put it al together and this becomes a worthy contender in the GT4 class and such handling can intimidate the bigger foes it come across.



Despite being a small car, its intimidating performance is something I might be aware of and being prepared to answer most of the questions regarding the GT4-spec X-BOW's extreme performance that makes the Smithsonian Channel look like Tokyo MX, I took some time off on Horizon duty to experience what is like behind the wheel of an X-BOW made for racing in mind.



How's that for track toy science?



The KTM X-BOW was already an extreme track toy in its own right but this GT4-spec version pushes the X-BOW to greater heights and above all else, its bewildering performance of that size really made the big guys worried when they see one. Call it tricky but this X-BOW really means business for drivers behind the wheel and whoever got their hands on it really means business for them.

Forza Motorsport 5: Power vs. Grip

When choosing a track toy, do you need a track toy that is focused on power or focused more on grip? To find out, I went to Mount Panorama, which is located at New South Wales, Australia, to find out.



Here is the venue and here are the cars prepped for this comparison:

The KTM X-BOW R. The track toy armed with the super sports car technology for the 21st century. It comes with the Audi 2.0L TFSi engine producing 295HP of power and 295lb-ft of torque. It only weighs around 1,786lbs.



And then, the Caterham Superlight R500. Top Gear's 2008 Car of the Year. It maybe 32HP less than the X-BOW R but it weighs 670lbs less than the X-BOW R so despite that power difference, its lightweight bodywork is worth the gripping capable enough to classify itself as a track toy.



There's a saying that goes "Adding power makes you faster on the straights. Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere". That was the word from Lotus founder Colin Chapman because some car companies value aerodynamics over engine.

So, while the X-BOW R is 60% more on power and 40% focused on weight loss, and the Caterham is more on weight loss and a little care less on the power despite the fact that it has better power-to-weight ratio than the Bugatti Veyron; guess it's time for me to grab the bull by the horns, bite the bullets, and literally put these track toys to the test at the home of the Bathurst 1000.



So there it goes. The X-BOW did it in 2:29.627 while the Caterham R500 did it in 2:29.215, meaning the lightweight R500 beaten the powerful X-BOW by about 1/3rd of the second, proving that subtracting weight is better than adding power. Maybe that's why there are some wanted to lose weight rather than add power to create a track-focused high-performance vehicle.

Forza Motorsport 5: The KTM X-BOW

The KTM X-BOW. Now this is quite an interesting addition to the list of cars you can drive in Forza Motorsport 5. This track-toy is built by an Austrian motorbike company called KTM and judging that this track toy is made in Austria, it's worth fantasizing as a muscular guy who checks on your plumbing. Who doesn't?



Like any other open-wheelers offered on Forza Motorsport 5, the X-BOW is not for the novice of the many, unless your settings are too novice for your own skill, because of its rather complicating way to throw you off the track if you're not careful but with moments of practice, enjoying the X-BOW just the way you want is no biggie. While this track toy is worthy of being a capable supercar slayer, the combination of a lightweight bodywork, sophisticated suspension setup, and the Audi 2.0L turbo engine truly delivers a mighty blow to the big guns.



Another good reason why you should love driving the KTM X-BOW in the world of Forza 5...

Gran Turismo 6: Track-day Locomotion

Welcome to Twin Ring Motegi, one of the most premier racing tracks located in Japan. And here on the eastern part of the track, I'm enjoying myself on open-wheelers, every track-day boys' favorite. If you asked your friends to go on kart racing on this course, you'd better get on one of these...



It's a Racing Kart 125 Shifter, a go-kart with a manual gearbox for added challenge, capped at 175kph but can I, and some well-established open-wheelers do better? I think I can...

At Gran Turismo, we're always at the forefront of open-wheeling proportions. Those cars maybe small but they are surely had big attitudes, leaving a big and fast sportscar stripped out of its dignity and sent home to its mom. Today, I'll be personally testing three track-focused open-wheelers and find out if it can beat the 125 Shifter's 1:31.394 lap time round the eastern part of the Twin Ring Motegi.



First up is the KTM X-BOW, it's made by an Austrian motorbike company and it features a turbocharged Audi engine mounted in the middle as well as host of other features that makes it more track-focused while being usable on the road. We've gone for the R version because this is more powerful than the Street version I had a while back.

As the clock starts, the X-BOW set sail like a wheelchair mounted with fire extinguishers. This little track-day car does really have a really big attitude and in the corners, it's all in a cleavage's work. Cleavage? Ahem, it's a geology kind of cleavage, not the one you're familiar with but anyway, it managed to shaved off a second from the racing kart, bearing the time of 1:30.319, With its sleek aerodynamic styling and its superior handling, the X-BOW managed to outwit the smaller racing cart by a margin without a margin of error. So, what's next?



This. The Gran Turismo-exclusive LCC Rocket. Before Gordon Murray gave birth to the design of the McLaren F1, he collaborated with Chris Craft, a former Grand Prix racer, to establish the Light Car Company and this is the brainchild of the LCC. It's powered by a 4-cylinder Yamaha FJ1200 motorcycle engine sitting in the middle of the car producing 166HP of power. It was styled to look like a Grand Prix car from the 60's but the question is...will I need it?

Weighing less than 400kg, it's surprisingly lighter than the X-BOW but it's short of power than the X-BOW. With such stats, I felt like I was getting ripped off by the promise of being a quick car and betrayed by my steering so in the finish line, it's a photo finish. The Rocket finished at 1:31.158, a few milliseconds quicker than the go-kart but slower than the X-BOW so it's time for the last roll of the dice.

 

With me and my Caterham Fireblade. Of course, other games feature numerous Caterhams but the only Caterham you won't find anywhere else is, to be exact, the Fireblade. I may not quite specific about what Caterham should not be allowed to be featured in any other game but I'm sure this is it. This is the Caterham no other game should feature rather than the Gran Turismo series...the Fireblade.

A hard foot on the pedal...and nothing. No matter how hard I tried, the Fireblade is struggling to keep up against the go-kart and the go-kart rocked home and I am magnanimous in defeat.

KTM X-BOW R - 1:30.319
Rocket - 1:31.158
Fireblade - 1:38.900

So, based on the results conducted by me, the X-BOW R is the champion on this GT6 comparo test. Those motorcycle engine-powered open-wheelers maybe a waste of time but it's official, if you want an open-wheeler that is even better than the Rocket or the Fireblade, then the X-BOW R is for you!