Review by CoMod Lotus of the KTM X-Bow
(analog 27248)
The love-hate relationship…
There are slot cars that you would never buy. You’ve seen pictures of the real thing, and you just don’t like the car. Too weird, too ugly, too unusual. The X-Bow is one of those cars. I just think the car is ugly. You could give me the real thing as a gift, and I still wouldn’t want it.
The original was first unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 2007. Initially limited to 100 units (and already completely sold out), the X-Bow is an uncompromising machine. Audi four-cylinder turbo engines ranging from 220 to 260 hp, a carbon monocoque, and a Brembo braking system. You won’t find any useless frills like air conditioning, a radio, etc. But the X-Bow does have a very distinctive look. And that’s exactly why I would never buy the X-Bow. For me
, a sports car is also all about design.
And now I’m supposed to test it as a slot car. Okay, I’ll admit it—the body is excellent and absolutely true to the original. And the matte black and orange color scheme just looks great. The minimal decals are cleanly applied, the body gives an overall very sturdy impression, and is therefore also suitable for children’s hands. Very nice: the rims with the treaded tires.
Let’s get to the technical details: The car weighs 86 grams, making it one of the lightest cars fromCarrera . The distance between the guide keel and the rear axle is m.E . optimally designed. The guide keel is too stiff for my taste; in such cases, I remove the guide keel spring, which of course means the keel is no longer reset. The double sliders have Carrera proven themselves Carrera and are easy to replace. The removable rear axle assembly isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it makes changing the axle much easier. Loosen two screws, flip out the entire assembly, unclip the axle, and you're ready to install the new parts.
If you want to completely disassemble the car, you have to remove the axle unit first anyway; the screw for the bottom plate is located under the rear axle. Due to the design, space is very tight inside the chassis itself. When reassembling, you should therefore be careful not to pinch any cables.
Let’s move on to handling: Despite the very narrow tires,the KTM sits on the track like a board. The tires have excellent grip; with the magnet, the car is almost impossible to knock off the track. It handles like aGo go-kart—crashing is Go nearly impossible. But if you remove the rear magnet, things get really fun. Drifting right up to a (late) crash—this thing is just plain fun.
Conclusion : : For me, thisCarrera is the vehicle with the highest fun factor Carrera currently available, suitable for both fathers and sons alike. If only it weren't so ugly… :-)
CoMod Lotus
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Test report by CoMod JoergW on the KTM X-Bow
(analog 27248)
1. Appearance:
You can really tell that this orange-and-black speedster is built for speed, even though the name “Speedster” is already taken elsewhere. No superfluous parts that even remotely detract from the pure driving pleasure have been installed on this vehicle. This orange sports car could even make it to the finals, purely in terms of looks. The vehicle polarizes. Either you like it or you don’t; I like it.
For approx.Carrera For just 1% of the price Carrera of a full-scale Carrera model, the Carrera Risti can be Carrera enjoyed on its track—and that means not only visual enjoyment but also the thrill of driving. One “advantage” of slot racing becomes particularly clear here… you’re not sitting inside the vehicle and getting back problems, but can relax and aim for the lap record on your home track.
2. Technology
Here, proven technology is combined with the new rear axle removal feature. In the case of the KTM X-Bow, however, note that the rear magnet must first be removed; the screw for loosening the rear axle is located underneath it. Once the chassis is disassembled, reassembly should be done carefully to ensure no cables get pinched. The vehicle is not equipped with lights, which may be due to the rather tight space constraints.
3. Build Quality
The car is detailed but not too delicate. This makes it suitable for children’s hands—if Dad lets them play with it.
4. Handling
Weighing in at 88 g, the orange-and-black X-Bow is the lightweight of the field and could certainly be “optimized” further. Personally, however, I would find the modifications too radical. The narrow tires have very good grip, just ‘slightly’ less than on theGo lf GTi. The chosen version with tread looks very appealing. Since the same tire material as on the Go lf was apparently Go used, the reason for the small difference in tire width and the general differences in the vehicle’s construction may be to blame. With both magnets, even beginners can easily maneuver the X-Bow around the track, but it’s only really fun with the center magnet. Drift away until you hit the limit. Definitely a fun car that can be driven briskly even on twisty home tracks with a high proportion of Turn 1s!
5. Miscellaneous
A generally well-suited selection of vehicles to complement the 1:32 lineup. The orange and white versions look almost like the teams in an international match between neighboring nations on the track. Two more bold, highly visible colors could be added next year to expand the starting field.Carrera However, if Carrera the club were to release a kit with 2–3 interchangeable upper body parts or bare bodies in different colors… well, then there would be possibilities. That would really be a different idea for a 'Limited' 1:32.
CoMod JoergW
(analog 27248)
The love-hate relationship…
There are slot cars that you would never buy. You’ve seen pictures of the real thing, and you just don’t like the car. Too weird, too ugly, too unusual. The X-Bow is one of those cars. I just think the car is ugly. You could give me the real thing as a gift, and I still wouldn’t want it.
The original was first unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 2007. Initially limited to 100 units (and already completely sold out), the X-Bow is an uncompromising machine. Audi four-cylinder turbo engines ranging from 220 to 260 hp, a carbon monocoque, and a Brembo braking system. You won’t find any useless frills like air conditioning, a radio, etc. But the X-Bow does have a very distinctive look. And that’s exactly why I would never buy the X-Bow. For me
, a sports car is also all about design.
And now I’m supposed to test it as a slot car. Okay, I’ll admit it—the body is excellent and absolutely true to the original. And the matte black and orange color scheme just looks great. The minimal decals are cleanly applied, the body gives an overall very sturdy impression, and is therefore also suitable for children’s hands. Very nice: the rims with the treaded tires.
Let’s get to the technical details: The car weighs 86 grams, making it one of the lightest cars from
If you want to completely disassemble the car, you have to remove the axle unit first anyway; the screw for the bottom plate is located under the rear axle. Due to the design, space is very tight inside the chassis itself. When reassembling, you should therefore be careful not to pinch any cables.
Let’s move on to handling: Despite the very narrow tires,the KTM sits on the track like a board. The tires have excellent grip; with the magnet, the car is almost impossible to knock off the track. It handles like a
Conclusion : : For me, this
CoMod Lotus
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Test report by CoMod JoergW on the KTM X-Bow
(analog 27248)
1. Appearance:
You can really tell that this orange-and-black speedster is built for speed, even though the name “Speedster” is already taken elsewhere. No superfluous parts that even remotely detract from the pure driving pleasure have been installed on this vehicle. This orange sports car could even make it to the finals, purely in terms of looks. The vehicle polarizes. Either you like it or you don’t; I like it.
For approx.
2. Technology
Here, proven technology is combined with the new rear axle removal feature. In the case of the KTM X-Bow, however, note that the rear magnet must first be removed; the screw for loosening the rear axle is located underneath it. Once the chassis is disassembled, reassembly should be done carefully to ensure no cables get pinched. The vehicle is not equipped with lights, which may be due to the rather tight space constraints.
3. Build Quality
The car is detailed but not too delicate. This makes it suitable for children’s hands—if Dad lets them play with it.
4. Handling
Weighing in at 88 g, the orange-and-black X-Bow is the lightweight of the field and could certainly be “optimized” further. Personally, however, I would find the modifications too radical. The narrow tires have very good grip, just ‘slightly’ less than on the
5. Miscellaneous
A generally well-suited selection of vehicles to complement the 1:32 lineup. The orange and white versions look almost like the teams in an international match between neighboring nations on the track. Two more bold, highly visible colors could be added next year to expand the starting field.
CoMod JoergW
