Radical KTM concepts

January 9, 2009

KTM has hogged more than its fair share of column inches via its offbeat X-Bow (here), but a bunch of industrial design students from Austria's FH JOANNEUM University have recently conjured up six concepts of the wheeled, airborne and aquatic variety that show the design envelope can be stretched a lot further.

Each concept carries over the essence of the X-Bow -- as well as the brand's two-wheeled offerings -- and each one is liveried in KTM's trademark orange-and-black colour scheme.

Taking its inspiration from the X-Bow is the 'Ax', which is billed as a vehicle that combines the former's four-wheeled minimalism with KTM's motocross expertise.

Its propulsion comes from a hybrid powertrain that incorporates four in-wheel electric motors that drive through tyres that wouldn't seem out of place on an earthmover.

The futuristic contraption allegedly offers generous ground clearance and suspension travel to serve up what we surmise are mountain-goat-like ground-covering capabilities.

The urban counterpart to the ax is the 'SR85 Deuce', which was ostensibly conceived for future race events that place the emphasis on enviro-friendliness and inner-city manoeuvrability.

"Every weekend environmentally-friendly lightweight vehicles, propelled by high-torque electric motors, go for passing manoeuvres on spectacular inner-city race tracks -- defined by the given infrastructure and modular curves," said the SR85 Deuce's creators regarding the open-wheeler's raison d'etre.

Mountain-bike/trials-bike enthusiasts will no doubt warm to the KTM 360°, a super-light, silent electric bike that's said to be capable of conquering virtually any obstacle.

Meanwhile, the water-borne KTM 'CX' seems inspired by snowmobiles and is touted as "a racing vehicle that brings the moto-x spirit to the water".

"When stopping, the CX rider sinks into the water up to her/his knees and sits in the water as if on a surfboard," say its makers.

A more elaborate craft is the KTM Barracuda, which is said to be the equivalent of the X-Bow on the water. Claimed to be extremely agile and designed to be self-stabilising, the hydrofoil is supposedly "ready to race".

However, the prize for wackiness undoubtedly goes to the KTM Ascender, a gas turbine-propelled flight vehicle that is supported in the air by three rotors.

With 30-minute flight range and a maximum speed of 120km/h, the Ascender is said to be suited to competitive events in the vein of the Red Bull Air Race.

We just hope it comes with a parachute...