The KTM X-Bow Arrow Is A 330 HP Side-By-Side With A Golf R Heart
Of course you need a side-by-side with over 300 hp
Competition in the sand-chewing, mud-spraying, side-by-side segment just got a whole lot hotter. Meet the KTM X-Bow Arrow, a UTV (utility terrain vehicle) with posters of the Dakar Rally on its garage wall, and a VW Golf R engine stashed behind its two seats.
Built to take on desert rats like the Polaris RZR, Can-Am Maverick, and Ariel Nomad, the Arrow has a tubular steel chassis, to which is bolted a set of doors, but no fenders. The knobbly tires at each corner have up to 23.6 inches (600 mm) of double-wishbone suspension travel, which should be great for landing those big jumps, while manually adjustable three-way KW Reiger dampers will hopefully keep you from rebounding back into the air and off into the scenery.
Power comes from VW's EA888 turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4, as used in the VW Golf R, which is hooked up to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and sends torque to all four wheels via front and rear limited-slip differentials. KTM has a long history of using VW powertrains in its cars, but UTV Guide says the Arrow's transmission also has a low-range mode for traversing really technical terrain. That's definitely not something you'll find in hot street Golfs, or the original KTM X-Bow trackday weapon.
Standard spec is 280 hp, which is already enough to outmuscle its Can-Am Maverick R rival. That makes 240 hp from a turbocharged 993 cc inline-3 Rotax engine. But the Arrow Black Limited Edition trim is even more powerful, serving up 330 hp, as well as a fly-off handbrake for maximum skidability. Electrically adjustable dampers, hydraulic bump stops, and active anti-roll bars are also part of the Black package, reports say.
By KTM, but not that KTM
If you're not familiar with modern side-by-sides, you're probably shocked by how luxurious and just car-like the Arrow looks inside. There's a digital gauge cluster, a 10-inch touchscreen, a rear-view camera, and two USB-C charging ports, UTV Guide's report says, plus group ride connectivity for those days out with friends. Go for the 500-unit Black Limited Edition trim, and you add premium audio, air conditioning, roof-mounted LED lighting, and uprated brakes. What is this, a Lexus? No, it's more like a Jeep, because you also have a 4,500 lb (2,041 kg) winch that can be swapped from front to rear.
KTM first used the X-Bow name in 2008 when the Austrian motorcycle brand decided to venture into the world of trackday cars. The open-top two-seater had a carbon-fiber chassis and looked light-years more advanced than rival cars like the Caterham 7 and Ariel Atom. It later added a roof to create the X-Bow GT-XR and XA supercars, but the entire company underwent bigger changes in 2025 after hitting a rocky patch on the financial, not trail, front.
The core motorcycle division was bought by India's Bajaj, but the car arm of the business was sold off to a Belgian investor group led by Guillaume De Mevius, who claimed second place in the 2024 Dakar Rally. That new KTM X-Bow company is behind the Arrow, which is a consumer version of the UTVs the KTM X-Bow Lab Team runs in the FIA's SSV (Side-by-Side Vehicle Class).
A base Arrow reportedly costs around $60,000, and the Black edition $99,000, which looks expensive when a Can-Am Maverick starts at $39,699. But since deliveries don't start until late next year, you've got a bit of time to save up.