After a successful first year for the “Technical Partnership” between Valvoline and KTM Sportcar GmbH, 2020 has started as a big challenge for both companies. As the general situation is slowly but surely improving and more and more racing events are being confirmed, the plans within the partnership are picking up speed again. And even if a complete season within the scope of an international racing series is currently out of the question, Valvoline and KTM Sportcar GmbH have decided to put one or the other exclamation mark.
The second half of the year starts with an exciting debut: On July 10 and 11, the prototype version of the KTM X-BOW GTX – the future super sports car from KTM, which is due to debut in fall this year – will start at the legendary high-speed track of Monza in it’s spectacular, newly created Valvoline outfit for the first time. As part of the second round of the "24H Series" of the Creventic organisation and with a strong team consisting of Stefan Rosina, Eike Angermayr and KTM works driver Laura Kraihamer, the Reiter Engineering squad wants to use the long-distance race, scheduled for twelve hours, to prove it’s speed as well as the reliability of the vehicle, but also of the lubricants such as engine oil, transmission oil, coolant or brake fluid from Valvoline.
More races are already planned, but due to the almost daily changing conditions, not yet confirmed. In any case the program currently includes an outing during the GT Open at the Red Bull Ring and another appearance at the Creventic 24H Series is to follow in late autumn. Also, the legendary 24-hour race at the Nürburgring could see a spectacular Valvoline car if it get’s underway as planned in September, but then in the form of a KTM X-BOW GT4 car with Valvoline livery.
The KTM X-BOW GTX protoype is already equipped with Audi’s legendary five-cylinder engine that is the sucessor of the KTM X-BOW standard four cylinder engine that was used since 2008. The new engine produces more than 500 horsepower, whilst the new generation supercar will feature many more technical highlights beside the engine: Electrical powersteering, electrical gearbox actuator, homologated Recaro competition seat and a steering wheel with integrated display, to name a few. Above all that, the combination of a homologated carbon fibre monocoque with a homologated roll cage will set new safety standards in GT racing, underlining KTM’s strength regarding innovative racing technology.