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The s2b2 book is in the shops ! Kind of. Sort of. Plus a Lotus thing.


theduisbergkid
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Me and 'im have made a sizeable contribution to a book, you can buy it if you like. We don't get paid any more if you do, or don't, so this isn't an advert as such. There are 1001 cars featured, with a few basic stats and words on each one, see sample below. There are no knob-gags, although in my biog in the sleeve I'm listed as 'Luca Badoers personal fitness trainer', which is one of the few things I slipped past the Editor :secret:

KTM X-Bow

Launched: 2008

Country: Austria

Engine: 1984cc, mid-mounted turbocharged four-cylinder

Top speed: 134mph (217kph)

Acceleration: 0-62mph (100kmh) in 3.9 seconds

Power: 237hp (177kw)

In 1954 the snappily titled Kraftfahrzeuge Trunkenpolz Mattighofen started to manufacture motorbikes, mopeds and pushbikes in Graz, Austria. In 2006 KTM, as they’re now known, instigated a project to build a lightweight sports car for track use only, with input from Italian Grand Prix car chassis experts Dallara. The resultant car featured a carbon-fiber tub clad in plastic panels; inspired by KTM’s Motorbikes, and powered by Volkswagen’s popular four-cylinder turbocharged engine, it weighed in at just 1738lbs (790kg).

After launch, three models were offered: the Clubsport and Street retaining the original 237hp (177kw) output, and a tweaked R version giving 300hp (223kw). In its street-legal specifications the car features a weatherproof interior, which is handy, given the lack of doors, roof or windshield. The X-Bow has no traction control, no brake servo, no ABS or power steering. As standard you do get four point harnesses, a limited slip differential and individually adjustable pedals.

In 2008, Top Gear Magazine awarded the X-Bow the title Sports Car of the Year. The radical styled X-Bow (pronounced “crossbow”) comes only in KTM’s classic orange and black paint scheme. A custom built carbon-fiber tub means the list price is a hefty $77,000 (£50,000) before options such as fire extinguishers and trick racing components are ticked on the options list.

On track, the X-Bow has had some impressive wins in the British GT4 class race series against the likes of Lotus and Ginetta. However, many have argued that in the hands of the ordinary trackday enthusiast its performance can be easily matched by lower cost offerings from Caterham and Westfield, which fortunately don’t look like angry radioactive crabs.

Our now, ideal gift, yadda yadda, more here > 1001 cars to drive before you die (shameless book plug). | s2b2 :coffee:

Oh, we came across* a nutter who drove an Elise from Oz to Alaska, see here > Elise Roadtrip – Australia to Alaska | s2b2 :eclipse:

*Not literally, Bangle, you pervert.

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  • 1 month later...
I look forward to reading some interesting Amazon reviews after the release date :roflmao:

Just one so far, Jez, but you might like it. It's written in a stop/start kind of manner, almost like the COMPLETELY IMPARTIAL author of the review was creating a hidden message by using the first letter of every sentence... :coffee:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/0789324377/ref=dp_db_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

:)

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