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KTM unveils Arrow off-roader to rival Ariel Nomad
KTM has launched the Arrow, a dune-bashing side-by-side off-road vehicle with an enclosed cabin, developed with Guillaume de Mévius and his G Rally team and aimed squarely at the Ariel Nomad.
By Edward Beaumont · 3 min read
KTM has unveiled the Arrow, an enclosed side-by-side off-road vehicle designed to challenge the Ariel Nomad in the dune-bashing market. The model is a toned-down version of the Dakar SSV racer that KTM has campaigned in the famous rally, and it is being offered for off-road use, with some markets potentially allowing road registration.
The Arrow was developed with Guillaume de Mévius and his G Rally team. De Mévius previously led the consortium that bought KTM's road car division, and the road cars now operate separately from KTM's motorbike business. The project therefore marks one of the first major outputs of that restructured arrangement, with the road car operation pursuing its own product direction apart from the motorcycle side of the company.
Power comes from a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine borrowed from the Audi S3. Standard cars produce 276bhp, while the launch edition raises that to 325bhp. A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission sends drive to both axles, and two limited-slip differentials are fitted to help manage traction over loose and uneven terrain. Taken together, the drivetrain reflects a vehicle built to keep power going down on sand and rough tracks rather than to suit ordinary road use.
The vehicle weighs about 999kg, which is considerably heavier than the Ariel Nomad at roughly 715kg. The Nomad is quoted at 0-62mph in 3.4 seconds, and full performance figures for the Arrow have not yet been disclosed. The comparison with the Nomad is central to how the Arrow has been positioned, as both target buyers looking for a capable, purpose-built off-road machine rather than a conventional road car. The weight gap means the Arrow is likely to trade some outright acceleration for its larger, more robust construction, though the company has not yet published the numbers that would confirm this.
Underneath, the Arrow uses a chromoly-steel chassis with double-wishbone suspension. KW Reiger shock absorbers provide 600mm of wheel travel, a figure that signals the vehicle's intended role on rough ground. The cabin features Sabelt seats and a digital display, and the top-specification model includes air-conditioning as standard, a detail that separates it from a stripped-back competition machine and acknowledges the comfort demands of longer days in the desert.
Pricing starts at around £44,000 for the standard car and around £73,000 for the launch edition. KTM plans to build a limited run of 500 launch-edition cars, which positions the highest-output version as a collectible allocation rather than a volume model. US order books open next week, and deliveries are scheduled to begin in late 2027, giving prospective buyers a long lead time before the first cars reach customers.
Source: autocar.co.uk
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