KTM ignites Moto3 M32 engine

When KTM fired up its new Moto3 engine on the benches of one of the KTM Racing test benches at 9:27 a.m. on August 26 it signalled that the company that is always ‘Ready to Race’ is on track and on time for its return to top level MotoGP road racing. This pure bred KTM engine draws all on the power and experience of the company’s proven research and development expertise and the extensive experience of the KTM Racing Department.

KTM’s return to the new MotoGP Moto3 class and the development of the new engine by KTM engineer Wolfgang Felber and his team is also characterized by an intense partnership with KALEX Engineering of Southern Germany, the company that will be the exclusive chassis manufacturer for the KTM engine. The constructor of the newly unveiled M32 racing motor is Kurt Trieb, a very experienced engineer, who among other important tasks was responsible for the construction of the KTM MotoGP V4 motor.

KTM’s exclusive partnership with KALEX Engineering represents a joint combination of skills and passion to develop two different, but parallel concepts for the 250 cc single cylinder four-stroke bike: the KTM racing machine, 100% developed at the company’s headquarters in Mattighofen, Upper Austria, and the KALEX-KTM bike concept. The fully in Mattighofen developed KTM machine with an innovative KTM frame concept will be in the hands of Ajo Motorsport headed by experienced Finn Aki Ajo while the KALEX-KTM machine is being offered to various customer teams.

The ‘made in Austria’ road racing bikes are no strangers to the MotoGP paddock. KTM competed in the 125 cc and 250 cc classes until these categories were phased out in favour of Moto2 - and subsequently from 2012 - the Moto3 classes. In fact KTM has continued a presence in the paddock through its ongoing commitment to the highly successful Red Bull Rookies MotoGP Cup Competition. KTM supplies the 125 RR bikes for the youngest competitors in international level road racing as they launch their careers. This activity also represents KTM’s passion for the development of products for the younger rider, best illustrated by the launch of the KTM 125 Duke entry level street bike in the early summer of 2011. The 125 Duke immediately became Europe’s top selling 125 bike in the first quarter of its release.

KTM already has proven capacity in the smaller classes of MotoGP. The company not only has a Manufacturer’s World title to its credit in the small bike category; it is also proud to have played an important role in nurturing young riders of the caliber of Casey Stoner, Mika Kallio, Hiroshi Aoama and Marc Marquez who all competed for the KTM factory team. By returning to competition in Moto3, KTM also signals its passion to continue to support talented young riders, a core value of the company’s philosophy.