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KTM Motorcycles headquarters in Mattighofen
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| Industry | Motor vehicles |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1934 |
| Founder | Hans Trunkenpolz |
| Headquarters |
Mattighofen, Upper Austria
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Austria
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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Gottfried Neumeister (chairman and CEO of the executive board)[1] |
| Products | Motorcycles, sports cars |
| Owner | Bajaj Auto (≈75% via Bajaj Mobility AG)[2] |
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Number of employees
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 2,931 (2017)[3] |
| Subsidiaries | Husqvarna Motorcycles GasGas WP Suspension |
| Website | ktmgroup.com ktm.com |
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| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Bicycles |
| Founded | 1934 |
| Founder | Hans Trunkenpolz |
| Headquarters |
Wels, Upper Austria
,
Austria
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Key people
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Carol Urkauf-Chen Johanna Urkauf Stefan Limbrunner |
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Number of employees
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800 (2022)[4] |
| Website | www |
KTM AG ( German pronunciation: [kˌɑːtˌeːˈɛm]) is an Austrian motorcycle, bicycle and motorsports brand. It traces its foundation to 1934 as Kronreif & Trunkenpolz Mattighofen. Today, Bajaj Mobility AG (formerly Pierer Mobility AG) operates as the manufacturer of KTM-branded motorcycles, and KTM Fahrrad GmbH operates as the manufacturer of KTM-branded bicycles.
KTM is known for its off-road motorcycles and as a reputed MotoGP constructor.
In November 2025, it was announced that Bajaj Auto had completed the acquisition of a controlling stake in KTM for €800 million, increasing its indirect holding to approximately 75%.[5]
In 1934, Austrian engineer Johann (Hans) Trunkenpolz (1909–1962)[6] set up a fitter's and car repair shop[7] in Mattighofen. In 1937, he started selling DKW motorcycles, and Opel cars the following year. His shop was known as Kraftfahrzeug Trunkenpolz Mattighofen, but the name was unregistered. During the Second World War, his wife took care of the business which was thriving mainly on account of diesel engine repairs.[8]
After the war, demand for repair works fell sharply and Trunkenpolz started thinking about producing his own motorcycles. The prototype of his first motorcycle, the R100, was built in 1951.[9] The components of the motorcycle were produced in house, except for the Rotax engines which were made by Fichtel & Sachs. Serial production of the R100 started in 1953. With just 20 employees, motorcycles were built at a rate of three per day.[10]
In 1953, businessman Ernst Kronreif became a major shareholder of the company, which was renamed and registered as Kronreif & Trunkenpolz Mattighofen. In 1954, the R125 Tourist was introduced,[11] followed by the Grand Tourist[12] and the scooter Mirabell[13] in 1955.
The company secured its first racing title in the 1954 Austrian 125cc national championship.[14] In 1956, KTM made its appearance at the International Six Days Trials, where Egon Dornauer won a gold medal on a KTM machine.[15]
In 1957, KTM built its first sports motorcycle, the Trophy 125cc.[16] KTM's first moped, named Mecky, was launched in 1957, followed by Ponny I in 1960 and Ponny II in 1962 and Comet in 1963.[17] The 1960s also saw the beginning of bicycle production in Mattighofen.
Ernst Kronreif died in 1960.[18] Two years later in 1962,[19] Hans Trunkenpolz also died of a heart attack. His son, Erich Trunkenpolz, took charge of the company's management.
As the company continued to expand, the workforce totaled 400 in 1971, and forty years after it was founded, KTM was offering 42 different models. Additionally, KTM was able to produce motorcycles for the racing industry. During the 1970s and 80s, KTM also started to develop and produce engines and radiators. Radiators sold to European car manufacturers constituted a sizable part of the company's business in the 1980s.[20]
In 1978,[21] US subsidiary KTM North America Inc. was founded in Lorain, Ohio.
In 1980, the company was renamed KTM Motor-Fahrzeugbau KG.[20] One year later, KTM had about 700 employees and a turnover of 750m. Schilling (about 54.5m. euros). International business then amounted to 76% of the company's turnover.[20]
However, scooter and moped turnover sank rapidly, and production had to be halted in 1988.[20] Erich Trunkenpolz died in 1989. Takeover of a 51% interest in the company by the Austrian investment trust GIT Trust Holding controlled by Austrian politician Josef Taus in 1989 was followed by unsuccessful attempts to turn the indebted company around,[22] and in 1991, management of KTM was transferred to a consortium of creditor banks.
In 1991, the company was split into four new entities: KTM Sportmotorcycle GmbH (motorcycles division), KTM Fahrrad GmbH (bicycles division), KTM Kühler GmbH (radiators division) and KTM Werkzeugbau GmbH (tooling division).
After the split, Urcauf family took over the bicycle division KTM Fahrrad GmbH in 1992.
In 1994, they started producing bikes with aluminium frames and electric bikes.
In 1996, Carol Urkauf-Chen takes over the company.
In 1998, They adopt orange colour in their logo.
In 2006 they launch bikes with full carbon frame.
In 2007, they shift to a new headquarter in Wels, Upper Austria.
In 2018 Owner Carol Urkauf-Chen moves to the supervisory board, Johanna Urkauf and Stefan Limbrunner act as managing directors.
Austrian Automotive entrepreneur Stefan Peirer took control of KTM Motorcycles in 1992 and later took over the sibling tooling division KTM Werkzeugbau. In the following years, while steadily increasing production and turnover, investing in new production and R&D facilities,[23][24][25] introducing new models and successfully sponsoring and taking part in various sports racing events, the company underwent a series of restructurings and stakeholder changes guided by KTM's managing director Stefan Pierer.
In 1994, KTM started production of the Duke series of road motorcycles; in 1996, KTM motocross machines were first decked out in KTM's signature orange color,[26] and 1997 saw the introduction of liquid-cooled two-cylinder Supermoto and Adventure motorcycles. In 2007, the company debuted the KTM X-Bow sports car.[27]
In 1995, KTM acquired Swedish motorcycle maker Husaberg AB and took control of the Dutch company WP Suspension.
In 2007, Indian motorcycle manufacturer Bajaj Auto acquired a 14.5% stake in KTM; which by 2013, increased to 47.97%.
In 2010 KTM Kühler divested their automotive radiator business to Mahle GmbH and the motorcycle radiator business to WP Suspension under WP Radiator brand.[28]
In 2013, KTM acquired the formerly Swedish motorcycle maker Husqvarna Motorcycles from its prior owner BMW.[23] The same year, KTM re-integrated the brand Husaberg into Husqvarna Motorcycles from which it had spun off in the 1990s when Husqvarna was sold to the Italian company Cagiva. In 2019, KTM acquired a majority stake of 60% in the Spanish enduro motorcycle brand GasGas.[29] In 2020 GasGas became a wholly owned subsidiary of KTM.[30]
In 2021 Bajaj Auto sold 46.5% of KTM's shares to Pierer Mobility AG in exchange for 49% shares in the latter company[31] and thus became an indirect stakeholder in KTM.
In 2022, KTM's Parent Company Pierer Mobility acquired a 25.1% stake in Italian motorcycle company MV Agusta;[32] and increased to a majority 50.1% in 2024.[33]
In 2023 Pierer Mobility's financial situation became increasingly unsustainable and by 2024 they had a heavy debt to pay off.[34] In 2024 KTM went into self imposed administration.[35] Pierer Mobility was compelled to sell their stake in MV Agusta back to the previous owners the Sardarov family.[36]
In the early 2025 Stefan Pierer started exiting from executives roles in KTM and its affiliates, making way for new investors.[37]
In 2025, Bajaj Auto, who were until now holding 49% stake in Pierer Mobility had offerred to take full control of KTM and its sister concerns by an 800 million Euro debt package. The deal was concluded in November 2025. Pierer Mobility is due to be rennamed as Bajaj Mobility which will hold 74.94% shares in KTM; rest of which lies in public hands.
At present, KTM brand is operated by two corporate houses-
KTM has facilities in Austria, India (partnership with Bajaj), and China (partnership with CFMoto) producing over 380,000 motorcycles (290,000 KTM models) in 2023.[38][39] The main production site located at Mattighofen, Austria manufacturers majority of the models. In collaboration with Bajaj, the facilitiy located in Pune, India is responsible for producing smaller displacement motorcycles, including the Duke and RC series, for both the domestic and international markets.[40] KTM and CFMOTO oversee the global production of the two LC8c models (790 Duke and 790 Adventure) in Hangzhou, China.
Furthermore, KTM Sportmotorcycle GmbH and Husqvarna Motorcycles GmbH operate 24 and 8 distribution subsidiaries worldwide, respectively, most of them in European and Asian countries and in the US.
KTM started exporting their GS model to the US in 1968 through an American importer, John Penton under the Penton brand. This joint venture lasted until KTM established KTM America Inc. in Ohio in 1978.[41]
In 2005, KTM-Sportmotocycle began a partnership with ATV manufacturer Polaris Industries with the goal of shared research, and more importantly shared distribution networks. This partnership was a two-year trial arrangement, at the end of which both parties had the option of merging the two companies into one. In 2006, KTM announced that the partnership with Polaris had been downgraded, and would instead only supply their 450cc and 510cc RFS engines to Polaris.[42]
In January 2008, Bajaj announced that it would jointly develop two new 125cc and 200cc bikes for Europe and the Far East. The bikes would be badged KTM.[43] In January 2012, Bajaj launched the Duke 200 model in India.[44]
In November 2022 KTM acquired a 25,1 % stake in the Italian motorcycle manufacturer MV Agusta.[45]
KTM as a brand is also used by KTM Fahrrad GmbH, which, as the exclusive licensee, manufactures bicycles and bicycle accessories. This company originated by the spin-off of KTM in 1991 and shares the same history and heritage as that of KTM Motorcycles.
KTM entered motorsports competing in motocross racing. KTM won its first championship in 1974 when Gennady Moiseyev claimed the 250cc Motocross World Championship.[46] By the end of 2016, KTM had won more than 260 world championship titles, making the company one of the most successful brands in motorsports.[23] KTM has claimed 96 MXGP, MX1 and MX2 world titles since 1974 and 114 E1, E2, E3 and Super Enduro world titles since 1990. With Ryan Dungey's 2015, 2016 and 2017 victories in the supercross world championship, KTM gained a successful presence in supercross racing as well. In 1994, a KTM factory team debuted at the Dakar Rally. In 1998, KTM riders won second to twelfth place. With consecutive wins from 2001 to 2019, the manufacturer has dominated the rally for 18 years now. KTM teams successfully compete in other rally raid events like the Atlas Rally or the Rallye du Maroc. KTM has won 37 cross country rallies world titles since 2003 and has won the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship 15 times, most recently in 2015.
In 2003, KTM started sponsoring and supporting road racing in various capacities, with the most successful results stemming from their supermoto efforts. From 2003 to 2009, a KTM factory team competed in the 125 cc class of the motorcycle Grands Prix, and between 2005 and 2008 in the 250 cc class. Notable successes in the 125 cc class were the second and third place in the overall ranking scored in 2005 by KTM riders Mika Kallio and Gábor Talmácsi, the second place in 2006 by Mika Kallio, the third place in 2007 by Tomoyoshi Koyama and the 2005 KTM victory in the 125 cc constructor's championship. In the 250 cc class, Mika Kallio won third place in 2008. Since the first Rookies Cup season in 2007, KTM has supplied the bike for the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.
In 2009, KTM announced their withdrawal from Grand Prix motorcycle racing in all classes, and did not return until 2012 in the new Moto3 class.
In 2012, KTM won the Moto3 manufacturers' championship. During the next season, KTM riders prevailed in every race of the Moto3 class and won the world title as well as second and third place, making KTM the obvious victor of the manufacturers' standing. KTM won the manufacturer title in the 2014 and 2016 as well as the world title in 2016 in the Moto3 class. Starting in 2017, KTM fields bikes in both MotoGP and Moto2 classes as well. The main class team features Jack Miller and Brad Binder as full-season riders, Mika Kallio as wildcard rider, and Dani Pedrosa as test/development rider. The Moto2 KTM Ajo team features Pedro Acosta and Albert Arenas. Steadfastly independent and confident of their company's abilities, KTM chose to use a steel trellis frame where all other manufacturers used aluminum. In addition, KTM insisted on developing their own racing suspension through their WP subsidiary (all other manufacturers used Öhlins). KTM demonstrated their prowess in doing things their own way by winning their first Moto GP premier class race on August 9, 2020, with rookie Brad Binder crossing the finish line in first place.
From 2009[47] to 2011,[48] KTM teams competed in the IDM, the Superbike International German Championships. There were speculations about a possible KTM foray[49] into the superbike world championship. Due to the company's focus shifting away from the RC8 and generally superbike design, these plans are off the table for the foreseeable future.[50]
KTM's official company/team colours are orange, black and silver. To create a strong brand identity, all competition-ready KTMs come from the factory with bright orange plastic with "KTM" emblazoned on the side of the radiator shrouds. All KTM bikes also come from the factory with a Motorex sticker on the outside of the motor. All first fills of oil come from Motorex as well. Some official KTM teams use different colors for their bikes, most noticeably in the Dakar Rally.
KTM manufactures a wide range of off-road motorcycles. Not all of their models are available in every country. The following section lists bikes that are sold in the US.
Motocross – The current Motocross line designated by SX includes 50, 65, 85, 105, 125, 150, 250 and 300 cc single-cylinder two-stroke models (the 50 SX, 65 SX and 85 SX models are kids' and youth bikes), and 250, 350 and 450 cc single-cylinder four-stroke models (SX-F).[51] In 2005 KTM released the new 250SX-F to the general public. Since 2007, the SX-F's have been KTM's new racing motocross range. Current versions of the KTM SX-F line have a dual overhead camshaft engine dubbed the “RC4”.
Cross-Country – The current cross-country line designated by XC includes 150, 250 and 300 cc two-stroke models and 250, 350 and 450 cc four-stroke models. The two-stroke XC machines except the 150 cc model are available with either wide-ratio or close-ratio transmission (when switching gears, there is a more or less pronounced rpm change). The four-stroke models are fitted with a semi-close ratio gearbox. Most models are equipped with an electric starter.[52]
The very lightweight XC bikes are competition bikes only; they do not meet homologation regulations.
Enduro – The street-legal EXC enduro versions of KTM's XC cross-country bikes are supplied with plusher non-linkage suspensions, a wider-ratio gear box and lights.
The current line available in the US consists of 350, 450 and 500 (actually 510 cc) four-stroke EXC models.[52]
Free Ride – A KTM original class of off-road motorcycle that could be described as a cross between Enduro and trials bikes. The Freeride 250R is powered by a lighter, modified version of the 250 EXC Enduro engine and has a specially developed six-speed gearbox with close transmission ratios in the lower gears and a wide ratio for the sixth gear.[53] A four-stroke 350 cc free ride model with similar characteristics,[54] and the all-electric single-speed models Freeride E-SX, Freeride E-XC as well as their street version Freeride E-SM are available in Europe.[55]
| Category | Model | Engine Type | Engine Designation | Status | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motocross | SX | 2-Stroke | 50cc; 65cc; 85cc; 125cc; 250cc; 300cc | In Production |  450 SX-F |
| SX-F | 4-Stroke | 250cc; 350cc; 450cc | In Production | ||
| SX-E | Electric | 1.8KW; 3.8KW; 5.0 KW | In Production | ||
| Freeride | E-XC | Electric | 18KW | In Production |  Freeride E-XC |
| Enduro | EXC | 2-Stroke | 125cc; 150cc; 250cc; 300cc | In Production |  350 EXC-F |
| XC-W | 2-Stroke | 150cc; 250cc; 300cc | In Production | ||
| EXC-F | 4-Stroke | 450cc | Old | ||
| EXC-F Plated |
4-Stroke | 350cc; 500cc | In Production | ||
| XCF-W | 4-Stroke | 450cc | In Production | ||
| Cross Country | XC | 2-Stroke | 250cc; 300cc | In Production |  300XC |
| XC-F | 4-Stroke | 250cc; 350cc; 450cc | In Production | ||
| Dual Sport | Enduro R | 4-Stroke | 125cc; 390cc; 690cc | In Production |  690 Enduro R |
| Adventure | Adventure | 4-Stroke | 390cc, 890cc | In Production |  2022 390 Adventure |
| Super Adventure | LC8c: 4-Stroke; 75° V-twin | 1290cc | In Production | ||
| Rally Replica | 4-Stroke | 450cc | In Production | ||
| Sports Tourer | Super Duke GT | 4-Stroke | 1290cc | In Production | |
| SMT | 4-Stroke | 890cc | In Production | ||
| Supermoto | SMR | 4-Stroke | 450cc | In Production |  690 SMC R |
| SMC R | 4-Stroke | 125cc; 390cc; 690cc | In Production | ||
| Naked | Duke | LC4c: 4-Stroke; Single Cylinder LC8c: 4-Stroke; Parallel Twin |
250cc; 390cc; 990cc | In Production |  2018 Duke 790 |
| Super Duke | LC8: 4-Stroke; 75° V-twin | 1390cc | In Production | ||
| Brabus | 4-Stroke; 75° V-twin | 1400cc | In Production | ||
| Supersport | RC | 4-Stroke | 390cc | In Production |  RC 390 |
| RC 8C | 4-Stroke; Parallel Twin | 890cc | In Production | ||
| 990 RC R | Parallel-twin, 4-stroke | 990cc | In Production |
In the 1990s, AMA rule changes put the cheaper, simpler two-stroke machines at a disadvantage to four-stroke bikes in motocross competitions by limiting two-stroke displacement at 125 cc for the 250 cc class and 250 cc for the 450 cc class.[56] While other manufacturers have decided to discontinue their two-stroke models, KTM has continued with creating and improving their two-stroke engines and has consequently taken up a very high proportion of the two-stroke bike market.
New European emission laws have increased the pressure on two-stroke bikes, as their engines are less fuel efficient and produce more pollution than four-stroke engines. However, with newer advances in technology, two-strokes have begun to burn cleaner and pass stricter environmental standards. Starting in 2017, all newly registered motorcycles must conform with the Euro 4 regulations for emissions management. In May 2017, KTM unveiled a new two-stroke engine with direct fuel injection. By pressure-injecting an electronically controlled amount of fuel into the transfer port of the cylinder, the new TPI (transfer port injection) engines will be more fuel efficient and cleaner than classic carburetor two-stroke engines, albeit more complex and expensive. By 2018, 250 and 300 EXC TPI enduro models will be powered by the new engine.[57]
The first KTM street bike was the 1994 Duke 620.[58][59][60]
Standard/Naked – With the Duke and Superduke models, KTM currently offers naked bikes with 250, 390, 990 and 1390 cc displacement. The 125 (not available in the US), 250 and 390 models have a single-cylinder four-stroke LC4 motor. The 990 Duke use a new twin-parallel engine. The 1390 R Superduke model is equipped with a 75 degree V-twin four-stroke motor (LC8).[61]
The 200, 250 and 390 Duke models are currently produced by Bajaj Auto in Pune, India. The 250 is only available in Asia, with only the Duke 390 and Duke 200 being exported to European countries and North America.
Dual Sport – KTM currently produces the 390 Enduro R and 690 Enduro R Dual sport models which are basically road bikes suitable for off-road excursions. These bikes typically have lower seat heights and more comfort features than a "street legal" off-road bike.
Adventure touring – KTM currently produces the 390 Adventure, 890 Adventure R, and 1290 Super Adventure dual-sport adventure bikes in versions with different seat height, wheels and suspensions that endow the machines with a road (S), off-road (R – for rally) or touring (T) bias.[62] Not all versions are available on the US market.
The 1090 Adventure and 1290 Super Adventure bikes are powered by 75 degree V-twin four-stroke motors (LC8). The 790 Adventure is powered by the new LC8c parallel twin four-stroke motor. All 3 feature a slipper clutch, electronically controlled riding modes (sport, street and rain) with the 1290 and 790 featuring a TFT display and the 1090 featuring a twin (analog plus LCD) display.
Sport – KTM sport bikes currently offered in the supersport category include the RC 125 (not available in the US) and the RC 390. Both are street-legal versions of bikes that compete in street races. With the RC16, KTM has presented a 1000 cc sport bike that will race in the MotoGP class of the 2017 Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix.[63] Whether there will be a street-legal production version of the RC16 at a later point in time is yet unclear.
In Asia, KTM also markets RC 200 and RC 250 street bikes. KTM is also planning to introduced a new 150cc bike in its RC lineup in the Asian countries. This would be the KTC RC 150, that will powered by a 149cc, single-cylinder engine and 6-speed gearbox. This will be launched at a more affordable price, so everyone can opt for it.[64]
Sports Touring – The KTM sports tourer 1290 Superduke GT (Gran Turismo) is a version of the 1290 Superduke R naked bike that has been modified for more touring comfort with a longer and more robust frame, modified handlebar, larger fuel tank and modified 75 degree V-twin four-stroke LC8 motor. Like the 1290 Super Adventure, the 1290 Superduke GT features three electronically controlled riding modes.[65]
Supermoto – KTM was the first manufacturer to offer a competition-ready supermoto bike to the public. However, the company stopped supermoto production in 2016 to focus on stock 690 SMC R machines. For the 2019 Model year, the 690 SMC R model was completely renewed. The bike now has the latest version of the single cylinder LC4 power unit, introduced for the MY2016 Duke. The previous supermoto models included the 625 SMC and the race version 560 SMR. The 141 kg light 690 SMC R model has a 48 kW liquid-cooled one-cylinder four-stroke motor (LC4) and a hydraulically actuated APTC slipper clutch.[66]
The KTM X-Bow (pronounced cross-bow) is a series of lightweight, two-seater sports cars known as the X-Bow R, the X-Bow RR, the X-Bow GT and the X-BOW GT4.[67] The R and GT versions of the X-Bow are street-legal in Europe, North America, China and Australia. It uses an Audi engine and a carbon fibre chassis developed in cooperation with Italian racing car manufacturer Dallara, making it the world's first street-legal car with a full carbon fibre monocoque.
KTM retired from superbike production and competitions.[50] From 2008 to 2015, the company produced the 1190 RC8 superbike, a light, powerful homologated (street-legal) bike for superbike competitions with an LC8 motor and without any of the electronic driving aids that the otherwise comparable Superduke and Super Adventure models offer.
KTM has ceased production of 450SX, 450XC, 505SX and 525XC All-terrain vehicles
Since 2016,[68] KTM motorcycles have been designed by KISKA GmbH, a Salzburg-based design firm. KISKA also designed four versions of the X-Bow and is responsible for the overall branding for KTM and Husqvarna.
Under the Powerparts label, KTM sells tuning and styling parts for its street and off-road motorcycles and the X-Bow.[69] The Powerwear label offers race gear and equipment, clothing, accessories and merchandise articles.[70]
Automotive industry in Austria
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The logo of the Can-Am Challenge Cup
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| Category | Sports car racing |
|---|---|
| Country | United States, Canada |
| Folded | 1987 |
The Canadian-American Challenge Cup, or Can-Am, was an SCCA/CASC sports car racing series from 1966 to 1974, and again from 1977 to 1987.
The Can-Am rules were deliberately simple and placed few limits on the entries. This led to a wide variety of unique car body designs and powerful engine installations. Notable among these were Jim Hall's Chaparrals and entries with over 1,000 horsepower.
Can-Am started out as a race series for Group 7 sports racers with two races in Canada (Can) and four races in the United States of America (Am). The series was initially sponsored by Johnson Wax. The series was governed by rules called out under the FIA Group 7 category with unrestricted engine capacity and few other technical restrictions.
The Group 7 category was essentially a Formula Libre for sports cars; the regulations were minimal and permitted unlimited engine sizes (and allowed turbocharging and supercharging), virtually unrestricted aerodynamics, and were as close as any major international racing series ever got to have an "anything goes" policy. As long as the car had two seats, bodywork enclosing the wheels, and met basic safety standards, it was allowed. Group 7 had arisen as a category for non-homologated sports car "specials" in Europe and, for a while in the 1960s, Group 7 racing was popular in the United Kingdom as well as a class in hillclimb racing in Europe. Group 7 cars were designed more for short-distance sprints than for endurance racing. Some Group 7 cars were also built in Japan by Nissan and Toyota, but these did not compete outside their homeland (though some of the Can-Am competitors occasionally went over to race against them).
SCCA sports car racing was becoming more popular with European constructors and drivers, and the United States Road Racing Championship for large-capacity sports racers eventually gave rise to the Group 7 Can-Am series. There was good prize and appearance money and plenty of trade backing; the series was lucrative for its competitors but resulted, by its end, in truly outrageous cars with well over 1,000 horsepower (750 kW) (the Porsche team claimed 1,500 hp (1,100 kW) for its 917/30 in qualifying trim[1]), wings, active downforce generation, very light weight and unheard of speeds. Similar Group 7 cars ran in the European Interserie series from 1970 on, but this was much lower-key than the Can-Am.
On-track, the series was initially dominated by Lola, followed by a period in which it became known as the "Bruce and Denny show", the works McLaren team dominated for five consecutive seasons (1967-1971) until the Porsche 917 was perfected and became almost unbeatable in 1972 and 1973. After Porsche's withdrawal, Shadow dominated the last season before Can-Am faded away to be replaced by Formula 5000. Racing was rarely close—one marque was usually dominant—but the noise and spectacle of the cars made the series highly popular.
The energy crisis and the increased cost of competing in Can-Am meant that the series folded after the relatively lackluster 1974 season; the single-seater Formula 5000 series became the leading road-racing series in North America and many of the Can-Am drivers and teams continued to race there. F5000's reign lasted for only two years, with a second generation of Can-Am following. This was a fundamentally different series based initially on converted F5000 cars with closed-wheel bodies. There was also a two-liter class based on Formula Two chassis. The second iteration of Can-Am faded away as IMSA and CART racing became more popular in the early 1980s but remained active until 1987.
Can-Am remains a well-remembered form of racing due to its popularity in the 1960s and early 1970s, the limited number of regulations allowing extremely fast and innovative cars and the lineup of talented drivers. Can-Am cars remain popular in historic racing today.
Notable drivers in the original Can-Am series included virtually every acclaimed driver of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Jim Hall, Mark Donohue, Mario Andretti, Parnelli Jones, George Follmer, Dan Gurney, Phil Hill, Denny Hulme, Jacky Ickx, Bruce McLaren, Jackie Oliver, Peter Revson, John Surtees, and Charlie Kemp all drove Can-Am cars competitively and were successful, winning races and championship titles. Al Holbert, Alan Jones and Al Unser Jr. are among the drivers who launched their careers in the revived Can-Am series.
Can-Am was the birthplace and proving ground for what, at the time, was cutting-edge technology. Can-Am cars were among the first race cars to use sport wings, effective turbocharging, ground-effect aerodynamics, and aerospace materials like titanium. This led to the eventual downfall of the original series when costs got prohibitive. However during its height, Can-Am cars were at the forefront of racing technology and were frequently as fast as or even faster around laps of certain circuits than the contemporary Formula One cars. Noted constructors in the Can-Am series include McLaren, Chaparral, Lola, BRM, Shadow and Porsche.
McLaren cars were specially designed race cars. The Can-Am cars were developments of the sports cars which were introduced in 1964 for the North American sports car races. The team works car for 1964 was the M1. For 1965 the M1A prototype was the team car and bases for the Elva customer M1A cars. In late 1965 the M1b(mk2) was the factory car in 1966 with Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon as drivers. In 1967, specifically for the Can-Am series, the McLaren team introduced a new model, the M6A. The McLaren M6A also introduced what was to become the trademark orange color for the team. The McLaren team was considered very "multinational" for the times and consisted of team owner and leader Bruce McLaren, fellow New Zealander Chris Amon and another "kiwi", the 1967 Formula One world champion, Denny Hulme, team manager Teddy Mayer, mechanics Tyler Alexander, Gary Knutson, Lee Muir, George Bolthoff, Frank Zimmerman, Tom Anderson, Alan Anderson, David Dunlap, Leo Beattie, Donny Ray Everett, and Haig Alltounian (all from the US), Don Beresford, Alec Greaves, Vince Higgins, and Roger Bailey (UK), Tony Attard (Australia), Cary Taylor, Jimmy Stone, Chris Charles, Colin Beanland, Alan McCall, and Alistair Caldwell (NZ). The M6 series used a full aluminum monocoque design with no uncommon features but, for the times, there was an uncommon attention to detail in preparation by the team members. The M6 series of cars were powered by Chevy "mouse-motor" small-block V8s built by Al Bartz Engines in Van Nuys, California. They were models of reliability. This was followed in 1968 by the M8A, a new design based around the Chevy big-block V8 "rat motor" as a stressed member of the chassis. McLaren went "in house" with their engine shop in 1969. The M8B, M8C, M8D and M20C were developments of that aluminum monocoque chassis. McLaren so dominated the 1967-1971 seasons that Can-Am was often called the "Bruce and Denny show" after the drivers who very often finished first and second. There was even a one-two-three finish at the Michigan International Speedway on September 28, 1969: McLaren first, Hulme second, and Gurney third. Nine months later, Bruce McLaren lost his life, on June 2, 1970, at Goodwood when the rear bodywork of his prototype M8D detached during testing resulting in a completely uncontrollable car and a fatal high-speed crash. Team McLaren continued to succeed in Can-Am after Bruce's death with a number of other drivers, but the works Porsche effort with a turbocharged flat-12 engines and a high development budget meant that they could not keep up with the 917. Although private McLarens continued in the series, the works team withdrew to concentrate on Formula One (and USAC, for several years). Team McLaren went on to become a several time F1 champion and is still a part of that series.
The Porsche 908 spyder was used in Can-Am, but was underpowered (350 hp) and mainly used by underfunded teams. It did win the 1970 Road Atlanta race, when the more powerful cars fell out. The 917PA, a spyder version of the 917K Le Mans car, was raced, but its normally aspirated flat-12 was underpowered (530 hp). In 1971 the 917/10 was introduced. This was not turbocharged, but was lighter and had cleaner body work, and Jo Siffert managed to finish fourth in the championship.
For 1972 the 917/10K with a turbocharged 900 horsepower five-litre flat-12 was introduced. Prepared by Roger Penske and driven by Mark Donohue and George Follmer these cars won six of the nine races. In 1972 Porsche introduced an even more powerful car, the 917/30KL. Nicknamed the "Turbopanzer" this car was seen as a monster. With 1,100 or 1,580 horsepower (820/1161 kW in race or qualifying trim)[citation needed] available from its 5.4 litre flat-12 and weighing 1,800 lb (816 kg) with better downforce this car won six of eight races in the 1973 championship.[2] Porsche's dominance was such that engine rules were changed to try to reduce the lack of competition for one marque by enforcing a fuel-consumption rule for 1974. This kind of alteration of rules to promote equality is not unknown in other forms of American motorsport. The category that the car had been created for and competed in was discontinued and in 1975 Donohue drove this car to a closed-course world-speed record of 221 mph (average)(356 km/h) at the Talladega Superspeedway (then called the "Alabama International Motor Speedway"). It was capable of 240 mph (386 km/h) on the straights.[3]
Jim Hall's Chaparrals were very innovative, following his success in the United States Road Racing Championship (USRRC). The 2 series Chaparrals (built and engineered with a high degree of covert support from Chevrolet's research and development division) were leaders in the application of aerodynamics to race cars culminating with the introduction of the 2E in 1966, the first of the high wing race cars. The 2E was a defining design, and the 2G was a development of that basic design. The FIA banned movable aerodynamic devices and Chaparral responded with the 2H 1969. The 2H broke new ground, seeking to reduce drag but did not achieve much success. The 2J that followed was perhaps the ultimate example of what Group 7 rules could allow in a racing car. It was a twin-engined car, with the by-then usual big-block Chevrolet engine providing the driving force, and a tiny snowmobile engine powering a pair of fans at the back of the car. These fans, combined with the movable Lexan "skirts" around the bottom of the car created a vacuum underneath the car, effectively providing the same level of downforce as the huge wings of previous vehicles, without the drag. Although far too mechanically complex to survive in racing environments, the theory was sound, and would appear in Formula One a few years later in the BT46B "Fan Car" of 1978.
The Lola T70, T160-165, T220, T260, and T310 were campaigned by the factory and various customers, and were primarily Chevy powered. The Lola T70 driven by John Surtees won the first Can-Am championship in 1966. Lola continued to experiment with new designs versus McLaren which refined the design each year. The 1971 Lola T260 had some success with Jackie Stewart taking two victories. In 1972 a radical new design, the Lola T310, made its appearance. The T310 was the longest and widest Can-Am car of the era versus the short stubby T260. The T310 was delivered late and suffered handling problems the entire year with its best finish a fourth at Watkins Glen.
While McLaren and Porsche dominated the series for most of its existence, other vehicles also appeared. Well-established European manufacturers like Lotus, CRD, in the form of their Merlyn Mk8 Chevrolet, Ferrari and BRM, appeared at various times with limited success, while March tried to get a share of the lucrative market in 1970–71, but could not establish themselves. Ford also flitted across the scene with a number of unsuccessful cars based on the GT40 and its successors. American specialist marques like McKee, Genie and Caldwell competed, alongside exotica like the astonishing four-engined Macs-It special.
British-born mechanic and engineer Peter Bryant designed the Ti22 (occasionally known as the Autocoast after one of the team's major backers) as an American-built challenger to the British McLarens and Lolas. The car made extensive use of titanium in its chassis and suspension, and Bryant experimented with aerodynamics and with early use of carbon-fibre to reduce weight. Although the car was quick it did not achieve consistent success; problems with the team's funding saw Bryant move on to Don Nichols' UOP-sponsored Shadow team. The Shadow marque had made its debut with an astonishing car with tiny wheels and radiators mounted on top of the rear wing designed by Trevor Harris; this was unsuccessful, and more conventional cars designed by Bryant replaced them; Bryant was sidelined when Shadow moved into Formula One but after his departure, turbocharged Shadows came to dominate as Porsche and McLaren faded from the scene.
The last year for the original Can-Am championship was 1974. Spiraling costs, a recession in North America following the oil crisis, and dwindling support and interest led to the series being canceled and the last scheduled race of the 1974 season not being run.[4]
The Can-Am name still held enough drawing power to lead SCCA to introduce a revised Can-Am series in 1977 based on a closed-wheel version of the rules of the recently canceled Formula A/5000 series. This grew steadily in status, particularly during the USAC/CART wars of the late 70s and early 80s, and attracted some top road-racing teams and drivers and a range of vehicles including specials based on rebodied single seaters (particularly Lola F5000s) and also bespoke cars from constructors like March as well as smaller manufacturers. To broaden the appeal of the series a 2L class was introduced for the last several years—cars often being derived from F2/Formula Atlantic. The series peaked in the early 80s but as the CART Indycar series and IMSA's GTP championship grew in stature it faded. In 1987 the series changed as Indycars started to become a source of cars. The SCCA took away the Can-Am name but the series continued as the Can-Am Teams Thunder Cars Championship. After a single year the teams took the sports bodies off and evolved into American Indycar Series.
In 1991, after 18 months of development, a Shelby Can-Am series was created using a production line of Sports bodied cars designed by Carroll Shelby powered by a 3.3 litre Dodge V6. The series ran for five years before it was dropped by the SCCA. A large number of cars were relocated to South Africa and ran from 2000 onwards.
The name was once again revived in 1998, when the United States Road Racing Championship broke away from IMSA. Their top prototype class was named Can-Am, but the series would fold before the end of 1999 before being replaced by the Grand American Road Racing Championship. The Can-Am name would not be retained in the new series.
| Year | Driver | Team | Car |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 |  John Surtees |
Team Surtees |
Lola T70-Chevrolet |
| 1967 |  Bruce McLaren |
Bruce McLaren Motor Racing |
McLaren M6A-Chevrolet |
| 1968 | Denny Hulme |
Bruce McLaren Motor Racing |
McLaren M8A-Chevrolet |
| 1969 | Bruce McLaren |
Bruce McLaren Motor Racing |
McLaren M8B-Chevrolet |
| 1970 | Denny Hulme |
Bruce McLaren Motor Racing |
McLaren M8D-Chevrolet |
| 1971 |  Peter Revson |
Bruce McLaren Motor Racing |
McLaren M8F-Chevrolet |
| 1972 | George Follmer |
Penske Racing |
Porsche 917/10 |
| 1973 | Mark Donohue |
Penske Racing |
Porsche 917/30 TC |
| 1974 | Jackie Oliver |
Shadow Racing Cars |
Shadow DN4A-Chevrolet |
| 1975–1976 | No series | ||
| 1977 |  Patrick Tambay |
Haas-Hall Racing |
Lola T333CS-Chevrolet |
| 1978 |  Alan Jones |
Haas-Hall Racing |
Lola T333CS-Chevrolet |
| 1979 |  Jacky Ickx |
Carl Haas Racing |
Lola T333CS-Chevrolet |
| 1980 | Patrick Tambay |
Carl Haas Racing |
Lola T530-Chevrolet |
| 1981 | Geoff Brabham |
Team VDS |
Lola T530-Chevrolet / VDS 001-Chevrolet |
| 1982 | Al Unser Jr. |
Galles Racing |
Frissbee GR3-Chevrolet |
| 1983 |  Jacques Villeneuve Sr. |
Canadian Tire |
Frissbee GR3-Chevrolet |
| 1984 |  Michael Roe |
Norwood/Walker |
VDS 002-Chevrolet / VDS 004-Chevrolet |
| 1985 | Rick Miaskiewicz |
Mosquito Autosport |
Frissbee GR3-Chevrolet |
| 1986 | Horst Kroll |
Kroll Racing |
Frissbee KR3-Chevrolet |
| 1987 | Bill Tempero |
Texas American Racing Team |
March 85C-Chevrolet |
| Year | Driver | Team | Car |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Tim Evans |
Diversified Engineering Services |
Lola T290-Ford |
| 1980 | Gary Gove |
Pete Lovely VW |
Ralt RT2-Hart |
| 1981 | Jim Trueman |
TrueSports |
Ralt RT2-Hart |
| 1982 |  Bertil Roos |
Elite Racing |
Marquey CA82-Hart |
| 1983 | Bertil Roos |
Roos Racing School |
Scandia B3-Hart |
| 1984 | Kim Campbell |
Tom Mitchell Racing |
March 832-BMW |
| 1985 | Lou Sell |
Sell Racing |
March 832-BMW |
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