Kraftwerk’s KRX 1000 Takes It Up A Notch
There’s a well-defined checklist of what the average person looks for in a vehicle these days. Typical consumers tend to look for size, fuel economy, and something that isn’t too hard on the eyes. The enthusiast, on the other hand, looks for handling, something that’s aggressive to look at, and above all, horsepower.
Considering that most vehicles on the market have the kind of handling reserved for racing machines 10 years ago, that leaves plenty of room for the mad scientists over at Kraftwerks to crank the power up to 11 and make something that will both scare you and make you fall in love with it at the same time.
With the addition of Kraftwerks’ centrifugal supercharger, you get all the benefits of forced induction without the downsides of a turbocharger, such as lag and reduced throttle response. The overall response from the engine is still excellent, and there are no real downsides to the addition of a supercharger aside from some added complexity and weight. It’s no wonder why this KRX 1000 feels as good as it does now.
Throwing more power at this KRX brings the whole chassis alive. Being one of the heavier and slower UTV’s on the market today makes it a prime candidate for Kraftwerks’ supercharger. Throwing more power at the “problem” is particularly useful in this 1890lb SXS that came with 80 horsepower from the factory. The extra 50 horsepower, a whopping 60% jump from the stock figure, makes driving this KRX a different experience.
Perhaps the most remarkable part is that all this added power is easy and intuitive to use. The linear and direct power provided by the supercharger rather than a laggy turbocharger makes it a predictable machine for crawling over rocks. Yet it still has that added oomph for when you can really open things up, or clear dunes with ease. Being able to have this kind of utility on an aftermarket forced induction setup is a joy to use and brings grins all around.
Complimenting that additional power is a set of Method bead-lock wheels sporting 35” Maxxis Roxxillas, so you can comfortably keep this KRX planted and moving where you want. While providing this usable performance benefit, the looks of this combo are really stunning, especially on the KRX, a UTV which I have always thought looked quite aggressive from the factory.
This setup makes a lot of sense if you are the type who has your SXS set up the way you want it, but you also want that bit of extra power to take things to the next level. Having a nice setup like this breathes a whole new life into the driving experience, without sacrificing anything that already made you fall in love with your model of choice. It’s a great alternative to buying a higher-end model with more power from the factory. With the full build done in-house by Kraftwerks, the attention to detail over the whole vehicle is fabulous.
Kraftwerks’ bread and butter is forced induction, so when they have a supercharged KRX running on high boost, it’s hard not to get giddy at the thought of checking it out. With their recent move into the powersports world already producing results like this, it’s hard to imagine how they can improve further. It goes to show how well their experience with forced induction solutions for the automotive world has carried over.
The overall fit and finish on the supercharger is excellent, and something that looks more than at home in the engine bay. It truly looks like something the KRX could have come with from the factory, owing to Kraftwerks’ excellent quality and effort on this build. With the popularity this exact kit has seen, it’s no wonder that Kraftwerks is one of the go-to names for those looking to liven up their KRX.
Driving something like this supercharged KRX on high boost can be dangerous when you realize just how addictive it is. You can acclimate yourself to the feeling of that extra power, and it eventually leaves you asking for more and more. The fact that a supercharger can provide such lovely gains in performance while leaving the other aspects of driving unmolested stands as a testament to its relevance in today’s age of the turbocharger’s proliferation.
With so much usable power on tap, this KRX feels like a whole new car, despite the fact it still looks mostly OEM from the outside. It feels like a bit of a sleeper. The capability on display from a relatively short list of parts is really incredible, the kind of stuff that’s hard to imagine being this accessible even a few years ago in the powersports world.
A nicely packaged car such as the Kraftwerks’ KRX feels like a joy, with all the right things in all the right places. Having this kind of confidence while still getting incredible performance out of this chassis just feels special. Kraftwerks has completely transformed what driving a KRX feels like, and with a transformative increase in power, it makes this KRX feel like an entirely different machine.
It truly is a good thing that this car leaves you wanting more of what it has. Often it’s easy to lull oneself into a sense of security and familiarity after driving a particular vehicle, but Kraftwerks’ KRX 1000 keeps things exciting while also giving you a craving for more power, even after the excellent gains from their kit. That’s just the character of a SXS like this. Despite however much it gives you, eventually you will always want more, and we can bet that Kraftwerks will be working to fill that need for speed.