Hyundai Tiburon: A head turner?

Seems I read it in Car and Driver or Road and Track, but I don't keep old issues.

EDIT: I looked up both articles, one each from R&T and Car and Driver, neither suggests a Pininfarina origin, only a design derived fron the 456.
...so, as my teenagers often point out, I was wrong.

 

I agree there have been some lemons in the batch but that holds true for every other car out there. As one of our members said if you got a lemon, the car was most likely manufactured at the end of the day when the workers were tired and wanted to go home.

I used to work for a electronics company way back when Atari first came out with their video games. Our company was in competition with them but soon went out of business due to poor quality control. We were told to get as many of those consoles out as we could in one day. Didn't matter if half the screws or anything else were missing out of them. Get my point?

Keeping the maintenance up
is also very important for any car.

Whether or not you will have problems with it will also depend on who if anyone drove it before you. I used to work next door to a Mitsubishi dealership and I saw first hand the abuse the salesmen have put those cars through including the Evos. They would take these cars out an literally race them as well take them out on the weekends while they do their partying.

If you are mainly looking for lots of HP and taking it to the track then yes this wouldn't be the car for you unless you added alot of mods to it. Mine is only a V6 automatic but I myself have been very please with the power of it and added a little more oomph to it with a BBTB and bored intake, ecu upgrade, wires, swaybar, strutbar etc. I already have a heavy foot as it is, so if my car were to go any faster I'd really be trouble!

 

As I said earlier, I currently own a Hyundai and a Toyota and we traded in a Honda to get the Toyota. I'd say I have as much experience as I need to make an opinion. Much more so than you have.

But alas, I shouldn't expect anything else from a Laker's fan .

 

Just like there is probably a few Hyundais made that are decent, there are a few true laker fans who just don't jump on the bandwagon, but stay with the team through and through.

I wouldn't expect anything but a cheap shot from a Hyundai owner. Sometimes people are what they drive, I guess, sadly indeed.

You wanna make it personal, lets go, bro

 

Look for Pininfarina logo proudly displayed by Hyundai on exterior of Matrix.
Note: Pininfarina did not do interior - only exterior.

Now try to find Pininfarina anywhere in, on or around Hyundai Tiburon. Nada.

 

I’d like to chime in here for a second.... As a manufacturer of a performance parts www.rippmods.com for several different types of Japanese cars (and now Korean with the V6 Tib). I'd like to explain how this $20k car stole my heart.... and gave me sole!

As a car enthusiast, I'd like to think of my self as the "real deal"... Having loved cars since birth, I can have a discussion with just about anybody about about anything from Bizzarini to Zonda...

As Ferrari owners you all know that cars shouldn't just look good and be built right, they should have sole.

Funny...right what is sole? Automotive sole is what Enzo Ferrari said his car should feel like! He said that car should turn like this! Or stop like that!….It's been said that you don't “drive” a Ferrari, you "command" it... And I agree, generation after generation of Ferrari's feel the same (though better)....grass root race car with a symphony for engine note that does everything “right”.

Porsche said the same....so did Lotus, Masarati, ALFA and so on...

Then came the Jap cars, some will argue that a Datsun 240Z from nearly 30 years ago has sole… fine, who’s to argue. But as we all know, while the Jap cars do one or a few things good or great, they still don’t feel right.

The shifter will feel like a Lotus, but the brakes like a GTI, the looks will be Ferrari like, but the sound is Honda…. Anyway, they lack demeanor, presence, or self respect on their own!

If you ask me what kind of Ferrari man I am, I’d say 575 or even 456... If it had to be older I would say GTO, and older than that.. Well… lets just stay on topic.

But this Tiburon…. Guys… it’s REALY got sole… Sure a stock one is just another car…with some fun in it, but remember what your buying.. It’s 20 grand… the interest on your cars payments is more LOL, and lets not talk about the maintenance…. Ohh boy!

The Hyundai is fully developed in Asia (including design) but it’s had a lot of help from great design and develop studios, the ECU and Suspension have heavy German origin, respectively the suspension was set up by Eibach at their proving ground in Germany. And while there the ECU is a Siemens and the gear box is Top shelf Japan 6speed.

This week our shop took apart the Transmission, and found the Differential to be closer to the size of a Domestic Chevy 12 BOLT rear than a cheap JAP car. We were blown away by the Sprung flywheel and un-sprung solid clutch disc usually reserved for super cars…The chassis is spot welded no less than every inch giving it excellent rigidity, and the quality of the materials rivals the Audi/VW camp. This explains why it tracks so well through corners *(with a proper set up).

The engine sings also, it's not of Mitsu origin, its a Hyundai engineered unit. It strects willingly to 7 grand, and dosen't stop pulling either.. again with a little help from the after market.

My car is set up like this:
RIPPMODS Vortech Supercharged (5psi)
Fully polished stainless steel Exhaust from the headers back
Full electronically controlled coil over suspension with digital variable rates
Sparco Wheels 9.5rear with 255/35/18 and 8.5 front with 235/40/18..
13” Brakes with four piston calipers
Sway bars

I also added a tastefully done body kit, Sparco Milano Black Leather racing seats and gauges.

Set up like this, as it sits I ran a [email protected] quarter mile with a clutch that slipped…the MPH alone is good for a 12sec pass with a solid clutch. Its not a drag racer, but it tracks through corners like a 944 TurboS I had several years ago… though I haven’t had it on a closed course yet, I’ve driven it wide open up some back roads… I’ve got some descent seat time behind the wheel of my S6, and 944, as well as my 612WHP 9sec Integra… I’m not a seasoned professional, but I can handle myself at speed…

The point is this car tracks like a champ and is very well balanced, and yes you do have to throw some money at it TO MAKE IT livable… But I’ve been racking my brain, and I can’t think of a better car to start with, Hyundai is up to something… and what ever it is.. It’s better, and they made a believer out of this car guy… If you buy won and spend some time setting it up right, it will not let you down.

RIPPMODS

Early project pics:
www.rippmods.com/documents/images/sharedpictures/tib-001f.jpg

www.rippmods.com/documents/images/sharedpictures/tib-002f.jpg

www.rippmods.com/documents/images/sharedpictures/tib-003f.jpg

www.rippmods.com/documents/images/sharedpictures/tib-004f.jpg

www.rippmods.com/documents/images/sharedpictures/tib-005f.jpg

www.rippmods.com/documents/images/sharedpictures/tib-006f.jpg

www.rippmods.com/documents/images/sharedpictures/tib-007f.jpg

www.rippmods.com/documents/images/sharedpictures/tib-008f.jpg


Your thoughts?

 

Hmmm ... this thread is very interesting.

When I was a young chap and had not been driving for that long I took on my sisters car which she no longer wanted. It was a Simca 1000 ... yep you can laugh, heck I expect you to. They are actually a 1300 or 1200cc engine in the back and it had a blown head gasket.

Well in those days my cars only knew 2 things: flat out and braking hard. Thus I installed the little cheap rev counter and constantly wound this little engine to 7000 pm all day long. Obviously I had to remove the head to do the head gasket and all the mechanics at my fathers shop were very impressed on how I had complete decarbed the motor from constant thrashings ... it was spotless

Anyway this thing was a blast, I loved it (not physically ... you sick b@stards) and had heaps of fun in it, learnt how to hang it out sideways for miles and generally thrashed this poor car anywhere I went.

When ever I see one of these cars (which is pretty rare) I feel a soft spot for them and briefly consider buying one for a laugh to go to work and back ... Maybe I'd be able to complete the twin carb conversion I was planning

I can tell you other stories about mates of mine and their first car that they became car enthuisasts in ... but I won't bore you.

The thing is that this model Hyundai is obviously doing it for these guys and that is great, and well done Hyundai. It does not mean that the car is the best car in the world or whatever, but something about them is pushing the right buttons.

If I ever drive a Simca 1000 again ... I am pretty sure I will get out wondering what the fnck I ever thought was so cool. Heck in 20 years time when these guys have moved on to X vehicles they may do the same.

If this model Hyundai builds up a true following as a classic car when it is older like the Datsun 240Z did then I will bow my head and 100% recognise this car as a turning point in Hyundai's history ... until then I'm just glad that people have had the chance to buy their first sportscar and are getting a kick out of it. We need as many manufacturers as we can making fun cars ... otherwise they will all turning out dull Volvo's

Pete

 

The Tib was designed in the USA by the Hyundai California Design Team, Pininfarina work with this design team but were not the soul designers. That is why Pininfarinas website doesnt mention the Tib. But they did aid in it design. The Tib interior was designed In Germany by the same design group that does Audi, VW, and Porsche. henc the reason the Tibs interior looks alot like the Audi TT. The suspention for the GTs was also designed in Germany by Porsche. The non GTs use a cheap Hyundai suspention i beleave but I am not sure 100%. The engines were designed by Hyundai but with help from Mitsubishi. the 2.7 V6 is basicly a Mitsu 2.5 bored out. Im not sure about the 2.0 and 1.8 I4s.

 

What is the hp, torque, and redline of the 2.7L?

 

Thanks. No offense that is pretty bad for a 'modern' 2.7L 6 cylinder.

In fact going back 10 years to 1994, a BMW 325i, which runs a notable bit less then $10k now a days, has slightly better numbers from its SMALLER DISPLACEMENT 2.5L I6 at 189 hp at 5900 rpm and 181 ft-lbs 4200 rpm. (only has a slightly higher max torque rpm as its only neg.) This again from a car that is now 10 years old.

Sorry, from a design point of view, that engine...

 

If you like the car, just buy it. Who cares what everyone else thinks. The tiburon seems like a nice car, and probably lots of fun.

I drive an old Ferrari that only has about 250 hp (which sucks by "modern" standards), an imprecise carburation system instead of fuel injection, and alot of people think is Fugly. So what!!! I like it. It makes ME happy. That's all that counts.

If you like your Tiburon, cool!!! If you live in Socal, bring it down to crystal cove on sat mornings and have a good time.

Real car people love all cars!

Dom

 

I have lots of sole, made by adidas, nike, reebok, marks spencer and bruno magli. I will remember that Hyundais have sole next time I see one. You have done nothing but proven my point, sir.

 

You have shoes called "addidas?"

Methinks that if you want to flame other people's spelling, check your own spelling first.

 

Phil,

Why don't you come down to my apt in Berkeley, and I can teach you spelling in person, sir.

I am right on College and Haste.

 

Need any help mate?

 

LOL

Bring some English women with you. I bet we can run faster than these Hyundais..LOL

 

Careful Ryan, somebody'll post a map to your house on here!

 

Be serious they own Hyundais, they dont know what to do with women.

 

Which one?

I was suggesting you bring women with you, so that after I teach them spelling, we could have fun with some freaky-deaky UK women

 

Sounds good to me, maybe they could watch and learn (is that perverted?)

 

Not if you are into the swingers life style

 

ok, so you just agreed to have sex with him while 2 UK women watch, yeah im sure you know how to pleasure "women"

 

Did you get us mixed up with Hyundai owners? besides i probably would rather have sex with him than with any woman who could be seen in a Hyundai.

 

So, you would rather sleep with a guy than this. Yeah you know how to pick'em.
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