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Manufacturer Brochure - 1998 Hyundai Tiburon
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| TIBURON REVITALIZES SPORTY COUPE SEGMENT Boldly Underscores Company's "All New Hyundai" Claims |
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| Updated |
Jun 3, 2004 17:10:39 |
| Rating |
 145 ( -21 -14.48% ) |
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Description:
With its bold design, trend-setting styling and spirited performance -- all at an affordable price, the Tiburon breathes new life into the sporty coupe segment. The vehicle's eye-catching styling and breakthrough performance clearly exemplifies Hyundai's goal to provide customers with distinctive products and pride-in-ownership at an extraordinary value.
Tiburon's aggressive and muscular exterior styling is the first thing to grab your attention, but what's inside and under the hood is equally appealing and impressive. A powerful Hyundai-designed engine, sport-tuned fully independent suspension, and optional full four-channel anti-lock brakes, provide the invigorating driving experience of a much more expensive sports car.
The 1998 Tiburon is available in two trim levels, Tiburon and Tiburon FX. This year both models are equipped with the popular and potent 2.0-liter, 140 horsepower Beta engine, the latest in a series of Hyundai designed powerplants and another example of the company's efforts to develop more independent, proprietary automotive technology, components and vehicles for the worldwide market.
The Tiburon's low, wide stance and aggressive, muscular exterior styling is wrapped in an elegant and sleek package. Based on the popular HCD-II concept car, which Hyundai introduced in 1993, the Tiburon's windswept, rounded design incorporates carved character lines that result in a lean, sculpted profile unique in the segment.
Side panels integrate frameless doors with flush mounted side glass and windshield for a clean, aerodynamic look. Strongly accentuated wheel openings and fenders also enhance the car's sporty stance. Slim-profile roof pillars maximize the driver's field of vision offering 330 degrees of visibility from behind the wheel. To minimize high-speed wind noise, side mirror housings have been specially designed with the aid of wind tunnel testing to attain a near-perfect aerodynamic shape.
The grilleless front end is low and aggressively styled, incorporating projector-type, ellipsoid-shaped headlamps and a one-piece body-colored wrap-around bumper made of advanced, highly resilient thermoplastic materials. Complementing the entire exterior design and providing excellent forward visibility for the driver, the sweeping hood line incorporates subtle creases that mate smoothly with arched fenders. The integrated sporty front air dam is designed to be both stylish and functional, facilitating airflow into the engine compartment for more efficient cooling. Standard on the FX models are integrated fog lamps.
The Tiburon's rear styling is rounded and aerodynamic with integrated bumper and elegantly shaped, jewel-like rear combination lamps. Further enhancing the sporty rear styling and offering improved stability at high speeds is a decklid spoiler with integrated brake light which is standard on the FX. Also standard on FX models are a rear wiper and washer.
With a coefficient of drag (cd) of just 0.33, the Tiburon's sleek body and rounded edges minimize drag for a highly aerodynamic effect which translates into better fuel efficiency and lower wind noise.
Interior Styling: Functional and Appealing
The Tiburon's interior is intimate, yet roomier in many key dimensions than the traditional low-profile, high performance sports car. With a wheelbase of 97.4 inches and overall length of 170.9 inches, the Tiburon's interior offers surprisingly ample leg room, head room and shoulder room for both driver and passenger in a 2+2 configuration.
The Tiburon's asymmetrically designed instrument panel is distinctly driver-oriented. Resembling an airplane cockpit, the wrap-around, contoured dash provides the driver with easy-to-reach, highly tactile controls and switches as well as ideally sized, easy to read white-on-black gauges. Logical dial placement enables the driver to effortlessly monitor key vehicle functions.
Constructed from a monoform, "Sure-Bond" process, ergonomically designed seats provide ideal support at critical pressure points to ensure hours of comfortable, relaxed driving. Multi-level foam cushions offer firm support to both driver and passenger and sports car style thigh bolsters offer additional lateral support. FX models incorporate a six-way adjustable driver's seat with additional lumbar support and a tilt adjuster as well.
Sporty full cloth seat trim is standard while upgraded FX models receive an accentuating coordinated seat fabric insert as well. An optional two-tone leather package is available on the FX model, which includes leather seats, steering wheel and gearshift knob.
Driving pleasure is further enhanced by the Tiburon's standard deluxe AM/FM ETR stereo cassette, while the FX model features an optional premium AM/FM ETR stereo cassette and compact disc player with six speakers, all packaged in a stylized faceplate. Power windows are standard, with FX models also offering power door locks and mirrors.
Driving Excitement
The Tiburon delivers precise and responsive handling which translates into driving excitement for its drivers and passengers. Hyundai engineers sport-tuned the Tiburon's independent MacPherson strut front suspension and dual link rear set-up to guarantee the ride and handling of a higher-end sports car. Countless test miles on proving grounds around the world ensure the optimal handling experience.
Refinements include optimized spring rates and damping settings for superb road holding characteristics. Conventional hydraulic shock absorbers have been replaced with gas-filled-type shock absorbers at the front and rear for superior damping performance. These gas-filled shocks, mounted inside the coil springs, help deliver a more controlled ride, especially over rough road surfaces.
Furthermore, the Tiburon's suspension arrangement mounted on separate subframes assures that the front wheels offer maximum traction and transfer of power to the ground. The 14-inch standard Michelin tires also help provide for additional road holding capabilities and add to the sports car-like handling and ride comfort. Aluminum alloy wheels with 15-inch Michelin tires are standard on the FX.
It's no secret that a longer wheelbase and wider track also provide for a better overall ride. Hyundai engineers further optimized handling by designing the Tiburon with a stiff, rigid body. An extra front reinforcing crossmemeber also adds to the strength and rigidity of the front end, further enhancing suspension performance and minimizing vibration. Stabilizer bars have also been incorporated at both the front and rear.
Tiburon's braking and steering systems have been designed for optimal control and responsiveness. The standard models are equipped with 14-inch ventilated disc brakes and tandem boosters. FX models also receive rear disc brakes while standard models feature self-adjusting drum-type brakes. Disc brakes come with models equipped with the optional full four-channel anti-lock brake system which provides for improved driving stability and control in a myriad of driving situations.
Engineered for Excitement: Power and Performance
Engineering merits of the Tiburon sporty coupe are obvious in the advanced technology employed to deliver class leading performance and power.
The Tiburon's dual overhead cam 16-valve Beta engine is an exclusive Hyundai design. With electronic fuel injection, self-adjusting hydraulic tappets, dual aperture fuel injectors, and a distributorless ignition system, the 2.0-liter engine delivers 140 horsepower and a torque output of 133 lb./ft. at 4800 rpm.
For optimum responsiveness and performance the engine utilizes a modified pentroof combustion chamber with tumble port design as well as a dual-aperture spray injector which also helps reduce emissions and optimize performance. The engine's knock control system also allows higher compression ratios for improved output.
Silicon-impregnated pistons and lighter weight moving parts minimize engine friction, while vibration is sharply reduced by mounting the engine block on a single fluid-damped motor mount and resting the transmission on just three points. Aluminum mounts replace steel for additional weight-savings. Composite materials used in the manufacturing of the engine head cover, air cleaner, water pump impeller and twin tower ignition coil result in further weight reductions.
The Tiburon powertrain is mated with a choice of transmissions: a five-speed manual with a redesigned pull-type clutch which requires less pedal effort, or a four-speed electronically-controlled automatic with lock-up torque converter and overdrive gear. The automatic transmission also features electronic control feedback technology that helps improve overall shift quality.
Hyundai offers all Tiburon owners a comprehensive warranty and roadside assistance program at no cost. The program includes a three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty, a five-year/60,000-mile limited powertrain warranty and five-year/100,000-mile corrosion coverage. The roadside assistance program goes beyond what most competitors offer and includes emergency towing, lock-out service and limited trip interruption expenses.
Safety and Environmental Features
One of the most powerful engineering development tools available, a Cray super-computer and computer-aided design technology assisted Tiburon engineers in building a stronger, safer and more fuel efficient car.
The sporty coupe is also equipped with front and rear 5-mph energy-absorbing bumpers, extra high strength steel side impact beams, supplemental dual air bags as well as optional full four-channel anti-lock brakes to help provide directional stability during panic stops or other potential skid situations.
Environmentally conscious Hyundai engineers utilized recyclable plastic extensively in the Tiburon's design. Every plastic part and component weighing over 100 grams is stamped with a material composition identification code to facilitate recycling at the end of the product life cycle. A new family of high performance thermoplastics, which are 100~o recyclable, have replaced non-recyclable plastics whenever possible.
Urethane foams used in the Tiburon's manufacturing process are no longer made with ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) blowing agents. The Tiburon's air conditioning system also utilizes R134A, an ozone-friendly refrigerant.
Hyundai Motor America, based in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of the Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Hyundai cars are distributed in the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through nearly 500 dealerships nationwide. |
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