San Diego, USA - You might very well be all Hyundai'd (and
Maroon 5'd) out after those annoyingly repetitive World Cup ads, but the Korean
carmaker has struck back with something cool: an Iron Man-inspired Kona.
“My armour’s manoeuverable, fast, and lots of fun at
parties,” said Iron Man’s alter ego Tony Stark, and in Stark-like fashion
Hyundai has unveiled the special edition Kona SUV on the opening of this week’s
San Diego Comic-Con 2018.
As the showpiece of the Marvel booth, the Kona Iron Man
Edition features exterior and interior design tweaks that give a visual nod to
the Iron Man suit. And the coolest part is that it’s not just a concept but
will be available to customers in a limited global production run.
Production of the vehicle is scheduled to begin in December,
with the first units available in the first quarter of 2019. For more details,
visit www.KonaIronManEdition.com.
“There is a nice synergy between the fun and adventurous
nature of the Kona and the playful yet bold character of Iron Man/Tony Stark,” said
Dean Evans, chief marketing officer of Hyundai Motor America. “The outcome is a
remarkable special edition that we’re sure will appeal to Marvel fans and SUV
enthusiasts alike.”
“Seeing this car come to life is like wish fulfillment for
so many of us,” said Mindy Hamilton, Marvel’s SVP of Global Partnerships &
Marketing. “When you grow up reading comics, you dream of seeing that
technology and those inventions become reality. We hope that everyone has just
as much fun jumping into this one-of-a-kind vehicle as they would putting on
the actual Iron Man suit of armour!”
On the outside, the Kona Iron Man Edition has a unique
front-lighting signature, including a custom daytime running light form that
closely resembles the facemask and eye shape of the Iron Man suit. Other
Stark-like flourishes include an Iron Man mask motif on the roof, a unique V-shaped
bonnet garnish, front-fender Iron Man mask badging, Stark Industries lower
fascia and rear door decals, Iron Man-engraved headlamp internal surfaces,
custom 18” alloy wheels with Iron Man mask centre caps, an Iron Man engraving
for the D-pillars, and a dark chrome front grille. The exterior colour is an
exclusive Iron Man red with matte gray.
Inside, Tony Stark’s signature adorns the instrument panel
alongside a unique Iron Man shift lever knob, a special Head Up Display and
centre stack featuring Iron Man visual graphics, and a custom seat design.
Hyundai recently announced that it will launch the Kona
compact SUV in South Africa later this year. The Kona has edgy, futuristic styling that breaks the normal
SUV mould, and it will slot in alongside the slightly larger and more
conservative Creta in the market segment.
It’s not yet known which derivatives are headed to SA, but
overseas the Kona’s initially available in a choice of three petrol petrol
engines: a three-cylinder 1.0-litre turbo with outputs of 88kW and 172Nm, a
normally-aspirated 2-litre (110kW and 180Nm), and a four-cylinder 1.6 turbo
(130kW and 265Nm). Later this year a turbo diesel and an electric version will
be added to the range.
And before you ask, it’s still too early to say whether South
African buyers will be able to order their Kona in Iron Man specification.