The Hyundai Tiburon is a sports coupe manufactured and sold by Hyundai Motor Company, a South Korean automaker, from 1996 to 2008. The North American, South African, New Zealand, Australian, and Austrian versions of the vehicle are known as "Tiburon," a small modification of "tiburón," the Spanish word for "shark." It was branded as the Hyundai Coupe in several European markets and Indonesia. The South Korean market was known as the Tuscani and Turbulence.
History of the Hyundai Tiburon
Hyundai Tiburon First Generation (RD; 1996–2001)
Customers responded favorably to Hyundai's 1993 HCD-II concept vehicle, prompting the automaker to grant the Tiburon/Coupe production approval. Despite its relative youth, Hyundai made every effort to raise its profile. The Tiburon range debuted after other carmakers launched facelifts and established a place in the sport-coupe sector. It was a resounding accomplishment. The sporty car, aimed at Honda Civic coupe buyers, was introduced during the height of the bio-design era. Since the Tiburon was initially intended to be a coupe, it didn't share any bodywork with other sedan models, unlike its major competition. The Tiburon was available with a five-speed manual gearbox as a standard feature. Automatic transmissions for the 2.0L model were offered.
Facelift (1999–2001)
As an improvement on the original RD, the RD2 Tiburon became available in 1999. The front and rear bumpers were changed, and Hyundai gave the inside dash a makeover. The "Tiburon Turbulence" was the name given to the RD2 Tiburon in South Korea. The coupe had to undergo a comprehensive facelift because the previous model was approaching its expiration date. Because of the Tiburon's distinctive design, it was easy to draw attention to the vehicle when driven. The FX's top-of-the-line trim level included ABS as an option.
Hyundai Tiburon Second Generation (GK; 2001–2008)
After five years of production, the Tiburon was retired in 2001. For the 2003 model year, Hyundai introduced a restyled Tiburon with a bigger body and a V6 engine as an option. The Hyundai Coupe, which debuted in 2001, has the aesthetics, the performance, and competitive pricing to make Hyundai a genuine contender. A 1.6L and a 2.0L engine were available as options for the coupe. Despite its lack of acceleration, this 1.6L engine had enough horsepower to complete the job. The 2.0L engine produced 140 horsepower. The Coupe's trunk was unexpectedly big, making a vacation in the sporty car a breeze.
Facelift 2004–2007
An updated Tiburon variant debuted in 2004 with more powerful engines. Hyundai phased out the older, 1.6L type. As of 2004, the Ford Probe and Toyota Celica had been pulled off the market as entry-level coupes, making the Coupe one of the last such vehicles. As a result, the Korean automaker made its vehicle more appealing to buyers by enhancing its handling and powertrain. Hyundai made consistent changes to the front of the vehicle. New digital temperature controls have been added to the carmaker's center stack. Hyundai discontinued its 1.6L engine and replaced it with a 2.0L unit as the base engine. The 167 horsepower 2.7L V6 engine remained the car's best performance.
Facelift 2007–2009
Initially, the Tiburon was Hyundai's entry into the sport-coupe market. As is their custom, Hyundai provided a great warranty and a slew of valuable amenities at a lower cost than their rivals. New taillights, new headlights, and restyled exhaust pipes adorned the 2007 model's front, and back ends. The four Tiburon trim levels were GS, GT, GT Limited, and SE. Regarding horsepower, the base model was powered by a 2.0L engine that put out just 138 hp, whereas the higher trims had a V6 engine that produced 171 horsepower. Compared to other sporty choices on the market, the 2.7L engine was still predicted to provide less power than anticipated.
Price
Hyundai retailed the Tiburon model with competitive pricing that matched its features and specs (more of that later). These are the trims and their pricing:
- GS - $17,270
- GT - $20,170
- SE - $22,620
- GT Limited - $22,770
Features of the Hyundai Tiburon
The Tiburon coupe, designed in South Korea, combines straight and curving forms to "accentuate life and power." Belt lines are raised, and the greenhouse is short; the windshield and back window are both highly arched. All-disc brakes are standard on Tiburons, and the SE variant includes bigger cross-drilled rotors. All Tiburons have a fully independent suspension that includes front and rear stabilizer bars. The Tiburon measures 173 inches in length, thanks to its 99.6-inch wheelbase. The GT coupe includes 17-inch alloy wheels and a deck-lid spoiler. The SE model has a spoiler on the top deck. A set of 17-inch alloy wheels is an option for the GS, but the car comes standard with 16-inch alloys. The Tiburon has room for up to four passengers. It features air conditioning, a CD radio, and power windows and mirrors as standard equipment in every Tiburon model. Automatic climate control and leather-bolstered fabric seats are standard on the GT variant. The GT's seats are accented with red leather. Seating is offered in full leather. A Kenwood CD/MP3 music system is standard equipment in the SE coupe. 14.7 cubic feet of cargo space.
Release Date
From 1996 to 2008, Hyundai manufactured and released the Tiburon model.