Hyundai Coupe GK 2.7 (Tuscani) with an ER34?

Pic 1: The Hyundai Coupe/Tuscani GK GT V6

A few people were surprised to see me pottering around in a Hyundai Coupe (GK) over the weekend, thus I've decided to write a 'lil bit about the car. The Hyundai Coupe (also known as the Tuscani) I was driving is the 2nd generation GK model GT V6. It has a 2,700 cc heart mated to a six-speed manual transmission. Producing 172bhp @ 6000 rpm and 245 Nm of torque @ 3800 rpm, it is more than adequate to potter around town and be one of the faster cars out there.

Interestingly, this particular Coupe/Tuscani is the ONLY unit in Malaysia. Bought into the country in the year 2002 by the distributors of Hyundai in Malaysia, this unit has remained in the custody of the distributor all these years. So yeah I guess it's as rare as a Ferrari F50 or a Maserati MC12 here in Malaysia. :D

Pic 2: Interior shot

So how does it drive? Hmmm.... where do I begin?

Lets start with the 'feel'. Stepping into the car, one would notice the low seating position, you sit really close to the ground which is a plus. In the cockpit, the instruments are safe and predictable. Illuminated in red, it oozes out European style. The semi-bucket seats are a joy to be in and the availability of a sunroof is great. The visibility out could be better though. The high waistline and wedge shape of the vehicle makes parking judgments an art to master. :P

The six speeder transmission is something one would expect only to find in performance vehicles out of Japan or exotics from Italy buuuuuut hey, it exists in a Korean marque. Not too bad eh? The only issues I have with the tranny is that it's too heavy; requiring effort to row the gears. It could also be slicker and feels less notchy. On the plus side, the throws are really short. Much better than the ER34 I must admit. :O

Pic 3: The six speed tranny

Pic 4: Nice supportive semi-bucket seats

I do find difficulty in performing heel-and-toe with the pedals as compared to the ER34, but maybe because I suck. LOL :D

The steering is more weighted than the ER34 giving out more feel. The ceiling height is very low, I only have perhaps 2 inches or so of ceiling space. With a helmet on, I think there will be friction.

Driving the V6 engine brings me nostalgia as I reminiscence of my time with the Proton Perdana V6's 6A12 engine. Smooth revving and gave out a nice purr to it. The Coupe's Delta V6 engine could do with a higher rev limit than 6,500 though. It also sounds pretty quiet; nothing a bigger and freer aftermarket exhaust can't fix. :)

Pic 5: The 2,700 cc Delta V6 heart

Is it fast? Well it's not all looks and no go. Doing the century sprint in 7.2 seconds and all the way to a top speed of 233km/h, it's more than fast enough for a lot of drivers out there.

Overall somehow I feel the Coupe is more 'sportscar-like' in feel than the ER34. Think about it; a cramped interior, poor visibility and a car that requires effort to shift it's gears are traits of supercars of yesteryears. The ER34? It feels and drives just as easy as any decent Japanese sedans out there.

Ok, you guys can shoot me now. LOL :D

The most interesting comment I got driving the Coupe/Tuscani is this, "Did you change car or sprayed your car red?". I was stunned at first but it was kind of hilarious actually. And yes, it's a girl who asked that. Hahahahaha

Pic 6: The meter cluster

Pic 7: The centre fascia

Here are some pictures of the GK with the ER34. Enjoy!

Pic 8: Side-by-side with the ER34

Pic 9: Front view with the ER34

Pic 10: Comparing the rear view with the ER34

COMMENTS ANYONE?