| #ffffff;" /> | | | | covering it had thawed someone really ought to |
| I have many fond memories of my school days. You | | | | notice an alien craft at their supermarket. The car it |
| see by cunningly playing sports, music and talking too | | | | transpired was from a foreign land - not Mars or |
| much in class, I managed to transcend different social | | | | Jupiter, but Korea – it was the new Hyundai |
| groups and in turn the bullies that preyed on kids | | | | Coupe and the world was agog at Hyundai’s |
| from one particular group seemed to pass me by. | | | | audacity of making a car this good looking when their |
| What I don’t have fond memories of | | | | history was founded in a sea of grey, boxy |
| however is how I went to and from my school, | | | | pensioner-mobiles. |
| starting with a wet and windy bus stop, going via a | | | | Fast forward ten years and I own a first generation |
| used car supermarket and arriving at my destination | | | | Coupe and I love it. The car has been dubbed the |
| cold and hungry. | | | | ‘Korean Ferrari’ which despite my |
| Living in a town outside Cardiff has many benefits | | | | undying love for the car is complete rubbish. The |
| such as cheaper house prices and being quieter, but | | | | curves are beautiful alright, but it’s no Ferrari |
| my parents insisted the schools weren’t | | | | and the performance and price tag differential reflect |
| much cop locally so off I went everyday on an hour | | | | this. What this car does though is make you feel |
| long bus journey to and from Cardiff. The bus itself | | | | special. The front headlights look like tear drops; the |
| had seen two world wars and the birth of Christ | | | | bonnet has two bulges very similar to a Porsche 911 |
| from the looks of it and offered hard wooden seats, | | | | and the sides taper gracefully to the rear light |
| a cold draft and windows that somehow managed to | | | | clusters hiding under a spoiler that could easily be a |
| condense in the summer as well as winter. | | | | sculpture in its own right. |
| The banter on the bus was the only thing that kept | | | | Engines range from a 1.6 litre to a 2 litre, although the |
| us going I think, but there was always trouble of | | | | car to look out for is the limited edition F2 Evolution |
| some kind, culminating in the bus driver taking photos | | | | which has an extra 17bhp pushed from the 2 litre |
| of individuals, so he had evidence of the shenanigans | | | | engine, resulting in 155bhp. The F2 Evolution is even |
| we got up to – at least that’s what | | | | prettier than the standard car, with bigger wheels, |
| he told us they were for. | | | | front bumper, rear spoiler and oval racing exhaust. It |
| As bad as the bus was though, it was the endless | | | | was designed by Peter Stevens who designed the |
| trudging to the bus stop first thing in the morning | | | | McLaren Formula One cars of the mid 90’s |
| that got to me the most. From beneath my duffel | | | | and the super car of the same name and |
| coat, scarf, gloves and ten jumpers, morning after | | | | Hyundai’s World Rally Championship team. |
| morning I saw drivers in their warm cars sliding past | | | | As standard you get, well everything really: leather |
| gracefully, laughing at the radio as the rain lashed | | | | seats, air conditioning, cruise control, ABS, plenty of |
| down on me. I vowed that once I was older and I | | | | bits moved electrically and a CD player. All derivatives |
| had a job, I’d be driving in a nice car through | | | | have exceptional handling, with the car sticking to the |
| puddles splashing school kids myself. | | | | road like glue no matter how hard you push it. This is |
| Through the condensed windows on the bus | | | | the one main criticism of the Coupe – a lack |
| I’d spy all manner of cars throughout the | | | | of power, as the chassis could easily handle more. |
| countless journeys and changed my mind daily on | | | | The car is near bullet-proof when it comes to |
| what I wanted. Then on a particularly cold and icy | | | | reliability too. Yes it’s a Korean car so the |
| day as I looked at the used car supermarket we | | | | materials used for the interior are especially cheap, |
| passed daily I saw the curves of a car I’d | | | | but I challenge you to find a better styled, handling |
| never seen before, adorned with a badge I’d | | | | and equipped car for the money. Oh yes the cost is |
| never seen - it looked like a ‘H’ but | | | | by far the best bit. Even if you track down one of |
| wasn’t Honda. The car was a two door | | | | the rare 1,500 F2 Evolution versions, you still |
| coupe that was simply the best looking car | | | | won’t pay more than £3000, with a |
| I’d ever seen in the flesh. | | | | bog standard 1.6 litre version £2000 tops. |
| Everyday we’d drive past and I’d see | | | | There’s a well known advert that says to be |
| this magic car with no identity wondering what planet | | | | doing what you really want is priceless. |
| it’d come from and that once the ice | | | | |