From 1997 to 2008, the Tiburon served as Hyundai’s sporty coupe. To promote its launch, the company produced a brief and somewhat cheesy action film highlighting the car’s features. The plot revolves around a rogue gang of bikers who steal a Porsche 911, a Porsche 928, and a Shelby Cobra from a moving truck. Unable to catch the thieves in their outdated Cadillac, the police commandeer three fresh Tiburons from another truck to pursue them. As the chase unfolds, captions showcase the Tiburon’s modern technology, including “MacPherson Strut Front Suspension,” “EPS (Electronic Power Steering),” and “Perfect Ergonomics,” even featuring an interior cutaway scene for seemingly no reason. While the marked police cars frequently spin out and crash, the Hyundais manage to close in on and apprehend the culprits—certainly aided by their “Sporty, Dynamic” nature.
The overall video is so awkwardly entertaining that it becomes humorous. It’s hard to believe a standard Tiburon could ever catch any of those stolen vehicles. Plus, one has to wonder why the police were driving an old Cadillac, complete with a vinyl top. Wouldn’t it have made more sense for the truck driver to hand over the cars without a dramatic exit reminiscent of Knight Rider? And why didn’t the police simply contact dispatch for support from a helicopter? Some captions were incorrect as well. For instance, the Tiburon couldn’t possibly be equipped with “14-inch Ventilated Front Disc Brakes” when its wheels are also 14 inches in diameter. Lastly, any biker would likely never drop their bike to jump onto a truck; to a biker, their motorcycle is a prized possession.
Despite its flaws, the video does contain elements that later appeared in the Fast and the Furious franchise. This parallels how Duel, which was Steven Spielberg’s first film, features early concepts that he later developed and refined in his successful blockbusters. Could it be that this Hyundai advertisement inspired the franchise’s creators to embark on making feature-length films like this? The answer remains uncertain.
(Thanks to Wobbles the Mind on Oppositelock for sharing this.)
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