Hyundai was incomes an enormous title for itself in North America when the Nineteen Nineties dawned, first with the 1983 Pony (in Canada solely) after which with the spectacularly low cost Excel starting in 1986. The Sonata debuted right here as a 1989 mannequin, luring some consumers away from the costlier Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. Two years later, Hyundai introduced over a sporty coupe primarily based on the Excel: the Scoupe. Practically each instance of the Scoupe has disappeared from American roads and automobile graveyards by now, however I managed to search out this ’93 in Colorado not too long ago.
In the US and Canada (in addition to in its South Korean homeland), this automobile’s mannequin title was pronounced “scoop,” whereas in Europe it was marketed because the “ess-coo-PAY.”
The Scoupe was obtainable right here from the 1991 by way of 1995 mannequin years. It was low cost, with the bottom mannequin itemizing at simply $9,069 for 1993 (about $19,528 in 2023 {dollars}). This automobile has the extra luxurious LS trim degree, so its MSRP would have been $10,199 ($21,961 after inflation). The recent-rod Scoupe Turbo for ’93 had a price ticket beginning at $10,999 ($23,638 in at this time’s cash).
These have been robust costs to beat for a slick-looking notchback coupe on the time. Your pleasant Chevy supplier had the 1993 Cavalier coupe at $9,520 for the RS and $12,500 for the Z24. The most affordable model of the 1993 Honda Prelude was nicely out the possible Scoupe purchaser’s worth vary, at $17,000, and even the lowly 1993 Civic coupe began at $10,350.
Toyota had the Tercel-derived Paseo coupe for $11,498, which was a very good deal by way of construct high quality however definitely not for driving enjoyment. Isuzu was then in its closing mannequin yr of promoting non-truck fashions in the US, and the Impulse coupe had an MSRP of $12,499 to go together with its Lotus-tuned suspension. Nissan? Yokohama’s most cost-effective notchback coupe over right here for 1993 was the 240SX, beginning at $14,755; an ideal deal for a rear-wheel-drive sports activities coupe however far out of attain for many potential Scoupe consumers.
The Ford Escort was hatchback- and wagon-only, however probably the most inexpensive 1993 Mustang notchback (then in its closing yr on the Fox platform) had a sticker worth of a mere $10,719 with 2.3-liter “Pinto” engine. Pontiac had the bottom Sunbird Coupe for $9,382 and the Grand Am coupe at $12,524. The Plymouth Sundance and Sundance Duster two-doors have been hatchbacks however regarded notchbacky, and had sticker costs of $8,397 and $10,498, respectively. The Scoupe got here with a bunch of normal options that have been extra-cost choices on the competitors, too, which made it much more tempting to consumers.
The upshot is that it proved practically unimaginable to beat the Scoupe on worth alone (the poverty-spec Sundance and its Dodge Shadow twin simply barely managed the feat). By 1993, although, the abysmal construct high quality of the Excel was well-known and scaring off many potential Hyundai consumers, in order that notion sat on the opposite facet of the size for automobile consumers on the time. The Scoupe offered poorly right here and disappeared with out leaving a lot hint.
Below the Scoupe’s hood lived this Mitsubishi-based 1.5-liter SOHC straight-four engine, rated at 91 horsepower and 97 pound-feet. That was higher than the 81 horses within the Scoupe’s Excel cousin, however not so good as the mighty 115 hp within the Scoupe Turbo. Even the pokey Toyota Paseo managed to get into triple-digit horsepower for 1993, so we will assume that the entire Scoupe’s probably opponents (apart from, maybe, the bottom Sundance/Shadow and its 93-horsepower 2.2) would have eaten it up in a drag race.
The Scoupe’s base transmission was a five-speed handbook, and that is what this automobile has. The Excel for 1993 nonetheless had a four-on-the-floor handbook as customary tools.
The Scoupe LS got here with an AM/FM/cassette radio as customary tools, which was spectacular for the worth on the time. This automobile has air con, which added $810 to the worth ($1,744 in at this time’s {dollars}).
The design and meeting high quality in Hyundais improved dramatically because the Nineteen Nineties went on, making the South Korean upstart an intimidating participant in the US market by the daybreak of our present century. This automobile is an Excel beneath the pores and skin, although, and meaning its life expectancy was restricted. Reaching age 30 was an actual accomplishment for at this time’s Junkyard Gem, however the closing mile tally did not even hit 75,000.
Nonetheless, the explanation we name even the poorly-built vehicles on this sequence Gems is that they are precious to us within the historic sense. Hyundai established a near-instant toehold right here on worth alone after which proceeded to enhance their automobiles — and, simply as vital, the American car-buying public’s notion of their automobiles — extra rapidly than another producer within the fashionable period ever has. May you think about an alternate universe by which Malcolm Bricklin and his Yugo pulled off that feat?
Handles with precision, accelerates with authority and stops with assurance … however then, what’s to cease?
Sure, Hyundai!
The younger artist in South Korea feels uninspired, however then she will get into her Scoupe (inexplicably fitted with California license plates) and turns into extremely glamorous in a heartbeat.
The very best South Korean-market automobile commercials of this period had narrators with macho deliveries, and this one does not disappoint in that division.