Hyundai has joined forces with comic publisher and movie studio Marvel to produce this – the limited-run Kona Iron Man Edition.
Movie-themed special edition cars are nothing new – in recent years, there’s been a Nissan Rogue (X-Trail) tied in with Star Wars, an Aston Martin DB9 GT Bond Edition and the unforgettable Ford Mustang Bullitt. The Kona is perhaps a little looser of an association to the film franchise though, as despite our best efforts we can’t find any evidence of one of Marvel’s greatest superheroes ever driving a Hyundai.
The Stark Industries team present the ultimate new model. Introducing the KONA Iron Man Edition.
— Hyundai Motor UK (@Hyundai_UK) January 21, 2019
It’s far from a half-hearted conversion, however. Visual upgrades are extensive, and the Kona Iron Man features an exclusive grey and red colour scheme, apeing the superhero’s armour. The roof features a decal of the character’s helmet, while the bonnet and sides bear ‘Marvel’ and ‘Stark Industries’ branding respectively. The latter refers to the fictional company owned and run by Tony Stark – Iron Man’s civilian persona.
The Kona Iron Man also features bespoke ‘Iron-Grip’ 18-inch alloy wheels with Iron Man emblems in the centre caps and door puddle lights.
The interior hasn’t escaped the makeover either. A circular graphic inspired by the character’s signature ‘Arc Reactor’ chestplate features on the gear shifter, instrument cluster and infotainment system. The Iron Man ‘eyes’ signature also appears on the head-up display and central gauge screen on start-up.
The interior is finished off with a dashboard signature from the (fictional) man himself – Tony Stark.
The Kona Iron Man Edition is mated exclusively to Hyundai’s 1.6-litre, 175bhp petrol engine and seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Equipment is generous, boasting keyless entry, LED headlights, an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment display with sat nav, climate control, autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist and rear cross-traffic alert.
The extensive equipment list is certainly welcome, although the Kona Iron Man Edition does retail for a hard-to-swallow £27,995 – over £2,000 more than the range-topping Premium SE. That must be the price of exclusivity – with only 300 models set to arrive in the UK. It will be available to buy from March.
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