VIDEO: More on the Korean supercar named Spirra
Spirra on CNN – Click above to watch video after the jump
A little while back we saw some glammy B-roll of Oullim Motor's Spirra – Korea's first supercar – running around Seoul with some of Italy's big dogs. While the Spirra might have lacked the visual punch of the F430 and Gallardo, it sure seemed able to keep up with both of 'em. However, one YouTube video does not a supercar make and we haven't paid the Spirra much mind since then.
But perhaps we should. CNN just did a ride along with the man behind the Spirra, Han-Chul Kim. First of all, just to refresh, the Spirra (also known as the Tiger) is powered by a modified Hyundai V8 to the tune of 500 hp and can hit 60 mph in 3.7 seconds – totally on par with other supercars. But again, what makes the Spirra compelling (or at least noteworthy) is that it is Korea's first supercar. CNN interprets this as proof that the Korean automarket has come of age, causing one analyst to comment that the Spirra is a way of saying, "Hey – we can make a supercar, too."
As for Kim, he spent ten years researching Italian exotics before he set to work on the handmade, 100% Korean Spirra. He calls the car his "dream" and his "baby." Judging from the video, you also get a sense that a lot is riding on both Han-Chul's and the Spirra's shoulders, namely the pride of a nation's auto industry. Looks like his hard work might be paying off, as a Dutch car dealer reportedly just ordered 145 Spirras. No word on whether or not the Spirra will be making its way over to the States, but here's hoping! Make the jump to watch the video. Hat tip to John!
[Source: CNN]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
loocsettam 1:16PM (10/22/2009)
I would rather this then the OVER priced Lexus
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Boudu 2:25PM (10/22/2009)
Really? Looks like a Koenigsegg rip-off to me. Granted, all these no-name supercars look identical. The SSC Ultimate Aero has proved almost independent start-up can shoe-horn any engine into kit car style body and achieve big numbers on paper (the SSC is suppose to have a top-speed faster then the Veyron).
Now, an R8 revival from Hyundai that actually looks good, and has the quality of a real-production car would certainly be interesting. Hyundai are listening?
zamafir 3:19PM (10/22/2009)
Having been in both (gumball ftw) the SSC feels nothing like the veyron, or does it feel as insanely quick. Sure, the top end number may be there, after a while, but that's about it. I get where you're coming from though, I'm sure this'll be less 'refined' than the LF-A, but, as you're saying, a naught to sixty of 3.7 seconds is easy to come by, everyone's been doing it for years and years, so it's not that revolutionary to see a startup managing it.
mbhafn 1:21PM (10/22/2009)
I thought they came with the 2.7L V6 from Hyundai, not a V8.
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brice 2:01PM (10/22/2009)
They offer it both ways, but it's a built / blown version of either engine. IIRC, its 400 vs 500 hp
aj121489 3:00PM (10/22/2009)
I finally found the website. According to the company you can get 175 hp n/a V6, 380 hp s/c V6, or 450 hp turbo V6 so I don't know where the V8 is coming from
http://www.spirra.co.kr/index.php/eng/cars/technical/
hypermiler 4:06PM (10/22/2009)
@ mbhafn
> I don't know where the V8 is coming from
There used to be a prototype with Ford's Mustang GT V8.
RamblinReck89 1:19PM (10/22/2009)
That engine + Hyundai Accent = hottest hatch EVAR!!!
How could this idea possibly go wrong?
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Jo Schmoe 1:41PM (10/22/2009)
Even if that was physically possible, no one would pay that much for a nasty looking Accent, numb nuts. Would you pay upwards of $40-50k on an Aveo with an LSx? I didn't think so.
Poster like you need to stick to Honda-Tech or SRT-4 forums.
RamblinReck89 1:45PM (10/22/2009)
Apparently I didn't lay the sarcasm on thick enough. The torque steer of 500 hp going only to the front wheels would tear your arms off.
ForgedInternals 2:08PM (10/22/2009)
Sarcasm aside this car is RWD so that swap wouldn't work out, But drop this Engine in the Genesis Coupe and you'd have a GT-500 fighter.
RamblinReck89 2:38PM (10/22/2009)
It definitely would be interesting. I'm anxious to see where they go from here with the Genesis Coupe. They got a great start on the first generation, so I expect the second generation to build from there. I'm obviously no industry expert, but refining the design, improving the performance, and seriously upgrading the interior (like Ford did with the Mustang) seems like a better investment than developing a totally new car.
It could also be interesting to see Hyundai buy out this company and sell it as the Hyundai Spirra here in the US. I can imagine they could produce it cheaper and even if they had to operate at a loss when selling them, it would be nice to see Hyundai have a halo car. Would many people buy a $75k-$100k supercar with a Hyundai badge? I doubt it. But the enthusiast in me still thinks it would be cool.
ForgedInternals 7:17PM (10/22/2009)
I don't know how much of the car is actually Hyundai's though. If I remember correctly when Proto owned the rights to the Spirra it had a 4.6 DOHC Ford engine but I don't remember if any of those were actually produced. So it seems more like this is similar to early Koenigsegg where Koenigsegg builds the car but a third party supplies the engine.
They could sell them through Hyundai dealerships here but than the dealerships would have to tool up to service them and that might be too costly to Hyundai. Besides I think the Equus serves as a better Flagship since Hyundai is mostly targeting the Luxury market now.
DarkHorse 1:28PM (10/22/2009)
I'd like to see Supercar Exposed or Top Gear take a drive with this car and put it up against the known lot.
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Venom 1:29PM (10/22/2009)
I like it.
It looks good and the price is very good.
Americans can learn something from this guy and the Koreans and build everything in America instead of shipping the jobs and factories to China and Mexico and so on...
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Salty Gator 1:37PM (10/22/2009)
Koreans will only make all thier own stuff until thier cost of labor and materials gets too high. Then they'll farm everything out to cheaper countries so they can continue at the same or higher profit margins. Wake up and smell the capitalism.
I do agree though, great looking car at a great price.
Lester 1:42PM (10/22/2009)
Only issue with that is "Made in America" comes at a much higher cost. Even in poor economic times, it is still hard for American companies to find cheap american labor. There's just not enough country pride anymore, all thats left is gimme gimme gimme.
I think its a great car, I'm also sure it comes in more than two engine variants. I would think that with Hyundai's new performance engines (the new 2.0T-I4, the new 3.8-V6 and the new V8), the Spirra will at some point be available with all three.
I bet it would be pretty easy to legalize one in the states so long as your imported sans engine.
tsukasa36 3:28PM (10/22/2009)
@ salty gator
Actually, the labor cost in South Korea is already high, not as high as in America, but still high, and thats why jobs are being shipped overseas from Korea too. However, the point of building spirra out of all Korean components, isn't to prove that Korea has cheap labor, but to prove that super car is possible with all Korean components. The guy is obviously trying to make a point, not just profits. The question is, can Spirra be the hyundai of super-cars?
Motor_Yakuza 1:34PM (10/22/2009)
100000$? That's Nissan GT-R money and I know what I would pick between this and a GT-R.
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Rar 1:37PM (10/22/2009)
Nissan GT-R is a front engine. Motor trend said, it have understeer like pig.
Spirra is a midship engine.