You’re very much a child of the Eighties.
I am indeed. Growing up back then was fun. The music was good, the lyrics made sense to me and there were some brilliant TV shows on such as Knight Rider.
Is that how you got into cars?
I’ve been passionate about cars and design ever since I was a child and I was always very observant. I learnt every detail and specification about all the cars I could, including things like the engines available in each market.
Impressive! But the car bug really bit when you were in Saudi Arabia…
Well, I spent most of my childhood there and cars became my passion. I got into them because there was a very limited choice of other things to do back then. I began collecting, like most, those Matchbox toy cars at first. Now, as my passion has grown, I’ve got more expensive model cars too. Some of them can cost up to Dh1,000 a piece. The idea was very simple; to collect all my dream cars.
Dh1,000?! We hope you have deep pockets. Which car model do you want the most?
I still dream of owning a replica of KITT, the modified third-generation Pontiac Trans Am from the hit TV show. Hopefully one day, I will get it.
I have one and it even has the red scanner light, which flashes from left to right.
You lucky so-and-so! Will you sell it to me?
Never. Anyway, tell us about your previous cars. Do any of them stick out?
Well, I first had a Mazda 323 and then got myself a Toyota Cressida. Then during my university years right up until I got my first job, I drove a Ford Probe GT with a 3.0-litre V6. It was black and very enjoyable to drive but the first brand new car that I bought from my own money was a 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer GT with a 2.0-litre engine.
What was it like?
The best thing about the Lancer was that it was cheap to buy (although expensive to maintain) but it had amazing grip and decent power. I still have the Mitsubishi and I don’t know if I want to sell it because it’s a good everyday car. For the price, you get an amazing car that boasts paddle shifters, a body kit, xenon lights, sunroof and a Rockford sound system with subwoofer. It couldn’t get better at that price.
And what about your Hyundai Genesis coupé R-Spec? Where does this fit in?
Well, before you read any further, you have to listen to the AC/DC track Thunderstruck to really understand this car. The sound of the 3.8-litre V6 is simply awesome. The fact it
has 350 horsepower is unreal and kind of unbelievable for a Hyundai. It’s much quicker than a lot of other ‘high-end’ cars out there such as the V6 Mustang and Camaro.
We haven’t driven this one yet, what’s like?
Words cannot describe it. It comes with an eight-speed automatic transmission and steering-mounted paddle shifters, which makes driving it in manual mode even more enjoyable. What makes this car so special is that it’s a Hyundai and you never really expected them to deliver something like this!
It fits you like a glove doesn’t it?
No, it fits me more like the Iron Man suit! It has a spacious interior with leather and intricate stitching on the seats and this helps to give it a more upmarket look. I was never a Korean car lover but one lucky Friday afternoon, its red paint caught my eye. I am told it is the only red, 2013 R-Spec in the UAE! I must thank the wonderful people at Juma Al Majid for helping me get my hands on it.
How highly do you rate this car?
I would give it a five-star rating except for one little detail — the horn! It definitely reminds me I am in a Hyundai. If you suffer from attention deficit, order this car and it will solve your problem. It demands your full attention when you are driving it hard. Oh, and it gets a fair bit of attention out on the streets too. From the gentleman at the valet to the Marina drive, people just come up and ask me about the car.
It’s improved a fair bit compared to the previous model hasn’t it?
I would agree with that. I test drove the old model and the AC was not that great and the power was missing. Compared to the previous one, this has a bigger and better front end with LED lights at the front and the back. It has 19in alloys while its fuel economy is amazing. A full tank, which costs roughly Dh100, gets me 500km. That is superb for a car that has blistering performance. The Genesis Coupé is a great car and it’ll only get better. This is just the beginning.
