Car manufacturers aren't as enthusiastic about special editions as they used to be, apart from high-end automakers such as Rolls-Royce and Aston Martin and those who build pickups like Chevy and Ram. But one company that still does do special editions is Hyundai.
Anyone familiar with the "Iron Man" franchise will probably associate it with Audi, as Robert Downey Jr's character Tony Stark is usually seen behind the wheel of an R8. But Hyundai appears to have gone all out to produce a suitably distinct 2018 Kona that's Iron Man-ready.
And it's done more than just give the crossover a fancy paint job.
The tweaked design and new colour of the upper daytime running lights is a nod to the glowing eyes of the Iron Man mask. The bonnet has also been redesigned and now has an insert that looks like a heat extractor vent, but in fact is just a red plastic piece for cosmetic effect. The Kona is finished in a fetching matte black with a metallic red roof and matching accents all over.
That all sounds fairly discreet, but there's more. The roof is adorned with a whopping great Iron Man mask decal that's anything but subtle. There are also Iron Man mask badges on the wings and wheel centre caps, and the rear doors feature logo decals.
On the inside the Kona has red accents, Tony Stark's signature on the dashboard, and custom Iron Man-themed graphics on the gauges, which even include a special design for the heads-up display.
Although details about the pricing and the size of the limited production run haven't been announced yet, it has been confirmed the Hyundai Kona Iron Man Edition will go on sale in the first quarter of 2019.
