Deals On Wheels

At a preview of Hyundai's new Sonata sedan last week the company's local boss, Bong Gou Lee, announced a special offer for Australian motoring journalists in attendance: "Half price for journalists, tonight only." Sydney Morning Herald reporter Tony Davis, who was not present, confirmed that "several journalists gave credit card numbers and specified models and colours on a deal that would have saved more than $A17,000 and delivered a new car at below cost." After Davis began making inquiries Lee withdrew the offer. Hyundai's spokesman, Richard Power, said the offer was a joke. One anonymous journalist told Davis "there's no way people joke about things like that and take names and colours ... I bought one. Plenty of people did." Hyundai now insist that journalists would only be eligible for the "conventional six-month long-term evaluation" loan of a car.