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The Laugh That Launched a 2,700 Mile Quest

12 March 1998

The Laugh That Launched a 2,700 Mile Quest

      Letterman's Jab Sparks Young Montana Car Salesman's Cross-Country
                        Trek to Redeem Hyundai's Honor

    MISSOULA, Mont., March 12 -- On a recent Late Show, David
Letterman poked fun at Hyundai by comparing it to the hapless Mir space
station.  Connor Ryan, a salesman at Missoula Hyundai in western Montana, took
offense at the remark.  He e-mailed the talk show star to set him straight
about the Korean carmaker's quality, but Dave refused to respond.  So like any
good car salesman, Connor wants to put Dave behind the wheel of a 1998 Hyundai
Tiburon so he can see for himself what a great car it is.  It's just that
Connor has to go a little out of the way for this test drive -- 2,700 miles,
to be exact.
    The spunky salesman makes no bones about his mission.  For Connor, it's
"Dave or Bust!"
    "Look, it's obvious Dave Letterman just hasn't been in a Hyundai," said
Connor Ryan.  "Because if he'd had the pleasure of driving a Hyundai, he'd see
how much more practical it is to own in New York City than a Russian space
station.  If I'm not mistaken, Mir won't fit into a compact spot"
    Connor is leaving Missoula today and plans to arrive in New York City on
March 18.  He's going to be visiting with Hyundai owners along the way and
asking them to sign a petition for Dave to drive the car.  And he's going to
be sending Dave a daily journal of the adventure along with video shot from
the HYUNDAI-CAM.
    You can't miss Connor on the road.  His bright silver Hyundai Tiburon says
"Dave Or Bust!" all over.  From Missoula, he'll be heading east making stops
in Billings, Montana; Casper, Wyoming; Denver, Colorado; Wakeeney, Kansas;
Hutchinson, Kansas; Springfield, Illinois; Indianapolis, Indiana; Reading,
Pennsylvania, Hershey, Pennsylvania and South Brunswick, New Jersey.
    Connor promises to keep everyone up-to-date on his adventure by posting a
diary of the trip on Hyundai's Web site at http://www.HyundaiUSA.com and by
recording a daily message on the "Dave or Bust Hotline" at 888-678-DAVE.
    "I can't wait to get Dave behind the wheel of this beautiful Tiburon,"
explains Connor about his odyssey, "but if Dave doesn't want it, maybe his Mom
will.  She has better taste anyway."

SOURCE  Hyundai U.S.A.