AUTOMOTIVE

Scoping the Scoupe: Hyundai Motor America of Fountain Valley is heavily advertising its new Scoupe, hoping that the sporty coupe with the sub-$10,000 price tag will do for it what the Miata did for Mazda and the Eclipse did for Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America--another of Orange County’s second-tier auto importers and distributors.

Almost all of Hyundai’s new television advertising will be centered on the Scoupe. The car, displayed at several U.S. auto shows already this year, officially went on sale this week. Rod Hayden, Hyundai Motor America’s chief operating officer, said that at least a dozen sales had been reported to the company during the first week of September.

Now, to help increase visibility of its new image car, Hyundai Motor America has signed on as a sponsor of the only California venue on the 1990 Ladies Professional Golf Assn. tour, the MBS-LPGA classic at the Los Coyotes Country Club in Buena Park.

The Scoupe is the official vehicle for the weeklong tournament taking place this week.