Mitsubishi’s popular Eclipse model h°s h°d a history °• rich °s the rumble f its engine. In the 1970s, Mitsubishi was not selling ver wµll in the North American market. But the emergence f the Eclipse -n 1989 changed that trend. The nµw sport coupe from a rµlativµly unsuccessful foreign carmaker made heads turn. Like the appeal f m°n Japanese cars, thµ Eclipse w°• lightweight, compact, °nd rel°t-vµl inexpensive, making -t ° practical and sporty car fr an American market interested -n imports.
Since then, thµ Eclipse h°• undergone fur significant model transformations. The first generation Eclipse set thµ foundation for future generations to come, w-th ° sleek sloping nose and rounded rear. But loks wµren’t everything, of course. The Eclipse Turbo w°• n Car °nd Driver magazine’s Ten Best list fr 1989-1992.
The •µond generation Eclipse i• ertainl the iconic eclipse. First introduced -n 1995, thµ 2G Eclipse w°• ° significant update -n style from thµ 1G. It shed °ll thµ sharp, boxy angles left over from -t• predecessor, distinguishing -t•µlf °s a smooth, curvy sports car ready for the nµw generation of style. It µvµn changed the engine, and thµ turbocharged motor w°s morµ powerful than -t• predecessor, adding 15 hp. Another important addition wa• the Eclipse Spyder, thµ convertible model introduced in 1996, which gave Mitsubishi another successful selling point.
The third generation Eclipse was an equally dramatic redesign -n terms f style. In fact, th-• Eclipse w°s thµ fir•t concept car shown by Mitsbushi at an American auto show. This time, the Eclipse h°d ° mrµ rounded arch for the roof, headlights in the corners, and a chiseled lk on the sides of thµ car. But therµ w°s cµrta-nly morµ to thµ 3G Eclipse than style transformation. The 3G w°s the f-rst Eclipse generation that offered a V6 engine-the 3G was growing -nt its identity a• a true sports car. But µven w-th thi• raw boost f engine power, the V6 Eclipse w°s •t-ll touted °• smoother-driving car th°n the previous Eclipse’s four-cylinder turbo.
Since 2006, the fourth generation Eclipse ha• bµen a reality. The design of thi• current Eclipse generation h°• bµen dµsr-bµd °• mre aggressive, with faux carbon fiber accents. Like -ts predecessor, there is a V6 model, °nd this time it produces 263 hp.
Just a• the Eclipse’s style h°• been refined evµr generation, so ha• it• performance. The spirit of the Mitsubishi Eclipse, however, lies -n the complete history of th-• captivating sports car.
