(first posted 4/19/2013) You try finding an intact gen-one Eclipse; it took me months, and this one isn’t even one of the hidden-headlight early ones (1990-1991). Forget about finding a Turbo; they’ve all been riced, diced, sliced and mashed into oblivion. Was there ever more of a young-guy car than this? I’ll go out on a limb and say that the turbo AWD version of this (and its Plymouth Laser and Eagle Talon DSM clones) was the closest thing there was to a four-wheeled crotch rocket in its day.
It may be a bit on the young side for Curbside Classics, but I figured I’d better grab this Eclipse now, because it may well be the last one in town, especially since its driver is a young guy who works at this convenience store. High testosterone levels lead to several types of driving, but not generally one that pertains to preservation. The Eclipse is the victim of its target demographic.
The fruit of the then-fertile Diamond Star Motors (DSM) joint venture with Chrysler, the Eclipse and its Laser and Eagle buddies hit the scene in 1990–the height of the market for small sporty coupes–and they made quite a splash. The Turbo Eclipse made C/D’s Ten Best Cars list its first year out, and stayed there every year through 1992. Based loosely on the Galant, the Eclipse trio benefited from Mitsubishi’s experience with competition cars, which dated well back to the Seventies, and from the more definitive 1987 Galant VR-4 that led to the Evo series. The DSM trio didn’t get the unadulterated Evo engine tune (247 hp), but the 180-195 horses it did have was a good start, although I suspect very few of them ended up with those numbers. How many Eclipses gave their life to the experiment of “lets see what happens when we raise the boost…now some more…and a just a little bit more… oh, so that’s what happens!”
But the car was a fun experiment while it lasted–and was for its maker as well. The DSM trio were popular sellers, but it was a long slide downhill, especially after the end of the similarly-sized gen-two version in 1999. The subsequent combination of growth, bloat and indifference makes it very reasonable to wonder today if they even make the Eclipse anymore. I assume so, but I can’t be bothered to verify it. In any case, the Eclipse has been permanently eclipsed by Subaru WRX/STIs and, of course, the Lancer Evo, although their combined sales are probably a small fraction of those of the Eclipse and its friends in their heyday.
Even the gen-two Eclipse is becoming an endangered species–for reasons this not-atypical example makes all too obvious.
I keep running across solid old (non-Eclipse) Mitsubishi cars, and the stats from a German reliability post I did a while back reminded me what a vibrant company it once was, and how well built their cars were. I don’t blame Mitsubishi for the lack of Eclipses, Talons and Lasers on the streets; we’ve already covered that at CC. Or were their U.S. made DSM cars not as good as genuine Nipponese models?
If anyone had told me, even as recently as when this car was made, that Mitsubishi’s future was anything but rosy, I wouldn’t have believed it. But perhaps chasing the turbosterone and sub-prime financing demographic wasn’t such a hot idea after all.
The automatic transmissions were a big weak spot in these cars, and if driven hard (most likely), were toasted well before the car was. Not cheap to fix either.
My 99 Eclipse automatic had the infamous Chrysler “UltraDrive” but fortunately we had no problems in 6 years of ownership besides one fluid and filter servicing.
The Eclipses used a number of different transmissions over its life. The 90-94 FWD non Turbo used a Japanese sourced automatic that was common in similar cars like Colt, Sonata, Mirage, Galant. The transmission that was most trouble prone was the one installed on the 2000+ models that called for SPII fluid. Like often was the case with the early Ultradrives, people would put in the wrong fluid, not service the fluid and filter regularly, and let the level get low. The fluid was revised to SPIII which solved a lot of problems.
Not a bad looker(i’m not talking about the hideous orange abortion!)
These came out the year after I graduated from college and all of my college buddies and I were quite abuzz over it. It was reasonably good looking, reasonably fast, and priced within reach (we were freshly minted engineers with salaries to match). One of my buddies very, very seriously considered buying one.
The subsequent generations of the Eclipse were either too boy-racer or too girl-car for us. Only the first gen would do.
Around here, most running (and non) examples of these have been snapped up for rallycross/ TSD rally duties. I know a bunch of guys that run these, and most have multiples! Kinda like old Jags, you need at least two to ensure you have one running at any given time. They’re quite competitive, when running, and make an interesting alternative to the ubiquitous WRX.
These cars fall into that category called “sport compact” and just about any make of car that falls into that category, it is rare as hen’s teeth to find any virgin examples. The Japanese makes, and pseudo-Japanese makes seem to be more victims of than any other.
I have mixed feelings about that trend, on one hand, those sport compacts are not my kind of car (despite us owning an 99 Eclipse convertible for a while) and many of the “treatments” I have seen are well garish to say the least. With that said, those feelings are mitigated somewhat by the thinking that at least these guys (and girls) are getting into cars, understanding them, tweaking them and enjoying them in their lives rather than them being just a necessary evil. I have seen plenty of wanna-be-muscle cars in may day in various states of repair that looked just as bad.
I agree with the sentiment that at least the kids that drive these and modify them are taking an interest in the hobby. There is a growing segment of young folks that have no interest in cars. Some don’t even want to drive. what’s the world coming to?
As for taste that’s another matter. Teenage boys with cars are like teenage girls with makeup.
I keep hearing that kind of statement from auto industry and marketing pundits and honestly it bugs me. The reason cars are no longer a major focus of what marketers used to call the “youth market” is very simple: Cars have become far less attainable to young people than in earlier eras.
For a lot of the postwar years, if you had a high school diploma and a decent job, getting a new car was within reach. If you were a teenage Baby Boomer, you probably couldn’t swing a $5,000 Hemi Challenger (which is why Boomers pay big bucks for them now), but you could get something and then hop it up or modify it to taste.
Today, if you only have a high school diploma, the only (legal) jobs you can get barely pay the rent, let alone a car note. If you have a college degree, your actual earning power has dropped considerably since the ’90s and after you graduate, you’re probably servicing a pile of student loan debt that would have bought a decent house in the DSM cars’ heyday. Unless you have generous parents, a trust fund or a burgeoning career in the narcotics distribution industry, the only cars you can probably afford are either used or family hand-me-downs.
As a result, playing with cars has become more of a subculture for diehards. It’s just not that practical otherwise.
As a member of that demographic (got my license in 1998), completely agree.
Also, the ability to transport yourself physically is now less an enabler of social interaction for this audience. Yesterday’s car is today’s internet connection.
Like Carlo, I also admire the effort the ‘tuning’ crowd puts into these and similar cars, however misplaced at times. I threw a couple grand into my ’95 Miata at that age, and while I’m sure it looked like a fart-can disaster to some, I loved every drive in that car.
I had a bunch of car guys in my cars class last term, including a couple who are fond of Subaru WRXs. But the most interesting was a Freshman from California who had owned a lowered and tuned Acura Integra (such as I once owned myself and considered classier than the Eclipses in the mid 1990s), and then a low-rider S10 pickup, but he complained that both were too low for the parking lots, too hard on the tires, and attracted only aggression from passers-by. So now he drives a restored 1960s Toyota LandCruiser, and he says it’s slow but everyone is friendly! So this is the transformation from racer-tuner to curbside classic, and he’s still a teenager!
Love this era of car… Got my licence in 1989 and drooled over these vehicles every chance I got! Could never afford a fun play car till recently. While I loved the Talon, Stealth and Eclipse… It was always the 300zx and Supra that had my heart. Finally got one and yes, I have fallen into the modification trap, however been over 40 now, I have kept it as tasteful as possible. Hope to enjoy many more years firmly seated in the 90’s era car, lol!!
That’s a fine-looking Z, Ryan!
Tnx Chris! It’s not a TT though… Prob why it still runs, lol!
Yesterday’s car is today’s internet connection.
I think you have hit the nail on the head. As an old geezer (54), I have a hard time understanding why my 21 year old nephew hates to drive. He grew up with car-crazy uncles, and he knows a bit about cars, but he would rather not drive himself. But, he is online and connected. I guess that a lot of our driving was to go somewhere, do something, that connected us to our friends. As other folks have pointed out, cars are not cost effective for most younger folks, either. It is hard to find good basic transportation at a low price point. With all the negatives, no wonder many have opted out of the joys of car ownership.
In my little burg of Minneapolis, car ownership seems to be in rapid decline. The biggies have been covered already, but I will add one more: Where I live, transit has gotten much better over the years and the bike trail system is incredible. The equation changes when a pleasant bike ride or $1.75 on Metro will get you there. But don’t sweat it, fellas. I know a young condo dwelling guy who rides the bus five days a week, and this lets him keep a fantastic old 3 series for fun.
Another biggie is insurance. On top of your fuel and maintenance, you have a car payment and insurance. I bought my first ‘adult’ car at 20, a used gen 4 Jetta. Gas was about $100 a month, the loan payment was $150 a month, repairs averaged $150 a month, and comprehensive insurance (required by the bank) was a whopping $200 per month. I lucked out in that my rental had parking included.
When faced with a $600 monthly transportation ‘bill’, that $1.75 Metro ride starts looking mighty fine. And you can read or browse the web while you get to where you are going.
Public transportation is certainly a great idea, where it’s available. Back when I lived in Durham, NC, I often took the bus to get to work. It was slower than driving (about an hour versus 20 minutes) but it was convenient and a good way to catch up on the news or read a book on the way to/from work, rather than worrying about the commute. Saved money, too, especially back in the days of $3+/gallon gas (and the Marauder took 93 octane).
Here? Not so much. My current job is north of Richmond and there is no bus that runs out here. My previous job was within the city limits, but what was a 15 minute drive every morning would have been a 1.5 hour bus ride. That was just too much of a difference to be practical. So it depends on whether or not you’re in a large city, and even then, where in the city you are and where in the city your work is. Unless you work in a very high-demand field, in this economy recent graduates are lucky to find work at all and have *absolutely* no room to be choosy about the location of said work.
If you only have a high school diploma and you want to get ahead, you need to get the idea of the 40 hour workweek out of your head. You’ll be working a lot more than 40.
I always found these attractive, but by the time they were out, I was past my little sporty car phase. Actually, I had not thought about these in years.
I was quite a Mitsu fan for awhile myself, having bought the “family” Colt from my brother in law (who bought it from my wife). Add in the Chrysler tie-in with Diamond Star, and I was sort of a fan of this generation. I still recall that the people who we bought our house from had a turquoise Laser.
I will also agree with others that the subsequent generation never did much for me. But as for these, I would take one over a Probe with no hesitation.
I graduated high school in 2003 and I remember this generation being one of those cars that was numerous in the school parking lot from about 1999-03 and then within a few years they seemed to all disappear. as well as 2nd and 3rd gen Honda Preludes and late Fox body Mustangs. All ubiquitous during that time but rarely seen now.
Mitsu’s mistake was NOT the whole subprime financing gig; rather, it was a failure to come out with an Eclipse Brougham, featuring elk-grain padded vinyl roof, pillow style seating and wire wheel covers on wide whitewall tires.
Oh what could have been :)…
Something about the retro touches and the Eclipse works for me, sorta like a PT Cruiser with balls
I used to have a ’95 Eclipse Turbo AWD manual. That was one of the most fun cars I’ve ever driven. Punch the throttle and it would just GO! No surprise that the majority of them are probably beyond worn out.
“The victim of its target demographic” that made me laugh. You left out high testosterone levels coupled with easy credit card debt and living at home with mom and dad…
I had a friend with a black 96 AWD turbo model. Completely bone stock and the guy (25 years old at the time) drove it slower than a blue hair in a Buick.
Funny thing though, now that you posted this- I’m going to see an Eclipse/Laser/Talon today even though I haven’t noticed one for a long time. Like yesterday when I saw an Isuzu Hombre and the scads of Azteks that came out of the woodwork.
Thanks for the fun read. I gotta go shovel 8 inches of new snow. *Sigh*
Damn son I just did my first A/C job yesterday it was a balmy 84F.
We kept our 99 Eclipse Convertible about the same way. After 6 years of ownership it had less than 50k on the clock. Occasionally did get looks from the younger set a 50-something getting out of a dark red convertible Eclipse with chrome wheels but it was paid for and I had good insurance….
I wouldn’t mind relocating after the longest effing winter of my life…
Very few of the Eclipse convertibles that came through our shop were the GS-T. Most were naturally aspirated models owned by more mature drivers who maintained them well.
These were pretty great all around cars for their time. I definitely see them high on my list if I was of driving age 20 years ago. My favorite was actually the 1990-92 Plymouth Laser RS turbo, with the lace-spoke alloys and hidden headlights. Sadly, AWD was never offered on the Plymouth, only the Mitsubishi and Eagle.
They had an AWD version in 92. One of the rarer DSM’s.
My mistake. Thank you.
Mitsubishi was involved in huge scandal in Japan a few years ago where it was discovered that they were covering up major quality issues in the JDM. Doesn’t surprise me, I never cared for the brand, and the 2011 Lancer ECVT I rented on my final trip to Canada last summer didn’t change that opinion. I was dumb enough to turn in a perfectly good Mazda 3 because I got a free “upgrade” coupon to a “standard size”. I got it because of the cruise control for a trip to Edmonton. It was a slug and it was jinxed. I caught a rock in the windshield from a dump truck and my credit card insurance wouldn’t cover it. Factor that in with all the oil burning engines (even Hyundai incarnations here in Korea) and the “bad credit, no credit, no job, no life,? No Problem!” image, and I’ll pass.
In fairness, rental cars usually get the shit kicked out of them, which doesn’t make them great representatives of their kind, but it is sometimes difficult to sort out the difference between design flaws and the results of neglect or abuse.
I think that ‘no credit, no problem’ image has done more damage than the cars themselves. That, and–in the 2000s in the USDM–building too many cars on a single ‘Project America’ architecture, making each insufficiently specialised for its role and each with at least one big, bonehead flaw:
Eclipse: fat and heavy for a coupe, too much engine
Galant: not too fat or torquey in this class, but no folding rear seat
Endeavor: same as Galant, plus no third row
I do have some bias here: I had a 2001 Eclipse GT that was an absolute gem over 50K miles of daily driving. V6 sounded great and was smooth as silk, and while it was obviously no sports car, it was a taut, comfy tourer and no stress to own.
Mitsubishi’s image wasn’t always like that. I remember in the early 90s, some well-to-do friends had a Mitsubishi Diamanté, which was viewed as an offbeat but respectable choice for an entry level luxury car. Basically it was viewed as a Japanese BMW 5-series at a 3-series price, at least in terms for relative size and looks. There even was a wagon version available, if I remember correctly. It, along with the Mazda 929 and the Toyota Cressida, seemed to make up the “second tier” of Japanese luxury cars, after the 3 Japanese luxury brands were introduced.
The Galant was a competitive mid size car up until the early 2000s. The “shark nose” generation was particularly attractive.
To me, the wheels started to come off with the third-gen Eclipse, which abandoned the available turbo and all-wheel drive and sexy styling for a FWD-only V6 and frankly weird styling that looked a bit like a bad Chinese knockoff of an Audi TT, with Pontiac-style “ribbed for her pleasure” body cladding. Maybe that’s what made it so popular as a girl’s car.
Initially sales were high, but how much of that was the new design, and how much was the easy credit Mitsu started offering around the same time? I tend to think it was the latter. With the last generation, they tried to recapture some of the second-gen’s styling, but the mechanicals were still based on the Galant, which had grown to the point where it really wasn’t a suitable base for a sporty car. They should have just done a Galant coupe like Honda did with the Accord once that platform got too big to do a sporty Prelude on.
I had a last gen Eclipse convertible as a rental once to go up to Tahoe. 3,800 lbs of car “motivated” by a 150 hp I-4 and a four-speed automatic climbing 7,500 feet in elevation was exactly as painful as you’d think. I can still hear that engine droning in my head…
I lived in Jedda, Saudi Arabia in the early 2000s and I actually saw locals take those Shark-Nose Galants, strip off the badging, and put BMW emblems on them.
It was hilarious. I actually busted one guy balls one day, I waited for him to come out and told him I just loved his “Bimmer”. I asked him to lift the hood but he wouldn’t do it, ha ha.
I always thought the 3rd gen Eclipse was supposed to be “evoking” the Ferarri Testarossa with the side-strake-like body armor.
Yes, there was a Diamante wagon – designed and built only in Australia, and exported worldwide in LHD and RHD from there. Over here in NZ (and Australia), the Diamante wasn’t remotely thought of as a BMW competitor, rather it was a player in the Holden Commodore/Ford Falcon large family car family segment.
I remember reading when that generation of Magna/Verada (Diamante) came out, the Japanese were horrified that Mitsubishi Australia would be selling the car at such a low price point. They protested that they’d designed and developed the car as a BMW competitor – interesting that Joe saw its image as such. Of course it’s no BMW in terms of handling or performance, but to drive one you’re instantly aware that although it was sold against Falcons and Commodores in Australia, it’s a far more refined car and you feel as though you’ve got more car than you paid for. If that’s luxury, Mitsubishi succeeded.
Paul, you mentioned Lancer VR-4 … did you mean Galant VR-4? Anyway, I was very interested in the AWD Turbo Eclipse when I was in my late 30’s, married with kids, hence not that target demographic. But as with all automotive decisions, I overanalyzed for years … Eclipse too small, Celica AllTrac too ugly, Subaru RS underpowered, Audi A4 too expensive … until the WRX came out. Then it was also too small, too peaky, and finally Subaru introduced the Turbo Forester and it was “just right”. Turbo Forester vs Mitsu Eclipse – my decision criteria would probably confuse the marketeers.
I did mean Galant. Fixed.
I once tested a turbo Forester; great car, and lightning quick. It was actually quicker than a WRX because it had a shorter axle ratio.
There were still a few of these around when I was working at Chrysler. They were quite good cars, but as Paul stated, the tended to live hard lives. Most were bought by dads and then handed down to their teenage sons, who then proceeded to beat the bark off them. These things made serious power for their time and the cars were pretty light, which led to some pretty serious abuse. The real problem, like all Mitsubishi stuff, was that parts were extremely expensive.
My brother-in-law used to have one of these; he was t-boned by a drunk driver in a little Hyundai. His Eclipse crumpled like a tin can and a shard of glass nearly did him in. Frightening stuff–not at all what I expect from a modern car. (He made a full recovery.)
Mitsubishi has tried nearly everything in most markets and lost out big time, back in the day 70s Galants were good cars as reliable as British cars better on gas and shocking for rust moving on to the 80s the Astron engine arrived hailed as smooth thanks to a balance shaft hated by motorists for burning oil from new then the first FWD the MAGNA great design very clean aerodynamicly but with Astron engine and biodegradable automatics an absolute junk pile and it just got worse from there. Fast forward to NOW Mitsu offer 10 year warranties to try to tempt buyers and the much vaunted 380 sedan has been dropped from the lineup for being rubbish. Hyundai who always seemed to build a better Mitsubishi than the parent company has moved on using its own designs having seen the mistakes should be able to avoid the same.
I was thinking about where these cars all went to. In the MD/DC/VA area there were tons of the first gen years ago. When I was in high school(early 1990’s), my best friend’s dad had a blue 1990 Plymouth Laser. He was in his 50’s and babied it.
The 380 wasn’t rubbish Bryce, it was powerful, large and handled well. They don’t appear to have any major reliability problems, only bad thing I can think of is the dash being a bit chintzy. What killed it and MMAL’s factory was the never-ending speculation MMAL would be shut down, and people’s uncertainty about buying a car from a failing manufacturer. Slashing the prices also tanked the residuals but it was a good car!
Its main problem was it took too long to get to market compared to the Galant it was based on & was stale by the time it got here. I had a couple as rentals, not bad at all, but ultra bland and I could think of no reason to buy one over a Camry.
Never saw these DSM coupes other than on F&F complete with detachable floor…
And it had the feel of being a much cheaper and less refined car than its predecessor. As owners of an ’00, Mitsubishi tried to tempt us with a deal on a 380, but even the top model’s interior looked and felt cheap with none of the quality materials our old car had. Plenty of punch from that 3.8, but that was never a problem with the old car anyway – still it must’ve been nice for the sales staff to say it had a bigger engine than a Commodore!
I worked for a Mitsubishi dealer for 7 years, starting in sales then moving on to finance. The true Mitsubishi vehicles were very good cars. The Diamante was often purchased/leased by very well-to-do individuals that didn’t want the “show off” image of a Lexus or BMW. I saw many Diamantes traded in with close to 200,000 miles still running and driving well. The owners swore by them too. The same for the original Eclipses as in this CC. Many with high mileage and loved by their owners. On the other hand, the cars with Chrysler influence didn’t fare as well and often had transmission failures as well as engine woes. I even sold a brand new 1998 Eclipse GS right off the showroom floor only to have it roll into the street and never move again (until we pushed it into the garage so a new transmission could be installed) It was amazing how loyal the true Mitsubishi owners were. They loved their cars and swore they were as reliable as the “other” brands.
Good to hear it, Tom. 340,000km (212,000 miles) on our Diamante – our local mechanic loves them and has seen them with 450-500,000km.
The 1st and 2nd generation Eclipses were terrific looking cars, executed to a T. That white one above still looks new. They were the best selling cars in their class by far. The Integra was arguably a better car to drive but it cost a lot more.
Mitsu TOTALLY jumped the shark with the cartoonish final generation.
My son has a 2011 Eclipse. It is a great little car. I can’t believe they stopped making them.
I always kind of liked the final gen; reminded me of a Porsche. Friends of ours have a copper convertible with tan interior that is very sharp.
When you say “Mitsubishi” or “DSM”, don’t forget to say “crankwalk”.
FYI: Mitsubishi has discontinued the Eclipse. The last MY was 2012, and production stopped before 2/2012.
It was born to a great fanfare & died without much knowledge. My, how the mighty have fallen.
It actually lived a good long life even if not totally a success. It outlived all the cars that it competed with in sales when it came out (the Celica,Supra, Prelude, Probe, MX-6 etc) The Eclipse was the last of those cars left by the time it exited out of the market. Just like the Celica, it was a victim of changing tastes and high prices(insurance, car cost etc). Sort of like the end of the 1970’s sounded the death knell for the personal coupe
You are right. The target market can’t buy these new. That killed the genre of the sporty compact coupe.
I wish insurance prices were lower.
The Mitsubishi Eclipse was actually a sportier replacement for the more pedestrian Mitsubishi Cordia and the Plymouth Laser replaced the Plymouth Arrow from many years prior to.
A friend of mine had the lamest version of one of these, the bottom of the line Plymouth Laser versions, white, plastic wheelcovers with an automatic, I dont think it even had a tape deck, it was a like a fleet version of one of these, but he swore it was a sports car.
Well Carmine, technically it had the same suspension and engine as the higher food chain performance models. Minus the wheel covers.
Nice find. I liked the looks of these; my favorite is probably the Plymouth Laser, just for the name. When these were new, a friend in middle school (circa 1992) absolutely loved the Eagle Talon AWD version. I must admit they were sharp too.
Why does the 1st gen Eclipse’s rear end resemble the rear end of the upcoming SRT Barracuda in some illustrations? (Illustration by John Sibal, from C&D)
Here is Paul’s photo of the 1st gen Eclipse for comparison.
I’ve got a 1990 GS non-turbo, the pop-up headlight model.
Was exported new to Japan, and then got brought over to New Zealand about 10 years ago.
I’ve had it a year and a half now. Paint could do with a refresh but otherwise it’s in pretty good condition for the age.
Very unexpected, I didn’t think we had any – I’ll have to keep an eye out now!
Mitsubishi Motor Credit screwed the pooch with that crazy financing…if you have a pulse, you have a new car, with no payments for 12 months. I was in the collections biz at that time and made lots of money chasing skips who had already destroyed their “free” car by the time the first payment was due. When I think of Mitsubishi, I see a Galant rolling down the road, smoking, clear coat peeling off in sheets, and missing a wheelcover. Probably has a sticker on the decklid from some buy here, pay here lot at this point in time too.
Don’t have much personal experience with these 1st-gen cars, but my wife had a 2nd-gen (I think a ’95) as her first car in 1999. It was gone by the time I met her, but she certainly enjoyed it for her 4 years of ownership. (Accident did it in, then came the infamous Alero…)
It’s a sidelight, but I’m seeing an aesthetic fillip that I liked in that day, and still do.The glass encased greenhouse had a certain flair… even as used on less sporty cars like Sables, Cutlass Supremes and Ford Scorpios/Granadas.
Looked exactly like this one below:
My manager, when I used to work at Washington Inventory Service, around 1988-92… bought a brand new 90 Eagle Talon TSi.
He paid cash for it. 🙂
It was black/pewter two tone. With the turbo engine, that car was a rocket.
Plus, the AWD made the car corner like it was on rails.
Looked similar to this one:
Like others have said, these (along with their Eagle and Plymouth cousins) were all over place back in the 90’s and early 2000’s. They were one of the cars to have when I was in High School. And then one day they were suddenly all gone. I’m straining to think of the last time I saw one of these out in the wild. It’s certainly been at least several years.
I remember when I saw the third generation Eclipse for the first time, my first and immediate thought was “Do they not understand their target market at all?”. It was no surprise to me that the third and later generations never reached the popularity of the 90’s versions. Though I suppose with that market segment in decline maybe it didn’t matter what they did, and to their credit the Eclipse did stick around for a lot longer than its competitors, many of which never made even made it into the 2000’s.
Saw this back on 6/21/12. I’ve never seen one with hidden headlights
Rear view
If you want one Come on Down to Florida, These are all over the place. Almost all the roadsters (Spyders?) are driven by women. But the coupe’ are a rat racers dream.
Say what you like, but I ADORE these things, especially the customs. The crazier, the better. I think this is as close as America gets to bosozoku. I love everything- the body kits, the spoilers, the neon colors. Most of these are for show, but they still make me smile. Something interesting in a sea of blandmobiles.
I sorta’ liked these, all stubby-ish ( in a pleasing way ) pugnacious, and yet sleek. A co-worker had one and there wasn’t much of any turbocharger lag. It felt stronger than 190 HP.
The only thing I just couldn’t get around though, was that bizarre looking dash. The photos above don’t really show it to good enough effect: you have to see it looking forward or nearly so. The instrument cluster is fine, but that bizarre downward slant, vents and all, looks like it was either melting or having been undermined by soil erosion.