Quote Of The Weekend: Getting Excited About The Eclipse Edition
The 2012 Mitsubishi Eclipse pictured above is the very last of its kind, the final hurrah for a vehicle that hasn’t sold well in years and is apparently missed by very few. Let’s put it this way: unlike the Panther, nobody was counting down to the final production model, and nobody wrote a requiem for “the last Japanese midsized specialty vehicle.” And despite the resounding silence that accompanied the death of the Eclipse, Mitsubishi execs still found a way to kill any remaining enthusiasm for the nameplate, implicitly comparing it to a cockroach or an irritating rash. As Greg Adams, Mitsubishi Motors North America’s vice president-marketing and product planning put it to WardsAuto:
The Eclipse “always comes back around sooner or later.”
Well, I guess we’ll all stop holding our collective breath then. And with that kind of attitude, I’m sure the new model will be every bit as thrilling and enthusiast-enticing as the current one. Meanwhile, I’ll continue making myself feel old by recalling the days when a Mitsubishi Eclipse (GSX, natch) was something to get excited about.
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Many people says they long for the return of the Starion. One company did produce something along the line of the Starion: the Hyundai Genesis coupe. If the demands were really there for Starion-like smallish, sleek RWD coupe, it would be flying off the dealer lot. It didn't, so don't expect Mitsubishi to follow the same road either.
Except is the Eclipse really the last mid-sized Japanese specialty vehicle? I mean, it's the last holdout from the '90s, but does it really do anything that the Scion tC or Nissan Altima coupe don't do in an equally mediocre manner?
Reliability? Since reliability has come up, here is one man's experience '90 Laser turbo FWD, purchased new. Recall for an O2 sensor. Recall for a timing belt tensioner. Exhaust manifold bolt sheared by different aluminum block / iron manifold thermal expansion rates. Repaired on warranty near end of the 7 year period. Just rolled 100,000 miles two months ago. Cruise control is intermittent, and of course works fine when its taken to the repair shop. Air conditioning finally leaked its old refrigerant last August, will need a conversion kit for the new refrigerants out there. Oh, and on about the 4th or 5th set of rear hatch struts. One regular maintenance item that makes me crazy because it is a ridiculously expensive job . . the toothed rubber timing belt, on the third one of those. I still love the car. Smooth 4 banger, fast around curves, strong acceleration , and quite fuel efficient. 30mpg overall. That is it. Over 100,000 miles, well admittedly no Toyota. Wanna hear how many repairs to prior early 80's chevy? That could take all day.
A sad mighty fall from grace. Mitubushi actually made and sold some worthy vehicles here in the U.S from the 80's on Cordia, Trendia, Galant and the Sigma which was replaced by the Diamante. The 3000GT was ahead of it's time w/AWD, Turbo. The retractable conv't version is a future collectable.