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Today, Mitsubishi announced that its next model will be called the Eclipse Cross, acknowledging the defunct sport compact beloved by enthusiasts and teenage girls alike while simultaneously spitting on its memory. “Cross is short for crossover,” Mitsubishi helpfully explained in its announcement, as if anyone would have had trouble piecing that puzzle together.
“Eclipse is a word used to describe an astronomical event,” the Japanese automaker continued. “Marrying stylish coupe lines with the freedom of movement the SUV genre gives, the Eclipse Cross’ beautiful, dynamic form serves to bring about the same sense of excitement and inspiration as the diamond ring seen immediately before and after a total solar eclipse does.”
That’s sounds a lot better than saying it looks a lot like a Honda CR-V with a dash of Outlander.
Mitsubishi, like every automaker, is desperately trying to flesh-out its SUV lineup. It plans to shrink the next-generation Outlander Sport to help distinguish it from the much-larger Outlander. Changing the name might also help. Perhaps “Starion Cross” would work while remaining true to this new naming strategy.
The original Eclipse ushered in the 1990s as an American-made Japanese car riding on the Chrysler D platform, produced — along with the Eagle Talon and Plymouth Laser — as part of the collaborative Diamond Star Motors program. The coupe’s third generation garnered lackluster feedback from the press, mainly for being muted and unexciting, and sales took a death plunge. It died in its fourth generation, less popular than ever and sharing its platform with the Endeavor and Galant.
The Eclipse Cross will be unveiled at next month’s Geneva International Motor Show, with Mitsubishi hoping to evoke fond memories of the once-popular sporty compact and better years gone by.
[Image: Mitsubishi Motors]
*crickets*
So, will there be an Eclipse Coupe? Or an Eclipse Please God Somebody Buy This?
As of now I can only confirm the possibility of the latter. Why they wouldn’t tease a coupe and genuinely appeal to DSM fans is beyond me. I’d like to be able to report on a turbocharged coupe but I’ve got the feeling I won’t be afforded the opportunity.
What’s next, a 3 cylinder Chevelle?
You mean a Chevel? Or Chvl?
All GenX-ers must be feeling so old right now.
This is like seeing your high school crush at the mall. Only now she’s 40 pounds heavier, herding three kids, and wearing mom jeans. Suddenly the passing of 20 years seems like the best reason ever to just give up.
I’ll pour one out tonight in memory of my ’96 Eclipse GS-T. I am sad… and have moved yet another inch closer to official “old” status.
My first car was a first generation Eclipse GS DOHC.
I loved that car — would totally still own it if it hadn’t been for a few incidents resulting in a bent “frame”, a hood that wasn’t totally aligned after a low speed crash, and some bumper scrapes.
If you have a car in questionable condition, I advise you to trade it in at night, preferably close to when the dealer is closing. Best way to get top dollar for it.
Jeesh- all this piling onto poor ol’ Mitsubishi. I mean really, they made some pretty effective little fighter planes some years back.
Maybe the new model should be named the Zero, go for the nostalgia market.
Yeah I remember them being used “pretty effectively” during Pearl Harbor.
Kwakiutl Bug Monster discovers chrome makeup:
cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/galleries/x701/204944.jpg
So the new Eclipse is a sported-up Outlander CUV? Check please…
Never stare directly at a eclipse.!
die die die die die die die die die
How embarrassing.
In a ‘me too’ market, this offers… what?
I never thought I’d say this, but this actually makes me feel sorry for Eclipse owners.
Mitsubishi, just give up. No one cares about you any longer (did we ever?) and FCA and Nissan will still be around to get sub-prime people in a new car today.
Mitsibishi WAS relevant and people did care about them when they made things that weren’t either painfully boring or impressively awful. I stopped caring when it feels like they did. They ruined the Eclipse, butchered the Mirage, and there is positively no reason to want one of their current CUV/SUV’s when you can find better one (that isn’t a Mitsubishi).
Mitsibishi in the 90’s? Hell yeah. Now? I’ve never seen a brand new car scream “bad financial decisions” for both the driver and the company so loudly
I contend that the Outlander Sport is perfectly competitive in the subcompact CUV market, and beat most other brands to even have an entrant in the genre. The ‘regular’ Outlander is likewise fairly competent/competitive in the lower end of the compact SUV segment. You can find a fairly loaded up Outlander (heated seats, alloys, etc) for the price of a base CRV/Rav4 without even negotiating. The V6 they put in it is a bit odd: not really a substantial improvement in dynamics to justify the fuel expense, but it does drive pretty nice with the 6spd automatic vs. the NVH associated with the CVT+somewhat outdated 2.4L 4cyl (think Rogue but a bit less power).
Yeah, just… no. The Outlander Sport definitely was one of the first subcompact CUVs, and the Outlander is a nice size and you might be able to get one a bit cheaper than a Rav4 (with less safety gear). But those facts don’t make them competitive or competent. They’re just about the worst vehicles in their classes. The powertrains are incredibly outdated, they handle sloppily, they’re noisy inside, and they have abysmal owner satisfaction rankings.
Have you driven one? I drove an Outlander GT last year and found it at least on par with my in-laws’ ’13 Rav4 Limited. To be fair the Mitsu had the optional V6/6A combo, I think the Toyota 2.5/6A is probably a more refined and satisfying pairing than the old Mitsu 2.4/CVT.