There’s an Eclipse out there today. You don’t see one everyday, but from time to time you might catch a glimpse. No, I’m not talking about the once-in-a-century solar eclipse that is running from coast to coast in North America today, I’m talking about that car from Mitsubishi!
I want to know what you think is the best Eclipse ever made. I don’t just mean stock, because we all know the answer lies somewhere in the 1990 through 1994 first-generation cars. It can be any modified Eclipse under the sun (even if that sun is obscured by the moon).
Also, show me the worst Eclipse examples you can find too! Sound off in the comments.
[Image courtesy By IFCAR – Own work, Public Domain, Link]
Hooniverse Asks: What are the best and worst Eclipse cars ever made?
By Jeff Glucker
Aug 21, 2017
By Jeff Glucker
Jeff Glucker is the co-founder and Executive Editor of Hooniverse.com. He’s often seen getting passed as he hustles a 1991 Mitsubishi Montero up the 405 Freeway. IG: @HooniverseJeff
Sadly, there are no longer any in existence – they’re now just memories (I hate you F&F), but an UNMODIFIED, ’97-’99 GSX is the best Eclipse – end of the argument
http://images.automotive.com/review_images/99eclipse.jpg
I’d have to agree with this. They got the proportions perfect on this one, imo.
I’ll agree with this chassis/model being the best, but it’s hard to root for stock, when there’s dudes like AMS Performance around…
A runner up: I believe HKS did this show car for Mitsubishi, had good visuals, and 400 horses to back it up!
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Z-yTYL_oKAE/S8XtqsNh2KI/AAAAAAAAAqY/ahLi4Af4IVY/s1600/2006-mitsubishi-eclipse-r-5_800x0w.jpg
I can’t take credit for this, but the worst Eclipse is Bonnie Tyler’s, as every now and then it falls apart (although I suppose that’s standard DSM).
I don’t know if it’s just what I’m more familiar with (as we didn’t get Mitsubishis in Canada until 2000 or so, around the time the 3rd gen came out), but I prefer the Eagle Talon (especially the late 2nd gen).
And there’s nothing she can do about it either. Sounds like a solid case for more mechanical education.
Either way, I didn’t know Mitsubishi was so late to enter the Canadian market. What were they afraid of?
I assume it must have been a non-competition agreement with Chrysler, as most Mitsu products were sold as captive imports until around ’98 when Eagle was phased out. Either that, or because there was already a wide dealer network in place selling the exact same cars, it would’ve been too much of a risk.
The best Eclipse is the 1990-1991 GSX model with turbo and AWD. I didn’t like the wedgey exposed headlights on the 1992 facelift. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b9b66bedc4db8a0458cd66f2e08eaa4304747e79f10d8ff7f73633d158ec2c0c.jpg
Here’s the worst I could find – a wrecked 4th-generation fatso model. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/4607ca045fa3182f6dd57338773e415176af75b7056b2a2dfd4cf029022e49df.jpg
Total(ed) Eclipse.
The only Eclipse I have experience with is my tank bag
since I goofed the image embed, see below for a new one and imagine it fade to a dark gray from 25 years of UV exposure.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e85fdacef4f88011fb750edb2a61fcb1953f8e24c6a969560c03cb45d92bda09.jpg
AMC Sundancer was certainly more rare than a Mitsubishi Eclipse, but there are probably more of them left these days.
http://hooniverse.info/2015/06/07/oddball-convertible-weekend-the-amc-sundancer/
Same with Honda Del Sol.
for any statement of qualities, one simply must have a list of requirements. even if the qualities are for the worse or the best of something. so, on the list of qualities for “best” we should have “proportion”. available colors, comfort-not really an objective observation as beauty is indeed in the eye of the beholder- and wheels/tires which do not protrude into the other lanes. add more as you see fit.
for the qualities of worse thru hideous one can always start by identifying those vehicles with any sort of wing or aero device which extends above the roof line, beyond the side of the car, or a wing which has so many airfoils that when generating downforce(or lift for those who put them on wrong) that it generates drag in excess of what the bare car body would have had without such accoutrements.
the 90-91 GSX meets the requirements for “best”. 97-99 GSX is merely “good”.
The forgotten Diamondstar car, the Plymouth Laser RS Turbo AWD.
http://www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/comment-image/99482.jpg
Probably the rarest of the Eclipse, Talon, Laser crowd.
I have no good memory of the Eclipse. I recall riding shotgun in an AWD one that had impressive acceleration but was basically an unsteerable bullet. It didn’t strike me as something I’d want to drive. In fact, I was looking endearingly to the 60s after that ride.
They were all fucking terrible. I’m a former Mitsubishi technician. Ugh.