From its beginnings in 1990, the Mitsubishi Eclipse has been a fun car. Many young people are attracted to the fun design of this little sports coupe. While the car has done quite well for Mitsubishi dealerships across the United States, the car is quite popular as a used car as well.
The car was named after a racehorse from the eighteenth century that won an astounding 26 races in one year. Like its namesake, the sports car has eclipsed many other cars in its class.
Because of an alliance between Mitsubishi and Chrysler, the Eclipse was not the only sports coupe with this design that was released at this time. Though most do not realize it, the Mitsubishi Eclipse is not an only child. A close look at two other automobiles will reveal that the car has relatives or twins is more likely the case. The twins are known to most as the Eagle Talon and the Plymouth Laser. Slight design changes and a much more aggressive advertising campaign led the Mitsubishi Eclipse to the top of the pact. Not surprisingly all three of the vehicles were produced in the same plant.
There are Mitsubishi car clubs in most states and the central theme seems to be added an assortment of aftermarket parts to achieve interesting and unique results. Car kits can be purchased for just about every enhancement imaginable for these little cars. From distinctive ground effects to unusual spoiler designs, the sky seems to be the limit for changing the looks of the car.
These aftermarket car kits are fairly easy to come by but some novices may have difficulty installing them if a screwdriver is a new instrument to them. However, on the good side of this there are many Mitsubishi Eclipse forums out there and most of the time they appear to be quite helpful. The sites themselves appear to be run by Eclipse owners who are bound to have plenty of advice to give on what to buy and how to do it.
There is some debate on which year was the Mitsubishi Eclipse’s best year. 1996 saw a major body style change and some feel that this was not in keeping with the traditional look of the Eclipse. The numbers definitely agree with this opinion as 1996 saw a definite slip in sales. Many linked this drop in sales directly with the body style change. Most complaints centered around the shorter and thicker body that was given to the 1996 Eclipse. This was a definite departure from the long lines and curvaceous body that the previous year models had carried. Where this was, the reason is still a matter of debate; however, the designers at Mitsubishi must have felt this was a possibility because by the year 2000, the longer look of the early nineties returned.
The sports car appears to have a sound following and one can expect this cute little sports car will continue to be a popular one for a while.
