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Mention the Mitsubishi Eclipse and memories instantly point to the turbocharged, all-wheel-drive GSX of 1990-1999. Sure, almost nobody bought it, but it's the one that filled the automotive history books. As the sports coupe that could burn any challenger, be raced year-round in any weather, and paved Mitsubishi's inroads to the aftermarket, it was one glorious decade for the nameplate indeed.
But not all halos burn brightly enough, because Mitsubishi decided the benefits of the GSX, direct or otherwise, weren't lucrative enough to justify all the extra engineering expense. So the simplified Eclipse of the new millennium got more mainstream drivetrains, more comfort and refinement, more weight, and a new V6 at the top of the roster. "Geo-mechanical" styling aside, the third-generation Eclipse got deeply in touch with its sedan roots.
Those who have been hoping for a return to the 90s will have to keep on hoping for now, because it certainly didn't happen this year. What did happen is that the Eclipse moved over to a bigger, stiffer platform with new powerplants, and one of them boasts 53 more horsepower than the fastest Eclipses of days past. Hmm, what will the enthusiasts think? Next Page
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