2000 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT

Boy racers (some of them on the MT staff) will be disappointed to learn the new Eclipse is no longer the turbocharged, all-wheel-drive, performance-at-all-costs car it once was, but then again, they didn't buy many of those cars, anyway-almost nobody did. In fact, only about 15 percent of all Eclipses sold were turbocharged models, and less than a third of those were all-wheel-drive GSX derivatives-do the math and you find that GSX Eclipses accounted for only 5 percent of all those sold. With those limited sales numbers attached to a pricetag approaching the size of some more well-mannered imports, the fate of the "ultra" Eclipse, as we knew it, was sealed. Enter the current era of platform sharing, and the Eclipse could again make financial sense. By sharing the new-for-'99 Galant platform, as well as its 155-horsepower inline-four or 205-horsepower V-6 engine and suspension hardware, the engineers and designers were given an opportunity to expand the appeal and marketability of the stylish 2+2 model. But, as we've seen with other sport coupes that have tried to go mainstream, there's a danger of losing the original car's cultish appeal in favor of a watered down, less-offensive-in a sense "safer"-design. Dan Sims, chief designer at Mitsubishi's Design Center, stated, "Broad appeal often translates to 'boring.'"

As you can see from Sims' SST concept car, and the production Eclipse alongside, he's certainly not in danger of boring anyone with his designs. They're sporting, futuristic, industrial, and original. While interviewing Sims for this test, we were surprised to learn that he began designing the Eclipse before the SST concept car-by a couple of years, in fact.

Just as the current model Eclipse (known internally as the F24S) hit the showrooms in '95, Sims went to work designing the new production car (code-named ST24S) you see here. Only a year after that was the 2000 Eclipse's design fixed, and a full year later, in '97, he began working on the SST concept car.

On the SST, the side strakes are exaggerated, as are the wheel arches and grille, all of which are admittedly a bit excessive. In fact many of the details of the SST are produced only by skilled modelers' hands and are not feasible, nor even possible, for production.

As we walked around the new Eclipse, Sims pointed out that many of the edge details (like those defining the sharp leading and soft trailing edges of the wheelwells, the abrupt edge on the rocker panel, and even the trailing edge of the C-pillar) are the result of extensive wind-tunnel testing. Although these subtle sharp and round edge treatments seem only a design element, they also perform an important aerodynamic role, helping the car achieve a 0.30 coefficient of drag. That explanation aside, staff opinions on the bolder look were still divided.

Inside, this Eclipse feels far larger than its predecessor, especially in the rear where the former "micro-buckets" are now real seats. Two reasonably sized adults can be comfortable in the back for a short ride, and they don't have to crane their necks to the side as before. Up front, the additional room is a function of clever design with large proportions and open, airy volumes of space. The previous Eclipse's wraparound cockpit, although intimate, was abandoned for a roomier and more symmetrical design. The optional leather-faced seats are firm and supportive, and the adjustable-height steering wheel and wonderful short-throw shifter are perfectly placed.

The audio AM/FM/CD system is now in a more useable location in the dashboard, while the audio/clock are displayed on a completely separate pod atop the dash. Adjusting the stereo in one place and looking elsewhere for the readout takes a bit of getting used to, but eventually makes sense. Once your fingers memorize which buttons change which selections, your eyes barely need to leave the road to affirm the changes you've made to the audio.