If it's true that time varies depending on the speed at which you travel, then buyers of the all-new 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse should prepare to age gracefully. This year, Mitsubishi's hot hatch becomes a full-fledged Grand Touring coupe. The Eclipse now surpasses the Ford Mustang V6 in terms of power, while overwhelming another sporty coupe segment rival, Acura's RSX, with 260 lbs.-ft. of torque. New from the ground up, the only thing the Eclipse has in common with the car it replaces is its name.
In addition to the practicality provided by virtue of a roomy interior, the 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse represents advances in styling, engine output and ride comfort. Designed to combine exotic styling and performance with the utility of a daily driver, the new two-door Eclipse coupe sports an impressive power range, room for four adults, and several new safety and luxury amenities without sacrificing the incredible value that the Eclipse name has come to represent.
"The 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse is a thrilling new model in this segment," said Richard Gilligan, president and chief executive officer of Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. "This all-new vehicle features an outstanding design, incredible power and excellent ride and handling characteristics."
In order to succeed in the sporty coupe segment, Mitsubishi Motors made substantial gains in a number of areas. The all-new 2006 Eclipse is a new car from the ground up, from its sturdy new unibody frame, to its more powerful and more refined powertrain options.
Built on a Solid Foundation
The 2006 Eclipse is carved from a solid new foundation. From the floorpan to the roof, the Eclipse has a stronger, more rigid platform. Every opening in the body - including doors, hatch and engine compartment - has been reinforced to help resist the bending and twisting forces exerted on an automobile. The body employs high tensile strength steel panels to reduce body weight and increase body rigidity, as well as new straight frame rails. The Eclipse's robust structure is the key to its ride quality, handling feel, safety and overall refinement.
Mitsubishi dealerships will showcase the 2006 Eclipse beginning in late May, 2005. The four-passenger, two-door coupe is powered by a choice of two robust engines that are designed to produce the majority of their torque at lower revolutions. The Eclipse GS is equipped with a 2.4-liter engine mated to either a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual transmission, and the 3.8-liter V6 equipped GT comes with a new six-speed manual or five-speed automatic that, like the four-speed, has a Sportronic(TM) mode which allows drivers to manually engage their desired gear.
A Sports Coupe for the Mitsubishi Sports Car Family
"The new Eclipse is the fourth generation vehicle to wear the name, but the first-ever based on a platform designed and built expressly for the North American market," said Gilligan. "Adding to a North American-built lineup that includes the Galant sedan and the Endeavor SUV, the Eclipse offers a refined chassis that exhibits stable, predictable road manners. In a sense, the comfortable and easy-to-drive Eclipse is the yin to the pure sports car yang of the Lancer Evolution."
Given its size, sophistication, appointments, configurations and price structure, the Eclipse is positioned to attract a wide variety of coupe buyers who appreciate sporty styling and performance at an attainable base price.
Room to Move
Along with refined chassis tuning, a successful Grand Touring coupe needs to offer seating and cargo capacity for everyday needs. To increase driver- and front passenger room, the Eclipse's height was increased by nearly two inches, to 53.5 inches (or 53.8 inches when equipped with optional 18-inch wheels and tires). Thanks to its wider track, overall passenger volume was also increased by over two cubic feet - to a generous 81.6 cu ft. - offering room to stretch during the drive and room for easier ingress and egress. The Eclipse leads its class in front shoulder room, providing 54.2 inches of shoulder space for front passengers. The driver and passenger view the road from an elevated position, on comfortable front seats that are among the widest in the class.
Passenger comfort is enhanced by a thoughtfully designed and well-tuned chassis, which combined with efficient fuel economy, makes the Eclipse an ideal vehicle for long drives. An intelligently designed rear suspension utilizes a low-mounted multi-link configuration which not only creates an excellent ride and stable handling, but also helps reduce road noise and improves quietness. The easy-to-operate hatch - complete with an exterior switch that does not require a key to open - swings up to offer a large cargo area, and the latch has been redesigned not to lock when only half closed. To minimize hassle while loading or unloading cargo, the hatch features a wide opening and a low lift-over, and the 50:50 split-folding rear seats offer convenience and adaptability.
"High-Style" Exterior
The Eclipse's exterior design makes a bold visual statement about the product and the person who owns it, distinguishing itself from the traditional, conservative or retro styling of segment competitors. The Eclipse's athletic fender arches, wind tunnel-inspired front fascia and long, arching C-pillar help the Eclipse carve out its own unique style.
The Eclipse's purposeful front and rear fenders help communicate an image of stability and power. The vehicle's strong visual silhouette is wedge-shaped, highlighted by a forward cab and wasp-like waistline that screams athlete. From the front, the larger fenders help accommodate the wide 61.8-inch track and reinforce the Eclipse's bold hunkered-down stance. Large lower air intakes in the front fascia also convey an image of aggressiveness and purpose. The Eclipse's sleek exterior styling also results in a low coefficient of drag. The Eclipse offers attractive exterior paint finishes with highlights that add depth and appeal to the sheetmetal.
Interior
"Our goal with the design was to create an attainable exotic," said Daniel Sims, general manager of Mitsubishi Design America, who led the Eclipse design team. "With the Eclipse interior, we wanted to create that 'wow' factor, so that the first time you look inside, you see it as an exotic machine."
The cockpit is one of sporty, driver-oriented and futuristic design. The Eclipse's dashboard is composed of a sculpted, modern form housing user-friendly, intuitive controls for both the driver and the front passenger. The center dash features a prominent climate and audio control stack that was designed to resemble a modern, high-tech home-audio interface with large control knobs and fin-shut vents. Atop this center panel is a signature Mitsubishi LCD display that provides radio, clock and directional information. At night, the gauges, interior control knobs, and switches are illuminated with striking ice-blue LED lamps that help create a sophisticated interior ambience.
Everyday usability was a primary goal in designing the all-new Eclipse interior, evidenced by the large-capacity glove box and numerous secondary cubbies and storage compartments. The center console includes a pair of large-volume cup holders located in front a folding storage compartment that is spacious enough to store a wallet, small purse or several CDs, while also housing a 12-volt power outlet. Both the Eclipse's dash and door panels are covered in upscale, modern, padded and textured materials that match the seat coverings.
The Eclipse provides superior comfort with one-piece sport seats that offer support as well as class-leading shoulder and hip room. Depending on the trim level, the seats are covered in cloth or leather, and they feature deep accent lines to help emphasize their sporty appearance. Leather seating surfaces are available as part of the Premium Package on the Eclipse GT. In the interest of reducing fatigue and increasing comfort during long drives, the Eclipse is equipped with ideally positioned door panel armrests and a large center console armrest pad.
Drivetrain and Chassis
The Eclipse is powered by one of two engines. A responsive 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine, standard on the GS, develops 162 horsepower and 162 lbs.-ft. of torque, thanks to Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing and lift Electronic Control (MIVEC). Through this system, which makes use of different sized cam lobes to increase lift for continuous power, the entry-level Eclipse achieves a very high level of performance.
For anyone who equates power with luxury, the GT trim line offers just that. The Eclipse GT comes standard with a 3.8-liter, 60-degree, SOHC V6 engine - also enhanced by the MIVEC system - that is ideally suited to provide brisk acceleration for spirited driving while maintaining efficient fuel economy. Rated at 263 horsepower at 5750 rpm, with peak torque of 260 lbs.-ft. at 4500 rpm, the V6 provides plenty of power and tremendous torque from a wide part of its rev range. The engine's intake and exhaust are tuned to achieve maximum torque early in the rev-range for strong acceleration the instant the throttle is engaged, almost regardless of engine speed.
Revised ignition timing, and an improved EGR (Exhaust Gas Recovery) rate provide improved fuel economy over the previous V6 engine. Additional rigidity incorporated into the 3.8-liter block and the engine mounting areas also brings a reduction in NVH (Noise Vibration and Harshness).
The 3.8-liter V6 engine is mated to either a sophisticated five-speed automatic transmission with Sportronic(TM) shifting, or a new six-speed manual. The automatic transmission features fully adaptive shift control that "learns" driver inputs and tailors transmission operation to their habits. Both engines are mated to transmissions equipped with final drive ratios that are optimized to improve the vehicle's off-the-line acceleration, while upper gear ratios are well suited for highway performance.
Suspension and Steering
The Eclipse's four-wheel independent suspension was designed to provide superior stability, excellent ride quality and nimble handling. The Eclipse utilizes a proven MacPherson strut design front suspension. A large, rigid cross member minimizes the torsional flexing forces of the front sub-frame, improving suspension performance while also reducing NVH.
The rear suspension utilizes a low-mounted, multi-link configuration with trailing arms. Rigid cross members also help reduce road noise and improve suspension performance by reinforcing the rear suspension mounting points to reduce flex. The Eclipse's wide, 61.8-inch (1570 mm) front and rear track provide superior stability and control. In the interest of handling, ride quality, and style, the Eclipse is equipped with attractive 17-inch, five-spoke aluminum wheels with 225/50R17 V-rated tires or optional 18-inch, seven-spoke aluminum wheels wrapped in wide 235/45R18 V-rated rubber.
The Eclipse utilizes a proven rack-and-pinion power steering system designed to provide the direct feeling and response of a sports car, while the system's effort multiplication provides the low-speed steering control that makes parking and low-speed maneuvering so easy.
Safety and Brakes
Eclipse's unibody structure features extensive reinforcement for additional passenger protection in the event of a collision. Robust front subframe members are connected with a dash panel crossmember and strong, front steel crossmember to help create a rigid boxed section front subframe area. Reinforced side sill members also help disperse energy in the event of a collision. High-strength steel cross members across the floor also help absorb side impact energy and help protect occupants. In the interest of front passenger safety, all Eclipses are equipped with advanced front airbags, front seat mounted side-impact airbags and side curtain airbags.
Pre-tensioning seat belts with force limiters also are standard equipment on Eclipse. Energy absorbing materials appear extensively on the interior and headliner and are used to cover the inside of the front center and C-pillars and help reduce the possibility of injury during a collision.
Four-wheel disc brakes are standard on Eclipse. The front ventilated discs measure 11.6 inches. Rear brakes are 10.3-inch solid discs on the GS, and 11.2-inch ventilated discs on the GT. Coupled with ABS (standard on both GS and GT) and electronic brake force distribution (EBD) systems, the Eclipse's powerful brakes provide excellent control during panic stops and on rain-soaked roads.
Premium Audio
Mitsubishi Motors and Rockford Corporation have teamed up to offer a high fidelity/high output Rockford Fosgate audio system for the 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse. A leader in aftermarket car audio systems for 25 years, Rockford offers Eclipse buyers the first OEM personal sound-setting memory option, and their aggressive PUNCH(R) signature sound, delivering dynamic output with the high impact bass of a premium aftermarket system.
The Eclipse's optional premium audio system features 650-watt amplification with nine speakers including a 10-inch, long-throw subwoofer in a fiberglass reinforced acoustic suspension enclosure. The six-disc, in-dash CD changer also plays MP3 files. In addition to the usual bass, midrange, treble, fader and balance controls, the Eclipse's advanced Digital Signal Processor (DSP) gives the user total control over the subwoofer "punch" level. It offers custom music genre equalizer settings and sound field image settings including: Normal, Stage, Live and Hall. The Rockford Fosgate system also offers an industry-first DSP sound setting memory function that allows users to configure all eight DSP settings and save them in six preset locations for their favorite CDs, artists, or music genres
Manufacturing
As part of Mitsubishi's Project America initiative, all Eclipses will be built by the manufacturer ranked first in 2003 (Harbor Report North America) in assembly productivity among North American manufacturers. The Mitsubishi manufacturing plant in Normal, Illinois, is not only one of the most efficient, but also one of the most flexible automotive assembly facilities on the planet. With the new Eclipse, the facility will be producing a total of four different cars and trucks: a coupe (Eclipse), a convertible (Eclipse Spyder), a sedan (Galant), and an SUV (Endeavor).
The Eclipse is an American project from its manufacture to exterior design and detail-oriented interior specification. Based on an all-new platform and designed to meet the needs of the North American market, the Eclipse's mechanical design employs cutting-edge engineering and manufacturing technologies that result in a superior vehicle. Above all, the Eclipse makes a resounding statement about its driver by combining bold, modern, distinctive and uniquely Mitsubishi interpretations of what a Grand Touring coupe should be.
Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc., (MMNA) is responsible for all manufacturing, finance, sales, marketing, research and development operations of the Mitsubishi Motors Corporation in the United States and Canada. Mitsubishi Motors sells coupes, convertibles, sedans and sport utility vehicles through a network of approximately 625 dealers. For more information, contact the Mitsubishi Motors News Bureau at (888) 560-6672 or visit media.mitsubishicars.com.
