2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse- exterior design
From its inception, the 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse was designed to make a bold, emotional visual statement. Though few production cars maintain the design integrity of their original concepts, the 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse is one of those rare cases that does. Early concept sketches of the fourth-generation Eclipse are very similar to the final production model. Wheels pushed out to the corners not only help to increase dynamic stability, they also help to convey the bold attitude so important in a sports coupe: "sports" for the way it drives, and "coupe" for way it looks.
Of the entire line of Mitsubishi cars and trucks, the Eclipse is the one that best communicates visually. On the surface, the Eclipse's "skin" appears to be stretched tightly over a well-toned and athletic body. The broad hood and large lower air intake do little to conceal the vehicle's power. The midsection tapers like a waist to convey speed and agility. The sculpted rear end, highlighted by a spoiler integrated into the lid of the hatch, implies a distinct readiness for speed.
"Even when parked, the Eclipse design implies forward motion," said Dan Sims, general manager of Mitsubishi Research and Design North America. "There's a lot of tension inherent in the surface," Sims said. "For example, the profile was designed to resemble the curve of a bow - so even though the car is standing still, it looks and feels as if it's just about to spring."
The Eclipse features chic, modern aesthetic cues sought by consumers who feel that a car's design reflects one's own sense of style. The Eclipse proves that good looks are more than skin deep.
Aerodynamic Curve Appeal
A sports coupe is oftentimes characterized by its physical appearance. The styling of the Eclipse presents a modern, sophisticated two-plus-two coupe. With its gracefully sloping C-pillar and muscular haunches, the Eclipse mimics a crouching feline, making the vehicle appear smaller to the eye than it in fact is. Defined by its sheet metal, the Eclipse is a strong, well-proportioned and athletic machine.
The front of the new Eclipse is composed of an aggressive split grille, a wide center pillar displaying the Mitsubishi badge, and a large lower air intake flanked by fog lights on the GT model. The center pillar rests beneath a ridgeline that bisects the hood, hinting at the state-of-the-art powertrain options just beneath the surface. Integrated bumpers appear to flow smoothly into the fender metal. The large air intake, located in the lower front valance, suggests the purposeful, sporty and sophisticated nature of the Eclipse.
The sports car image is portrayed from every angle. The Eclipse's flanks are defined by strong shoulder lines that begin just aft of the A-pillars and extend the length of the vehicle. Viewed from the side, these shoulder lines flow upward toward the rear and help to create a sense of forward motion. From its low front bumper to its high rear decklid, the Eclipse's wedge shape helps it to achieve a 0.35 coefficient of drag (cd), which helps improve fuel economy and performance by reducing the wind resistance that the vehicle must overcome at highway speeds. In addition, the windshield molding and side mirrors are designed to reduce turbulence and wind noise and improve visibility in wet conditions.
The Eclipse's sporty car appeal is further enhanced by its large wheels and tires. Standard wheels measure 17 inches, and 18-inch lipless alloys are optional equipment on the Eclipse GT.
Exterior Dimensions
The 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse is more substantial in every dimension; compared to the previous model, the new Eclipse is longer, wider and taller. The stretched wheelbase and front and rear tracks also are wider than ever before. At 179.7 inches, the overall length of Eclipse has increased by nearly three inches. The wheelbase has increased by a half inch, to its current length of 101.4 inches. The wheels have been relocated to the corners of the vehicle, which improves balance and handling stability while optimizing the driver's cabin. The stretched wheelbase, 61.8-inch track width - widest in its class - and 72.2 inches of overall width help the Eclipse to maximize interior passenger room.
Exterior Colors
The exterior colors available on the Eclipse combine a mechanical, metallic tinted effect with warm earth tones to create a rich, upscale appearance. The chromatic exterior colors help to accentuate the chiseled forms and sophisticated appeal of the Eclipse's sheet metal. The eight exterior colors are Liquid Silver, Ultra Red, Pure Red, Titanium Pearl, Solid Black, Frost White Pearl, UV Blue and Sunset Pearlescent.
Sunroof
Adopting the "outer-slide" design on the sunroof allows for a larger opening than the sunroofs found on most coupes. The increased size of Eclipse's sunroof helps introduce more sunlight into the passenger compartment, creating the sense of a more spacious interior. To further reduce wind noise, the glass molding has been integrated into the glass itself, eliminating any separation or "step" between parts. As a safety precaution for the North American market, the Eclipse's sunroof no longer features an automatic closing feature, and must be closed by manually holding the button. Front and side wind deflectors help reduce wind turbulence and lower interior noise levels. The power sunroof is optional on Eclipse GS and standard on GT, and includes an overhead map lamp, and dual illuminated visor vanity mirrors.
Hatch
The hatch on the Eclipse is designed to facilitate the loading and unloading of goods from the cargo area. The trunk aperture measures 37 inches across at the taillights, which provides more than enough elbow room to load and unload bulky items. Pressurized gas springs improve the operation of the tailgate by reducing the amount of force required to start lifting the lid. For convenience, the key fob features a remote switch to activate the latch and a power switch was added to the back of the gate just beneath the center light to make it easy to open the lid from outside without using a key. A new assembly in the tailgate latch ensures that the latch will not lock in a half-latched position.
Front Lamps
The Eclipse's front headlights utilize an efficient double-filament lamp with a multi-parabola lens and a blue-tint "monocle" lens. By optimizing the shape of the multi-parabola lens to maximize the bulb's projection, the beam pattern has been enhanced to help provide superior nighttime visibility. The front turn signal indicator, front side marker and front side reflex reflector have also been integrated into the front lamp assembly to create an effective, compact, composite light unit. The Eclipse GT includes the fog lamp kit as standard equipment, and all Eclipse models feature the auto-off halogen lamps as standard equipment.
Rear Lamps
The Eclipse rear lamps combine the rear turn signal, rear tail and brake lamp, reverse lamp and reflex reflector in a compact size. The LED light source eliminates the need for red lenses and combines with the clear outer lens to create a fresh new high-tech look. An aluminized reflector adds brightness to the beams and improves visibility. Adopting LEDs also improves response time for the stop lamp to illuminate.
Exterior Equipment
Unique visual details help to distinguish between GS and GT trim lines. The base-level GS is equipped with 17-inch, five-spoke aluminum alloy wheels, colored-keyed side mirrors and door handles, and features a center-mounted LED brake light in the integrated hatch spoiler. The Eclipse GT offers optional 18-inch, seven-spoke aluminum alloy wheels, as well as a unique stainless steel exhaust tip and a pair of fog lamps mounted in the lower front fascia as standard equipment.
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