http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/12/ra_becomes_new_eclipse.jpg

"This is not just rumormill, this is rumors of hints and suggestions made by anonymous people. Just last week we wondered whether Mitsubishi's Concept-RA would lead to a new -- and proper -- Eclipse. What Car? went further, and although citing nothing more than "insiders," said that the red zinger "could be a forerunner for a new Eclipse coupe, which could go on sale in Europe."

True, that's a lot of coulds. But it wasn't so long ago that the Eclipse was an object of desire, and there can't be any doubt that Mitsubishi would love to see those days return -- especially after watching rival Nissan revive brand lust by slowly reinjecting its products with feeling.

Mitsubishi's attempt to mainstream the Eclipse robbed it of the fan base it had and yet didn't grow a new one. We suppose the questions, as always, would be money and the business case, but we for one would love to see Mitsu do that car, right there, in the picture above, as the new Eclipse. If they could get enough other people behind it, we wouldn't be surprised if they did. (Hint: that means it's time to tell them what you think. The comments box is waiting. Europeans are welcome.)

[Source: What Car?]"

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/02/rumormill-mitsubishi-concept-ra-may-hint-at-eclipse-for-europe/

NOO COME TO NA!!

2nd gen eclipses > *.

After that, they went down the shitter.

6 bolt 2nd gen eclipses > *.

After that, they went down the shitter.


Corrected. :)

I would personally love to see the Eclipse make a huge revival in the United States. When they made the 3rd generation Eclipse for model year 2000, the public was aghast at what had happend to the brand line that they had so come to love. The loyalists and faithful who ended up getting the 3rd generation Eclipse (myself included) soon found themselves at a loss for words. It looked nice from afar. Sleek body lines and a front that was indicative of the FTO in Japan. But then you started to look at the Pontiac-GT-esque indent lines on the door, the way the suspension liked to bottom out and especially the tin-foil rims (that we went into a class action lawsuit with Mitsubishi over) and you realized why sales were so trudgingly slow for that particular car. Not to mention it was based on the same Galant of that year and the luster of it was really put in check. Upgradability on it was scarce and there wasn't much aftermarket support for that car. I remember achieving pimp-status when I got the Greddy EVO catback exahust for my 3G. Then I remembered the flow of bent rims that I kept on getting repaired. Then the lowering springs and shocks. The sound system... the RIPP supercharger... the KAAZ differential... it started adding up more and more for less and less return. And then came the 4th generation Eclipse in 2006. It was an exciting car to be seen at the autoshow, but Mitsubishi's American staff (who was in charge of the project as well as the 0-0-0 program that almost killed us) watered it down to something that people didn't desire anymore. It simply existed, feeding off the legacy of it's namesake. For years, I've heard rumors of the return of the GSX... HKS and Mitsubishi even went into partnership to create a 4th generation Eclipse that had an Endeavor rear end, coupled with an Evo MR motor, transmission and transfercase for the first known manufacturer built AWD Eclipse since 1999. Of course once the cost cutters got wind of how much it would actually cost to make this car, it was scrapped. I would love to get back into an Eclipse one day. Owning 2 (soon to be 3) Evos is nice, but the Eclipse did start it all here in the U.S. and I would love to see it make a very successful comeback.