Have you Been Eclipsed?

Episode: 0047
Why did the Eclipse get eclipsed in the marketplace?

    Sports cars were all the rage in early 90's and with some help from Chrysler Corp., Mitsubishi eclipsed the world of entry level sports cars.  It would take years for the world to notice this little car, but when they did, the world was Eclipsed by the power of this great little car.  Now with the fall of the sports car world, we were glad the Eclipse came and stayed as long as they did.

    So come with us as we take a look back at this great model and how it came to be and went away with the wind.

​    Mitsubishi may have been a little know automotive manufacture in the 1980's, but with some help from Chrysler Corporation, they became the player they are today.
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    Back in the 80's Chrysler was just getting back on their feet and looking for help to get into the small car market.  With some help from their purchase of American Motors, Chrysler was able to tap into the small car ingenuity of Mitsubishi Motors.  After the demise of AMC, Chrysler gave new life to their end products with the help of Mitsubishi.  From their the Eagle brand was born and with it a need for more import fighting models.
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    The answer came in the form of the Eclipse and with its siblings the Laser and Talon, this little model had enough friends to help it break into the market.  The Laser soon perished with only the Talon living on to help the Eclipse.  Over the next decade the Eclipse broke the barrier for small sports and with some help from a new movie franchise, found new life as highly desirable model.
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    To follow up its fame and fortune Mitsubishi tried to build on what was great about this little model.  But with the fall of 2 Fast, 2 Furious, this model really never had a chance.  And when you consider how the concept looked 100 times better, the movie would not have helped anyways.
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    By the time the sports car industry was retracting, the Eclipse was already on life support and with one last attempt at bringing back the original, Mitsubishi gave us our one last hurrah.  Their last true Eclipse was one that should not be forgotten, but with the use of their name on a CUV now, we probably will.   Never forget how the world was Eclipsed and remember how great the sports cars industry once was.

Everett J.
​#autolooks