That's what I like best about the Eclipse Concept. It comes across less flashy, more honest. It looks like a car that has a purpose, and won't stop at anything before it delivers it. That same straight forward approach makes the cabin quite inviting. It's not especially warm or clubby, that is unless its prospective owner belongs to the Modern Art Society. It is contemporary though, wonderfully clean and once again purposeful.
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| The Eclipse Concept looks like a car that has a purpose, and won't stop at anything before it delivers it. (Photo: Mitsubishi Motors North America) |
A glass roof sheds light on titanium and copper toned metals that accent an earth-tone cockpit, highlighted by what look like metal racing-style seats, complete with cutouts for a four-point harness, and just in front of the driver's metalized leather unit, a brown leather-wrapped steering wheel frames a unique pod-style "wave" design floating instrument cluster. The gearshift lever looks more like a video game joystick than more conventional shifters, duplicated in style with each door panel grab handle. Just above, where a center stack would normally be, Mitsubishi shows off the future of infotainment systems shrouded with a flush transparent cover and integrated trackball-style actuator. The Deep Video Imaging system features Multi-Layer Displays (MLD).
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| Mitsubishi adds a hybrid gasoline-electric system dubbed E-Boost, which links up a sophisticated 3.8-L V6 with MIVEC up front and a 201-hp (150 kW) electric motor in the rear. (Photo: Mitsubishi Motors North America) |
While high-tech it's nothing compared to this prototype's powertrain. All four wheels receive power, nothing new for old Eclipse fans here, but that's where the similarity takes a detour. Mitsubishi adds a hybrid gasoline-electric system dubbed E-Boost, which links up a sophisticated 3.8-L V6 with MIVEC (Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing and lift Electronic Control) up front and a 201-hp (150 kW) electric motor in the rear, for a symbiotic 450+ total horsepower. Connected to such a power source its automatic gearbox with Sportronic manual-mode seems anticlimactic.
Its 20-inch alloy rims don't though. No less than nine spokes appear as dramatic as they no doubt perform. Behind the spokes are massive Brembo disc brakes, looking up to the task of bringing the car's rapid acceleration quickly under control.