In yet anothereffort to stop its downward spiral, Mitsubishi Motors North America hasreleased sketches of the two models it will debut at the
Detroit auto show in January and put on sale laternext year.Those would bethe all-new Raider pickup and the latest iteration of the Eclipse ''sportycoupe,'' both of which feature exterior and interior designs from the company'sdesign studio in southern California.
According toMitsubishi, the ''Raider pickup is crafted using forceful and striking linesthat derive from the basic concept and styling of the Sport Truck Concept thecompany displayed at the 2004 Detroit Motor Show.'' Raider will geta 3.7-liter V-6 and 4.7-liter V-8 engines when it arrives next fall, attachedto a four-speed automatic, with a six-speed manual available on certain trimlevels. It will come inan extended cab featuring ''a center hinge rear door for occasional use,'' or adouble-cab, in two- and four-wheel-drive.Raider will alsoget a fully-boxed steel frame ''ideally suited to pickup use,'' an independentfront suspension that ''gives excellent road performance while matching pickuprequirements,'' and Bluetooth technology for such interior communications use suchas the hands-free operation of cell phones.
The latestEclipse is the fourth generation in the series and is said to be ''distinguishedby dynamic lines and muscular styling.''Power will comefrom either a 2.4-litre inline-four or a 3.8-litre V-6. The smaller engine willget a five-speed manual or a five-speed automatic, while the bigger engine willbe available with either a six-speed manual or an optional five-speed automaticwith sport mode.Important optionalfeatures include 18-inch alloy wheels and a 650-watt Rockford FosgateR
audiosystem with a six-CD in-dash changer, MP3 playback, and nine speakers witha 10-inch subwoofer available.Whatever thepowertrain or upscale equipment, the intent of Eclipse is to offer ''exhilaratingperformance that fully embodies Mitsubishi's Sporty DNA'' when it goes on salenext summer.
photo: Mitsubishi Motors North America