The Eclipse You Really Want But Mitsubishi Won’t Touch

  • Designer Enoch Gonzales revives the Mitsubishi Eclipse in coupe format.
  • Aggressive new concept draws inspiration from the second-generation model.
  • Mitsubishi is focused on electrified SUVs, but this is an ICE-powered sports car.

Mitsubishi has rolled out what it calls a a new generation of the Eclipse Cross, but in truth it’s a Renault Scenic E-Tech with different badges and a few token tweaks. Built to satisfy Europe’s growing appetite for electrified crossovers, it feels far removed from the Eclipse name. Meanwhile, an independent design study tries to reimagine the car in a way that feels far more fitting: as a coupe with a combustion engine, just as fans remember it.

The project comes from designer Enoch Gonzales, who has made a name for himself with digital reinterpretations of Mitsubishi icons like the EVO XI and Pajero. For this Eclipse, he drew inspiration from the second-generation model launched in 1994, then layered in modern proportions and detailing to create something that feels both nostalgic and forward-looking.

Throwback lines with fresh intent

Gonzales’ Eclipse is actually a redesigned version of his previous concept from 2018, adopting a more aggressive stance. Up front, slim LED headlamps are cut through by winglets that guide air into functional curtains, framed by deep bumper intakes and a power-domed bonnet.

The profile sticks to the Eclipse playbook with its recognizable greenhouse, neatly tucked door handles, and a roofline that arcs into a proper coupe sweep. At the rear, a full-width light bar nods straight to the second-gen model, its segmented graphics echoing the phases of a lunar eclipse, a detail that’s clever without trying too hard.

More: Next-Gen Mitsubishi Pajero Envisioned With Modern Boxy Looks And An Appetite For Land Cruisers

An Eclipse script stretches across the sculpted rear bumper, a throwback to the third generation launched in 1999. Below that, a diffuser frames four exhaust tips, a not-so-subtle reminder that this Mitsubishi has no interest in charging cables.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Gonzales’ latest Mitsubishi Eclipse might only exist in the digital world, but he has a stellar vision for its mechanical bits. The model could share the platform and powertrain with the latest Nissan Z, taking advantage of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. That pairing would allow the concept’s proportions to work while giving the coupe real-world performance credibility.

More: 2030s Mitsubishi Eclipse EV Is An Unofficial Design Study That Splits Into Two Parts

In this imaginary setup, Nissan’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 would provide 400 horsepower to the rear wheels through either a six-speed manual or nine-speed automatic gearbox. To link the design back to the all-wheel-drive Eclipses of old, Gonzales even imagines a selectable AWD system, ensuring the digital coupe pays respect to its lineage.

Longing for a return

Realistically, Mitsubishi’s current strategy is locked on high-volume electrified crossovers, leaving little chance of a two-door sports car revival. Yet the nostalgia for the Eclipse endures, especially among those who grew up tuning them in the late ’90s and early 2000s. This is evident from the various Eclipse design studies from independent designers we have covered over the years.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Enoch Gonzales


The Auto World

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

This 4,400-Mile VW Jetta Is A Wolfsburg-Built Wormhole Back To 1981

Image
A 1981 VW Jetta survivor has cropped up on an internet auction site showing just 4,400 miles on the clock. The 1.6-liter automatic features Diamond Silver metallic paint, a rip-free black vinyl interior and the huge bumpers demanded by US regulations. Bids close on August 5 on the Bring a Trailer website. Despite SUVs continually eating up sales that would have once gone to traditional mass-market sedans, the VW Jetta survives into the 2025 model year. But how many of those 2025 Jettas will have survived as well as this 1981 car 43 years from now? We’re guessing almost none, because this Mk1 Jetta doesn’t only look well, it’s covered fewer miles in its near-half century on the planet that most cars have after half a year on the road. The anaolog odometer shows just 4,400 miles (7,080 km). Related: 2025 VW Jetta And Jetta GLI Get A Hollywood-Worthy Facelift The Bring a Trailer auction listing doesn’t explain why this Jetta averaged just 100 miles a year since leaving...
Read more

Porsche 911 GT3 RS Owners Can Go Carbon Fiber Crazy Thanks To 1016 Industries

Image
It’s not an exaggeration to say the Porsche 911 GT3 RS is a sports car that needs little to no improvement, but that hasn’t stopped 1016 Industries and 9|Design from joining forces to make it that little more special. While many of the kits produced by 1016 Industries for other vehicles completely overhaul their exterior designs, the changes made to the 911 GT3 RS are more subtle, as the design of the new carbon fiber parts mimics the original plastic ones. At the front of the ultimate 911, the tuners are selling a new front lip with aerodynamic uprights and a carbon fiber bumper insert, priced at $5,995 and $4,395 respectively. It has also crafted new front fender vents, priced at $5,995, while their new carbon hood vents are priced at $4,595 for the pair. The louvers in the hood are now also crafted from carbon fiber and cost $3,895. advertisement scroll to continue The carbon fiber bonanza continues along the sides with wing mirror caps ($2,295), roof rails ($3,995),...
Read more

Sydney Sweeney Customized A 2024 Ford Mustang GT And You Could Win It

Image
Fancy winning a 2024 Ford Mustang GT designed by actress Sydney Sweeney? Well, now is your chance as Ford is running a contest until February 7 with the winner to walk away with a new Mustang that takes inspiration from the 1965 ‘Stang owned by Sweeney. The actress is a noted car enthusiast and has a long affiliation with Ford. She learned to drive in her great-grandfather’s Ford F-100 and during the COVID-19 pandemic, detailed the process of restoring a 1969 Ford Bronco. She has been collaborating with Ford for the past few years and has already released a workwear collection with the automotive juggernaut, but this is the first time Sweeney has been able to give her input into a car that someone will drive. Ford is building two examples of this special Mustang, one for Sweeney herself and the other for the contest winner. Both are painted in Robin’s Egg Blue to match her ’65 Mustang and are complete with a crushed glass clear coat and eye-catching 20-inch chrome wheels. The spe...
Read more