Mitsubishi Eclipse Concept E

[jake98gst]

Originally posted by TechT
Thanks Mitsu for screwing up again...... Another damn N/A...Nothing against the n/a guys,as i had one myself.Guess i'll be keeping my 2nd gen for sure.I like the styling and all.

Ya if it weren't for the f*cking unbelievably awesome Evo VIII, I wouldn't have very much respect for Mitsubishi.

 

[PaulPDX]

Well, I wouldn't write it off completely. Having a turbo is cool...but let's face it, there are some drawbacks a manufacturer faces that would make them think twice about going turbo on a entry level sports coupe.

SAAB and Volvo are sticking to the formula but their cars also cost a lot more.

Chrysler is doing it with the SRT-4 because they're in trouble and are late to the game. They wanted a relatively low production car (compared to the standard Neon) that is going to allow them to make a good amount of money quickly so that they don't look bad at the next investors briefing. And that's basically what the SRT-4 is. Give it time, I am sure those owners will be having problems in due time and will joke about wanting to be a mechanic being the reason that drove them to buy the car (just like we DSM'ers do). I am also quite sure that plenty of them will see Chryco and their dealers drop warrnties like hot potatoes in no time.

Mitsu is in trouble. They marketed too heavily to kids who defaulted on a lot of loans for their EVO's and Y2K Eclipses (which is why the new head of Mitsu US wants to move the brand away from the youth market and you can get a glimpse of that change with their Galant ad). I can see why they wouldn't want to build a car that can potentially cost them a lot of $ in terms of warranty repairs or even out of warranty repairs (in which case the dealers make the $ not Mitsu itself).

Most of you are overlooking that fact that the concept car is a gas / electric hybrid. Adding electric motors to the mix has the effect of turbo boost, but less maintenance issues. It's instant-on power without the coolness of the turbo whoosh. A lot of car companies have announced intentions of building high end, high performance gas/electric hybrids. Honda/Acura announced a prototype last year that would have some 600 hp of combined power between its gas and electric motors. Who knows, the next NSX (concept shown at recent auto show) may just follow that formula. And, I think Toyota, is starting to warm up to it with their baby steps approach. They've got the Prius figured out finally and will be moving on to a v6 + electric Highlander next. Once they've got that nailed down, it's only a matter of time when they will have a sporty v6 with electric motors. Come to think of it Mazda is rumored to be working on a true RX7 replacement based on the RX8. Nissan already has the Z out... and Toyota has been silent. Makes one wonder doesn't it?

Can you say hybrid Supra 2-4 years from now?

Electric motors have advanced by leaps and bounds the past couple years. You can't think of golf carts when you think of electric cars. We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto.