The Japanese Sports Car That Wasn’t Japanese

The original Mitsubishi Eclipse appeared like a flash. It quickly became an icon of the booming compact sports coupe segment and a darling of the tuner subculture. As such, very few factory-original examples remain, but a rare and highly-desirable 1990 Eclipse GSX is recently for sale on eBay  in Saint Joseph, Mo.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Though most think of the Mitsubishi Eclipse as a Japanese car, it was developed specifically for the American market. It was built in Normal, Ill. Eclipses sold in Japan were shipped from the Illinois plant. Though advertising featured lots of solar eclipse imagery, the car was named after a famous undefeated racehorse.

Sharing Is Caring

Mitsubishi established a partnership with Chrysler back in the 1970s. Over the years, many Mitsubishi cars were rebadged and sold under the Pentastar logo. The Eclipse was no different.

Nearly identical cars were marketed as the Eagle Talon and the Plymouth Laser. The latter was a continuation of the 1984 to 1986 Chrysler Laser, the brand’s first sports car, a twin of the Dodge Daytona.

Collectively, the Eclipse, Talon, and Laser were known as the Diamond Star triplets, named after Diamond Star Motors, the Mitsubishi-Chrysler joint venture that built the cars. The name came from joining Mitsubishi’s diamond and Chrysler’s Pentastar logos. There are minor cosmetic differences between the three cars, such as fascias and paint colors exclusive to one but not the others.

Bang for the Buck

Beneath the sheet metal, they were identical. All were powered by a Mitsubishi four-cylinder in naturally aspirated and turbocharged variants and in either front- or all-wheel-drive drivetrains. The top-spec Eclipse GSX trim, like the car for sale, was equipped with a 180-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged four and all-wheel drive. Turbocharging was still a rare technology among entry-level cars, and AWD was mainly seen for off-roading, not performance.

The result was blistering performance with rally car-like acceleration and handling. Base Eclipses started at around $11,000, and a fully loaded Eclipse GSX stickered for about $17,000. This was a fantastic deal.

A similar-era Acura Integra retailed for about the same price. The Eclipse GSX became a favorite of the major magazines. Car and Driver added it to its 10 Best lists for four years, from 1989 to 1992, adding that it could embarrass a Porsche 944. They wrote a feature chronicling an Eclipse GSX road trip from Canada to Mexico.

A Rare Unmodified Eclipse GSX

With a plethora of aftermarket parts to support it and an engine receptive to big power upgrades, the Eclipse became popular among tuners and drag racers. Its adaptability and bargain price meant many were heavily modified or raced.

Finding a well-preserved Eclipse GSX like the Kalapana Black example for sale is difficult. Moreover, this one has just 43,000 miles on the odometer. The seller says everything is in working order. Photos show a very clean engine bay, undercarriage, and interior that don’t indicate recent cleaning, just meticulous preservation for 34 years. The $18,995 asking price seems more than fair, considering restoring one to this condition would cost far more.

For those who came of age in the tuner era, the Mitsubishi Eclipse is akin to earlier generations’ Mustangs or Camaros. It’s a time capsule that only comes around so often. The next one might not arrive until after the next solar eclipse.