The Mitsubishi Eclipse made its debut in 1990. The new car was a brainchild of an alliance between Chrysler and Mitsubishi. These companies had joined to form Diamond Star Motors.The car itself was not a brand new design but rather a new spin on a car that had already appeared under several other names. The twins to the Eclipse are known to the general population as the Eagle Talon and the Plymouth Laser, however due to some slight design changes and heavier advertising, it was the Mitsubishi Eclipse that would prove to be the most popular of the three. The all three versions of the vehicle would be produced at the same plant in Illinois and all were introduced at the same time.
The design of the Mitsubishi Eclipse has been a popular one with younger consumers as it was intended to compete as entry-level sports coupe. The Eclipse itself was originally offered with four different packages. The car is a study in smooth lines, upscale interior and powerful engines all the while retaining the affordability that makes it within reach of up and coming twenty something’s. By remaining true to the original style lines that have made the car so popular, Mitsubishi has been able to retain its hold on this portion of the sports coupe market.
The price difference between the old school Pajero and the Montero is nearly double. Also, the difference between the fuel and maintenace costs of the two SUVs is a substantial Rs 2 lakh. Enough for an 800 or a trip to the Bahamas. The Pajero might be old hat now but it still manages to do a brilliant job as a true 4×4. And you also save around Rs 2 lakh in three years itself. Now take a look at the EMIs for three years while you will pay Rs 1,01,350 per month for the Montero, the EMI for the Pajero will be Rs 54,000 per month. That’s savings of Rs 5.68 lakh in the first year itself. And well over Rs 17 lakh in three years. Invest this substantial amount and you could end up with close to Rs 25 lakh after three years. That’s enough money to buy a small piece of land somewhere in India.
The Outlander is aimed squarely at the Honda CR-V and this SUV from Mitsubishi is expected to be a serious rival to the Chevrolet Captiva as well. Expect the Outlander to come loaded with features like a stability control package, where each wheel gets its own individual braking to control the car in adverse conditions. You could also get side and window airbags as options on the top end variant. A switch allows you to select between front and four wheel drive, or an automatic mode that directs power to whichever wheels need it. The Outlander’s wide, cushy seats provide fine comfort and there’s a decent range of movement for the steering wheel. The dash is sensibly laid out and puts everything within easy reach, but some of the minor switches and instruments could be difficult to read. The Outlander won’t come with the seven seat option that is available in international markets and is just a five seater. There is only one engine choice a 2.4 litre petrol producing around 170bhp and mated to a manual transmission. Unfortunately there is no diesel option available.