Many of us have memories of riding in a Mitsubishi Eclipse; the sporty coupe launched in 1989 and discontinued in 2012. The Japanese manufacturer is now reviving the Eclipse name — but the badge is about the only part of the car you’ll recognize.
Mitsubishi announced in a press release Tuesday that its new compact SUV will be called the Eclipse Cross, and it will be revealed next month at the Geneva International Auto Show. That’s right, no more ripping donuts on your trips to 7-Eleven like in the Eclipse of yesteryear.
Although the Eclipse name is being attached to a different class of vehicle, Mitsubishi claims it styled the new crossover with the original Eclipse in mind.
“Eclipse is a word used to describe an astronomical event. Marrying stylish coupe lines with the freedom of movement the SUV genre gives, the Eclipse Cross’ beautiful, dynamic form serves to bring about the same sense of excitement and inspiration as the diamond ring seen immediately before and after a total solar eclipse does,” Mitsubishi said in the release. “The high-saturation red body color newly developed for the model is also reflected in the name to evoke the brilliance of the prominence seen during the total solar eclipse”
That all might be a bit hyperbolic, but we’re going reserve our judgement until the Eclipse Cross makes its official debut in Geneva from March 7 through 19.
Photo via Mitsubishi
