Today is the first time a total solar eclipse will be visible in America in nearly a century, a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most. So of course we’re going to make an Eclipse joke, but Mitsubishi actually beat us to it — they referenced this day back in 1990 when the Mitsubishi Eclipse debuted.
“Astronomers tell us there won’t be a total eclipse in America until the year 2017. They are very much mistaken,” the narrator says. “They are very much mistaken.” Cue images of the car flying through the desert.
That was 27 years ago. The Eclipse sure looked futuristic at the time. Imagine if they really could see the future. Mitsubishi would be primarily a kei car making subsidiary of Nissan and the car they were so proudly debuting would be a crossover. What a time to be alive!
Just for good measure, here’s the Japanese commercial for the Eclipse, so you can remember your good times with the maker of the Eclipse and 3000GT. Happy Eclipse Day!
I remember, back in high school, 1999-2000, these things were everywhere. the school parking lot was full of them, and they populated the roads. I would have thought they were among the most popular of sports cars. These days, I hardly see them anywhere. I can only assume the whole fast and the furious craze resulted in most of them being hacked up, or wrapped around light poles. But these early cars, with the flip up light and the telltale turbo bulge, sure are a handsome car. I’d love to have one, totally stock without the big wings and bodykits that were so popular around the turn of the century.
Did you see the “Kidney Car” JNC posted a while back? Can’t say the last time I saw one ’round SW PA… Didn’t even see them modded around here. Another one of those vehicles that just sort of passed the horizon to not be seen again. I rarely see even the last generation of them… My office manager had a black third-gen (the unpopular, rounded one) convertible, though she admittedly NEVER put the top down. Traded it on a Murano.
The Facebook car meme pages are blowing up with Eclipse jokes. I love it. And yes, these are good looking cars. I’ve seen more on rally stages in the past year than on the road.
Wait they sold the Eclipse in Japan?! How come we never got them second hand in New Zealand?
They weren’t very popular there and were quite rare even back in the 90s.
Why not popular there? Small, efficient, stylish,fun, etc…