Eclipse started life as a rambunctious coupe with a smooth shape and a sharp new attitude. In 1989, there was nothing else like it. Quick, edgy and affordable, it was the high-performance car to have if you didn't have a trust fund. With Eclipse, Mitsubishi showed a whole generation of enthusiast drivers that fun doesn't have to cost a fortune, and style isn't reserved for the rich and famous.

The second generation Eclipse, introduced in 1995, was a little bigger, a bit more sophisticated, and a lot more modern. But it still had that naughty little glint in its reflector beam eyes. And with Eclipse sales topping the charts for five years in a row, it seemed that the artistic shape and enthusiastic performance of an Eclipse would always draw a crowd.

So Mitsubishi is ready to do it again. But attitudes evolve and styles change, so the technology reflects the times, and the design predicts the future. The 2000 Eclipse is smarter, more substantial and more sophisticated, yet its still hot looking and streetwise. When it comes to Mitsubishi Motors' guiding philosophy of energy, style and value, the 2000 Eclipse hits the bulls-eye like a 205-horsepower dart.

"Geo-mechanical." That's the phrase that describes t he new Eclipse style of organic shapes and machined surfaces. Its a look that evokes the human/mechanical interaction between the driver and the car. Although this relationship exists in every vehicle, you actually see it in the shape of the 2000 Eclipse. Look at the unbroken arch of the roof, and the swell that rises from the hood and rolls across the upper fenders. Now contrast that with the folded crease at the body's hip-line, the flat surfaces around the wheels, and the strakes in the front fascia and door. The upper contours of Eclipse are smooth and balanced, while the lower section provides visual tension and dimensional strength.

Slide behind the wheel, and you'll find a similar melding of natural forms and engineered elements. The twin cockpit design provides a symmetrical framework for the functional components of the interior. For instance, the instrument panel and upper radio readout seem to "grow' out of the dashboard, but the air vents and temperature/fuel gauges are drilled into the surface for contrast. The choice of materials in the Eclipse also echoes the design theme. Soft-touch surfaces are anchored by titanium-finish details and deliberate cut lines that provide definition and structure. Since the 2000 Eclipse is longer and wider than the previous model, rear passenger and cargo room is increased. And that brings us to another important aspect of a sports coupe cockpit ... the accelerator pedal.

After a decade on the American performance scene, Eclipse has succumbed to the power of cubic inches. Both engines in the 2000 model are bigger. Significantly bigger. And along with size comes the kind of "right now" torque and horsepower that U.S. drivers are addicted to. The base four-cylinder engine grows from 2.0-liters and 140 horsepower, to 2.4 liters and 155 horsepower.* And the turbocharged 2.0-liter engine gives way to a 3.0-liter V6 with 205 horsepower.*

Why the move away from turbocharging? Sports coupe shoppers have developed a taste for split-second responsiveness and high-rpm refinement. And Mitsubishi Motors' inherently smooth 60-degree V6 delivers both in big servings. Plus, normally aspirated engines are easier to maintain and less costly to insure. In other words, a V6 is the right engine for an increasingly sophisticated audience that won't give up power. Or control.