Mitsubishi Concept E-boost Wins 2005 Idea Gold Award; On Display At California Design Biennial Exhibition

Concept car that gave life to all-new 2006 production Eclipse snags Industrial Design Society of America's prestigious award

June 28, 2005 -- CYPRESS, CALIF -- Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) announced today its E-boost concept vehicle was awarded the 2005 Industrial Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) Gold Award in the category of Design Explorations. Presented for the last 25 years by the Industrial Design Society of America (IDSA), this year's IDEA competition is prominently featured on the cover of BusinessWeek and on www.businessweek.com with more images, additional information and an interactive slide show that includes Mitsubishi Motors' Gold Award-winning E-boost concept.

"It's a great honor to be recognized by IDSA and the premier designers in the country," said Dan Sims, general manager of Mitsubishi Research and Design Center in Cypress, Calif. "It's not often that a concept car design makes it to production, and we're extremely pleased that the all-new 2006 Eclipse sport coupe resembles the E-boost so closely."

Mitsubishi's E-boost concept, along with the manufacturer's Sport Truck Concept, also are on display at the Pasadena Museum of California Art in the California Design Biennial exhibition, taking place through August 28 (www.pmcaonline.org). The exhibition pays tribute to the unique history and experimental design produced in California today and features displays in the categories of consumer products, transportation, fashion, furniture and graphic design.

The Mitsubishi E-boost concept car introduces a new direction for sports car design, demonstrating the possibilities for expanded performance hybrid systems of the future. E-boost combines the look and performance of an exotic car with sport-coupe fuel efficiency. Many of the design innovations in the E-boost are found in its mechanics with the electric motor also doubling as a performance-enhancing device. The car's evocative appearance and soft, athletic lines are a unique departure from the current automotive trend toward heavy, sharp, boxy forms. The exterior color features a specially developed pigment that appears to glow from within to create the effect of molten metal, while the interior styling is forward thinking with a clean, uncluttered instrument panel centered around an LCD screen.

The all-new, two-door 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse sport coupe went on sale at the end of May 2005 and is the first of three new products MMNA will introduce in the next 12 months. Designed to combine exotic styling and performance with the comfort and utility of a daily driver, the fourth generation Eclipse exhibits an impressive power range, outstanding handling, room for four, available options like the 650-watt Rockford Fosgate stereo system, and luxury amenities without sacrificing the incredible value that the Eclipse name has come to represent.

The Eclipse GS features a 162-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing and lift Electronic Control (MIVEC) technology and a five-speed manual transmission or four-speed Sportronic(TM) automatic. The Eclipse GT sports a 263-horsepower 3.8-liter V6 MIVEC engine and a six-speed manual transmission or five-speed Sportronic(TM) automatic.