While not much has changed under the hood, Mitsubishi is preparing itself for the coming of the Dodge Challenger and Chevy Camaro by upgrading its already fairly new Eclipse design yet again.

Following along the popular styling cues of Audi, Mustang California Special, and the Lancer, the 2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse will get a “wide mouth”, blacked out grille and lower intake combo. The wide grille has been made popular with the turbo and supercharged vehicles that usually requires a large grille opening to accommodate the large intercooler to keep the charged air at a cool temperature.

While the Eclipse will not be offered with a turbo or supercharger, it looks as if it might have one lurking behind the grille. Speaking of behind the grille, Mitsubishi keeps everything rather simple with only two trim options and two engines, which is a nice change of pace from the Mustang that seems to have a never ending number of trims and upgraded versions year after year.

The Eclipse comes as a basic GS and the potent GT. The GS gets the respectable 2.4 liter 4 banger with 162 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque, while the GT features the mighty 3.8 liter V-6 with MIVEC variable valve timing and all new dual exhaust set-up. The dual exhaust boosts the engine of the V-6 a whole 2 horsepower from this years 263 to 265.

Obviously, the duals weren’t much for performance, but they sure do add some nice stereo sound to the already sporty exhaust tone, as well as give the rear end a more balanced look. The exhaust looks especially good with the new blacked out lower valence portion of the bumper, which matches the blacked out front end.

The overall body for both versions has been designed with a considerably stiffer chassis than the 2008 model and comes standard with 17 inch allow wheels for the GS and 18’s for the GT. Following their competition for 2009, the GT models will see a stability control system that will help the driver handle its additional ponies, even in difficult weather conditions.

While the manual would give the driver the most control of the GT’s performance capabilities on the open road, the Sportronic automatic is a close second best. It offers the driver an optional manual control over the gears without a clutch, all in a nifty looking gearbox that is easy to change from automatic to manual mode.

The New Eclipse Design looks like it is going to be a hit for the low-cost sport car bracket. While some naysayers may still call the 2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse underpowered, I dare them to find much better for the lowly cost of around $25,000 for the GT. It is scheduled to start appearing in lots late Spring/early Summer, so be on the lookout!

Ford…

With Chrysler and Toyota as the runners up.

Ford Motor Company (Recall 07V336, 07V553, and 07V156)

• Recall 07V336 (August 13, 2007) involved 3.6 million Ford vehicles, including the Bronco, Crown Victoria, E-150, E-250, E-350, E-450, Explorer (Sport and Sport Trac), F-150 Lightning, Ranger, and Taurus SHO.

• Problem- The speed control deactivation switch was found defective through 1,472 complaints and 65 full-on accidents and/or fires. Whether engine is running or turned off a short circuit develops that in turn causes a fire in the engine compartment.

• Recall 07V553 (January 2008) involved 1.2 million Ford vehicles, including the F-series Super Duty, E-series, and Excursion with 7.3-liter diesel engines.

• Problem- The camshaft position sensor was found defective through 1,595 complaints and 14 full-on accidents and/or fires. The most significant danger occurs if the switch malfunctions and stalls the vehicles engine, the driver will be left with the potential of an accident.

• Recall 07V156 (April 23, 2007) involved 446,460 Ford vehicles, including the Escape Sport Utility equipped with anti-lock brakes.

• Problem- The anti-lock braking module connector was found defective through 120 complaints that all resulted in either a accident and/or fire. The electrical short first causes the warning light to illuminate, and then as heat builds in the unit it can begin to smoke and then actually lead to an eventual fire.

Chrysler Corporation (Recall 07V555 and 07V092)

• Recall 07V555 (December 2007) involved 576,418 vehicles, including the Dakota, Durango, Ram Van, and Ram Pickup Truck with automatic transmission.

• Problem- The ignition/park shifter interlock system can malfunction, allowing the shifter to move out of the park position, which ultimately could lead to the vehicle taking its own trip down the road without owner consent. Chrysler has not allowed the data to be publicly released as to exactly how many cases have been documented.

• Recall 07V092 (April 2007) involved 328,424 vehicles, including the Durango.

• Problem- A circuit in the instrument cluster controlling the interior lights was found to overheat through 213 complaints and 78 occurrences of accident and/or fire. The overheating in some cases led to an instrument panel fire that was within range of the front passengers.

Toyota (Recall 07V013)

• Recall 07V013 (February 2, 2007) involved 533,124 vehicles, including the Tundra and Sequoia

• Problem- The front suspension ball joints were found to wear prematurely through the complaint of 120 consumers (14 confirmed failures and 6 injuries). As the ball joints wear overtime, they can eventually malfunction completely, leaving the driver with little control of the vehicles steering.

There were also a few cases of serious recalls by Volkswagen and Nissan, but none of them had any public confirmations to actual incidents. So, either they were caught in time, or the danger associated with the recall had a low possibility of actually occurring.

Nobody likes to hear or see the word “Recall”, but those manufacturers that admit to the problem quickly and take swift public action should be commended. There have been many injuries and deaths throughout the United States history that could have been avoided if only the maker would have taken care of the situation immediately, rather than covering it up until being forced by the government to make the changes.

We talk a lot about cool cars, but in the real world most people are too practical to actually own one. But there is no reason that you can’t take one out for a spin. In case you didn’t know, Avis has a program out that allows customers to roll in style with their rental needs.

They offer a series of “Ultimate Rides”, plus what they call “Joy Rides”. For around $100+ a day, you could settle yourself into the drivers seat of sweet ride and nobody will ever have to know that you were “impractical” for a day, and why not… you deserve it!

Let’s take a look at a few of the “Cool Cars” Avis has to choose from for the coming year:

2008 Chevrolet Corvette- First on a lot of peoples dream car lists has got to be the infamous Chevy Corvette. While not everybody’s fancy, for around $169.00 a day, you could experience exactly what it feels to have 430 horsepower resting comfortably underneath your right pinky toe! Each Avis Corvette will come complete in the convertible model with the standard 6.2 liter V-8, cruise control, active handling system, and power everything. The Corvettes have already been sold out through Spring in many areas, so if you want to get your hands on one, you better act quick.

2008 Cadillac CTS- If class and style are a little more what your caviar dreams are made of, then the Cadillac CTS offered through Avis will be a welcome change from the average practical car. The Cadillac does not feature quite the brawn of the Corvette, but its 304 horsepower 3.6 liter V-6 (coming this August), is very smooth and capable, and can see MPG’s in the range of 25-26 on the highway. But what you really rent with the Cadillac is not its engine, but its luxurious seating, sound system, 40 gigabyte navigation system, and bullet-proof six-speed transmission.

2008 Hummer H3 (Alpha)- If you have never driven a Hummer before, it is without a doubt an experience of its own. There is something very commanding about being behind the wheel of an infamous military vehicle sporting a 5.3 liter V-8 with 300 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque. The H3 is not just cosmetic either, the new Alpha has been designed to go off the beaten path with its standard 4.10: 1 gear ratio and climb and play with the best of them. But if style among the city streets is what you are after, the Hummer is just as comfortable in the city and highways as off-road, and thanks to the new V-8, it can actually pass slower vehicles without the labor and groans of the old inline-5.

2008 Ford Mustang- While perhaps not the infamous Shelby Hertz GT-H, a Mustang is a Mustang and they are all fun to drive, especially this most recent body style. The Mustang GT offers noise, 300 horsepower, more noise, and an image of youth and vigor. While not quite as refined as most of the other cool cars in the Avis line-up, there is a kind of charm that goes along with the rough edges of the Mustang. It is not meant to be a smooth running, luxurious, technological marvel as much as it is a tribute to the days when loud engines and the smell of burning rubber were what defined high performance.

2008 Nissan 350Z- A little more refined than the Ford Mustang, the Nissan 350Z is a classic example of what a sports car should be. For 2008, the 3.5 liter V-6 has been boosted from last years 280 horsepower to its new 306 and 268 lb-ft of torque. Whether you like the standard coupe or Roadster models, Avis has you covered. Part of the beauty of the Nissan Z is its sporty interior, which, let’s face it, is where you will be spending the majority of the time anyway. Unlike the Mustang, the Z also has the sophisticated suspension you’d expect from an import, which means that if you like to do more than go fast in a straight line, then you’ll be in for a treat!

Beyond these popular favorites among renters there is also the choice of a Cadillac STS, Infiniti FX35, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Sky, and Lincoln MKX.