Produced since 2006, the fourth generation Mitsubishi Eclipse is nearing the end of its career and to mark the occasion, the Japanese manufacturer has announced a final special edition for the Coupe and Spyder models.

As Mitsubishi will cease production of the Eclipse after the upcoming 2012 model year without offering a replacement model, the SE Special Edition is the manufacturer’s way of saying goodbye to a model series produced since 1989.

All Eclipse trim levels (GS, GS Sport and GT) will be available as SE Special Edition versions which includes “SE” side decals, black side mirrors and 18-inch dark finish alloy wheels, along with the high-end standard features available on the Eclipse GS Sport versions of both the coupe and convertible models.

Standard equipment includes leather upholstery with heated front seats and a power-adjustable driver’s seat, rearview camera, Bluetooth hands-free phone access, heated side mirrors and a 9-speaker, 650-watt Rockford Fosgate audio system with SIRIUS satellite radio. The coupe version also includes a sunroof.

The Eclipse SE Special Edition will be available with two engine options: a naturally-aspirated 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine that produces 162-horsepower (in the GS/GS Sport models) or a 265-horsepower 3.8-liter V6 engine (for the GT model). The latter is mated to a 5-speed Sportronic automatic transmission that allows the driver to manually select gearshifts when desired. GT-based SE models also get an automatic climate control system.

Prices have not yet been announced.

By Dan Mihalascu

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