Mecum to auction last Mitsubishi Eclipse for earthquake relief

The 22-year run of the sporty Mitsubishi Eclipse is over. To commemorate the occasion and honor the nameplate, the company is auctioning off the last car built, a 3.8-liter V6 SE coupe.

The only coupe ever built in SE trim will cross the block during the annual St. Charles Auction on Sept. 15-18. Mecum Auctions is putting on the event at Pheasant Run in St. Charles, Ill.

All the proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Japan Red Cross earthquake-relief fund.

Mitsubishi began producing the Eclipse in 1989, with four generations over 22 years. Total sales are just less than 1 million, making the coupe the best-selling Japanese-brand sports car of the last 20 years, according to the company.

The one-of-a-kind Eclipse is painted in Kalapana Black, a color selected by Mitsubishi's Facebook group, with 18-inch Dark Argent wheels, SE lower side graphics, a sunroof, leather interior, a 650-watt sound system, Bluetooth, a rearview camera and HID headlights.

Mecum will sell the Eclipse on Sept. 17 at 1:55 p.m. The sale will be broadcast live on Mecum's national TV show on Discovery's HD Theater. A similarly equipped car at a dealership would have a sticker price of about $30,000, so expect this to go for at least a bit more.

The St. Charles Auction is open to the public and costs $15 per day. For more info call (815) 568-8888 or visit www.mecum.com to become a registered bidder.

By Jake Lingeman