SAN DIEGO -- The redesigned 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse is expected to go on sale by Memorial Day with a sticker slightly below the current model.

The base sticker of the Eclipse, Mitsubishi's best-known model, is anticipated to be about $20,000, including freight. That would be about $275 less than the current model. Mitsubishi has not released official prices.

"No vehicle in our lineup has been as successful" as the Eclipse, said Rich Gilligan, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors North America, at a press event here on April 25.

Mitsubishi is desperate for a hit. Its U.S. sales plummeted 39.3 percent through the first three months of this year. Sales of the Eclipse dropped 27.5 percent to 3,132 in the same period. The car accounted for 9.1 percent of the brand's total sales.

Gilligan would not speculate on Eclipse sales but said the company's plant in Normal, Ill., has a capacity of 42,000 annually on one shift. The company sold 12,012 Eclipses in 2004 and 27,897 in 2003. The numbers exclude the Eclipse Spyder.

The redesigned Eclipse comes in two models, the GS and the GT.

The GS comes with a 2.4-liter, 162-hp four-cylinder engine with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission. The current four-cylinder engine makes 147 hp.

The GT has a 3.8-liter, 263-hp V-6 with either a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission. The current 3.0-liter V-6 makes 200 hp in the GT and 210 hp in the GTS.

The GT will have a base price below $25,000, including freight.

The redesigned Eclipse has more interior room and a new 650-watt audio system.

The company expects the GT to account for 65 percent of sales. The primary customers will be split equally between singles and married couples aged 25 to 35.

The ad campaign begins June 12.

"No vehicle in our lineup has been as successful" as the Eclipse, said Rich Gilligan, CEO of Mitsubishi Motors North America, at a press event here on April 25.

LOS ANGELES -- Two key marketing executives have left Mitsubishi Motors North America as the company is launching the redesigned Eclipse.

Sources say Kevin Mayer, director of advertising, and John Jullens, director of strategic planning, both resigned Monday.

The sports coupe, which company CEO Rich Gilligan says is crucial to Mitsubishi's success, goes on sale at the end of this month. The ad campaign begins June 12.

Sources say both Mayer and Jullens were at odds with Gilligan and Dave Schembri, executive vice president of sales and marketing, over how the Eclipse should be marketed to consumers. Sources say the pair were particularly disappointed with what they saw as a paltry ad budget for the car, at about $25 million.

Company spokeswoman Dotty Diemer declined to comment.

Jullens, who reported to Hiroshi Taguchi, senior vice president of corporate strategic planning at Mitsubishi Motors North America Inc., was in charge of pricing, research and market and industry analysis for all of Mitsubishi's nameplates in this country. Mayer was responsible for advertising.

Sources say Mitsubishi's entire ad budget for this year is about $120 million, and top Mitsubishi execs have said they can't afford to budget more money for the Eclipse launch.

The company also needs to spend ad dollars on the Galant and Lancer sedans, its two best-selling vehicles, and the Endeavor SUV. The new Raider pickup goes on sale this fall. Mitsubishi sales in the United States fell 39.3 percent in the first quarter.

Mayer, who took the advertising job Jan. 1, is the third person in that position to resign from Mitsubishi in less than a year.

Paul Mareski left the company in June after only four months on the job. Diane Hong replaced Mareski and resigned Dec. 31.

Bob Martin, director of brand marketing, left the company in March.

Sources say Mitsubishi's entire ad budget for this year is about $120 million, and top Mitsubishi execs have said they can't afford to budget more money for the Eclipse launch.