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2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse
It looks like it belongs on an auto show turntable. But you can take it on the road. The Eclipse Coupe’s dream body makes no effort to conceal the performance machine underneath. No matter whether you’re en route somewhere or just out for pleasure, the Eclipse Coupe makes driving a one-of-a-kind event.
$27,343
| Year: | 2008 | Make: | Mitsubishi | |
| Model: | Eclipse | Body: | 2dr Car | |
| Engine Size: | 4 Cylinder Engine | Fuel Type: | Gasoline Fuel |
| Fuel Economy Highway: 7.6 L/100 km | Fuel Economy City: 10.8 L/100 km |
mechanical
exterior
interior
safety
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2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT-P Road Test
2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GT-P Road Test
2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT-P Road Test
Aug 6, 2008 - Justin Couture
Canadian Auto Press
It's a sad truth, but there aren't many players left in the affordable sports coupe
market. Two decades ago the segment was awash with enticing entries from just about every automaker, many of which were produced by the Japanese. There was the Nissan 240 SX, the Mazda RX-7, Toyota's Celica, the Acura Integra and Honda's Prelude, just to name a few. Today, the pool has dried up into a figment of a puddle. While there are a lot of sports compacts out there, particularly high-powered, turbocharged hatchbacks like the Mazdaspeed3 and the Impreza WRX, you have to wonder why it is that coupes, the cars that are supposed to appeal to the heart and emotions, have taken a back seat in terms of sales. Today, there isn't a Celica or Supra in sight, although Mitsubishi's Eclipse has managed to survive, beating incredible odds.
With the exception of Hyundai's Tiburon, which has lasted three generations, the Eclipse is pretty much the last remaining affordable sports coupe on the market. It evolved in ways that the RSX, Prelude and others didn't. Mitsubishi had the wisdom to realize that in order to keep the affordable sports coupe alive, it would need to keep the car relevant, a hot topic. And while it has fared well with regards to styling (appearance is a key component to what today's Eclipse stands for) the car grew; it got bigger, more comfortable, and more luxurious. It did not necessarily follow what the first
and second generation Eclipses were in terms of driving experience and performance, but it followed the needs and tastes of original Eclipse owners. These were the sorts of people who enjoyed the thrill of speed, but didn't necessarily want the harshness and abruptness of turbocharged power and all wheel drive. For those folks, there's always the Lancer Evolution.
The phrase “Affordable Exotic” was coined by Mitsubishi's marketing department as a way of describing the Eclipse. It's a pretty appropriate description. I mean, just look at it! It's difficult to not consider this car without thinking about its curvy, voluptuous shape. When it first came out, it was a head turner, and in many ways it still is despite being a common sight on roads today.
Having lost the gimmicky, geo-mechanical styling theme of the old car, the current Eclipse seems solidly formed, and more refined in appearance. Still, Mitsubishi couldn't resist the urge to tap into the tuner market, which was very viable during the Eclipse's development. These details are visible from the frosted glass spoiler to the pearl-tint brake light bulbs. A matted chrome finish on the Eclipse's 18-inch wheels rounds the car out tastefully, and yet despite the availability of a ground effects kit that wraps around its large-bore exhaust tip in the rear, the Eclipse still errs on the side of tasteful.
Driving an exotic makes people feel like they're a million bucks. And when you're sitting in the Eclipse's well-bolstered one-piece race-inspired seats, you really do sit like you would in a Ferrari, with your backside just inches off the ground, just like you would in a real exotic. Mitsubishi says the deeply hooded instrument cluster was inspired by motorcycles, but the swoopy raised dash pad, and the blue ambient lighting that shines on over the centre console at night is 100-percent tuner. Much the same goes for the extra-loud Rockford Fosgate stereo system and its giant 10-inch Punch subwoofer. But with the ups come a few downs. Exotics' cabins are riddled with compromises, like visibility... it ain't great out the back or out the front. The placement of the side-view mirrors isn't great either;
mounted forward of the A-pillar, their positioning has the potential to create blind spots. Rear legroom is also not very good. It's more or less the same as what you'd get in a Tiburon, despite the fact that the Eclipse is based on a much bigger car and a beefier platform.
The 263 horsepower and 260 horsepower that the Eclipse's big 3.8-litre V6 develops means that there's always plenty to play with. However, you're going to want to keep an eye out on its pin-point needles, as it's very easy to let the Eclipse venture into not-so-legal territories. Despite having six forward speeds (five speeds with the automatic), the GT-V6 Premium Eclipse isn't jaw-droppingly fast like some of its newer sport compact rivals. Much the same goes for its driving dynamics. Because of its front wheel drive layout, heavy cast iron engine block and heavy dose of power, the Eclipse suffers from a tendency to understeer under acceleration, and torque steer.
Instead, it's best to think of the Eclipse like you would an
older Ferrari or Maserati. There's no use in testing the limits of the car. No, it's better just to relax and take in the big-bore V6's raspy, full-bodied exhaust note. It may not be quite the same as an Italian thoroughbred, but it sure sounds good. You'll be comfortable too, as the seats are thickly padded with soft foam and the ride is quite compliant.
More than halfway through its life cycle, the Eclipse still looks good, drives well and has remained the affordable exotic it set out to be. The $34,295 that Mitsubishi asks won't get you a more exotic looking vehicle from any other manufacturer – not one that seats four and has this much power, at least. And no exotic I know of has a ten-year powertrain warranty either. But in the real world of today's high fuel prices, it's probably worth checking out the four-cylinder GS model. Sure, you lose in the neighbourhood of 100 horses, but you gain better fuel economy and save nearly ten grand at the time of purchase. This way you can have a stylin' ride and money in your pocket.
You wouldn't be able to say the same about a Lamborghini, now, would you?
Specifications (Eclipse GT-P):
 |
| It still looks good, even after being on the road for a couple of years. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
With the exception of Hyundai's Tiburon, which has lasted three generations, the Eclipse is pretty much the last remaining affordable sports coupe on the market. It evolved in ways that the RSX, Prelude and others didn't. Mitsubishi had the wisdom to realize that in order to keep the affordable sports coupe alive, it would need to keep the car relevant, a hot topic. And while it has fared well with regards to styling (appearance is a key component to what today's Eclipse stands for) the car grew; it got bigger, more comfortable, and more luxurious. It did not necessarily follow what the first
 |
| No turbo, no AWD, but it's still quick. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
The phrase “Affordable Exotic” was coined by Mitsubishi's marketing department as a way of describing the Eclipse. It's a pretty appropriate description. I mean, just look at it! It's difficult to not consider this car without thinking about its curvy, voluptuous shape. When it first came out, it was a head turner, and in many ways it still is despite being a common sight on roads today.
Having lost the gimmicky, geo-mechanical styling theme of the old car, the current Eclipse seems solidly formed, and more refined in appearance. Still, Mitsubishi couldn't resist the urge to tap into the tuner market, which was very viable during the Eclipse's development. These details are visible from the frosted glass spoiler to the pearl-tint brake light bulbs. A matted chrome finish on the Eclipse's 18-inch wheels rounds the car out tastefully, and yet despite the availability of a ground effects kit that wraps around its large-bore exhaust tip in the rear, the Eclipse still errs on the side of tasteful.
Driving an exotic makes people feel like they're a million bucks. And when you're sitting in the Eclipse's well-bolstered one-piece race-inspired seats, you really do sit like you would in a Ferrari, with your backside just inches off the ground, just like you would in a real exotic. Mitsubishi says the deeply hooded instrument cluster was inspired by motorcycles, but the swoopy raised dash pad, and the blue ambient lighting that shines on over the centre console at night is 100-percent tuner. Much the same goes for the extra-loud Rockford Fosgate stereo system and its giant 10-inch Punch subwoofer. But with the ups come a few downs. Exotics' cabins are riddled with compromises, like visibility... it ain't great out the back or out the front. The placement of the side-view mirrors isn't great either;
 |
| If you get the Sunset paint, the interior brightens up with Terra Cotta and white leather-trimmed seats. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
The 263 horsepower and 260 horsepower that the Eclipse's big 3.8-litre V6 develops means that there's always plenty to play with. However, you're going to want to keep an eye out on its pin-point needles, as it's very easy to let the Eclipse venture into not-so-legal territories. Despite having six forward speeds (five speeds with the automatic), the GT-V6 Premium Eclipse isn't jaw-droppingly fast like some of its newer sport compact rivals. Much the same goes for its driving dynamics. Because of its front wheel drive layout, heavy cast iron engine block and heavy dose of power, the Eclipse suffers from a tendency to understeer under acceleration, and torque steer.
Instead, it's best to think of the Eclipse like you would an
 |
| Pardon the pun, but that Rockford Fosgate system packs quite a Punch. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
More than halfway through its life cycle, the Eclipse still looks good, drives well and has remained the affordable exotic it set out to be. The $34,295 that Mitsubishi asks won't get you a more exotic looking vehicle from any other manufacturer – not one that seats four and has this much power, at least. And no exotic I know of has a ten-year powertrain warranty either. But in the real world of today's high fuel prices, it's probably worth checking out the four-cylinder GS model. Sure, you lose in the neighbourhood of 100 horses, but you gain better fuel economy and save nearly ten grand at the time of purchase. This way you can have a stylin' ride and money in your pocket.
You wouldn't be able to say the same about a Lamborghini, now, would you?
Specifications (Eclipse GT-P):
- Price Range (Eclipse GT-P MSRP): $34,298 - $35,658
- Price as Tested: $34,298
- Body Type: 3-door coupe
- Layout: front engine, FWD
- Engine: 260-hp, 258 lb-ft of torque, 3.8L, 24-valve, SOHC V6
- Transmission: 6-spd manual (opt. 5-spd auto with manual mode)
- Brakes (front/rear): disc/disc, ABS
- Dimensions (L/W/H/WB): 4,565 / 1,835 / 1,358 / 2,575 mm (179.7 / 72.2 / 53.4 / 101.4 in)
- Curb Weight: 1,575 kg (3,472 lbs)
- Tires: 235/45R18
- Trunk (max): 445 litres (15.7 cu-ft)
- Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 13.1 / 7.9 L/100 km
- Observed Fuel Economy: 11.6 L/100 km
- Competitors: Ford Mustang, Honda Accord Coupe, Hyundai Tiburon, Nissan Altima Coupe, Pontiac G6 Coupe
- Web Site: www.mitsubishicars.ca
2008 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GT-P Road Test
Aug 2, 2007 - Justin Couture
Canadian Auto Press
Japanese Exotic Done Right
There was a time, not too long ago that the Eclipse was a lightweight, high-performance
sport compact car. A product of Mitsubishi and Chrysler (Diamond Star Motors or DSM), it peaked as a turbocharged, all-wheel drive sports car that had the potential to wipe the smiles off of the drivers of much more expensive vehicles. After the third-generation was received with general indifference, Mitsubishi returned with a car they're calling an “affordable exotic”. Those two words together conjure images of a boxy ‘80s twin-turbo Italian sports coupe and convertible that ends in “i” (and it's not Ferrari), but having spent a week in the company of Mitsubishi's new drop top Eclipse, we’re inclined to agree with its new title and not just because it is dubbed Spyder, what just happens to be what Italians label their convertibles.
The current style of Eclipse has been around for two years and the Spyder went on sale last year, just in time for the summer season. Two years is enough time for a car that was once fresh to fade into the background (Chrysler 300, I'm lookin' at you), but the Eclipse has managed to keep fresh even without the usual B-list celebrity plastic surgery. It further proved its resilience in attention grabbing as it managed to constantly turn heads
without fail on every outing. Want to feel even more like a celebrity? Opt for the body kit that provides an aggressive but stunning front lip and side skirts.
Outrageous curves might have replaced wedges, louvers and garish side strakes from sports cars of past, but this car would've been perfect on the set of Miami Vice as the modern day replacement to that classic white Testarossa. I haven't seen an Eclipse, Spyder or otherwise in white, but it seems to carry every colour well, especially the marquee Sunset Pearlescent Orange. We're also quite fond of the Satin Meisai (green-gray) that's seen here on this particular example, plus the other new available colours for '08.
Unlike most cars that are billed as affordable, the Eclipse is loaded with some seriously top-level automotive fashion trends, from its pearlized bulbs to its outlandish hips. Purple-tinged lenses in front of the main headlamp beams are a little like U2 front man Bono's specs, while the giant 3-inch pipe offset to the left is sure to gain props from tuner-types. The frosted, plastic rear spoiler looks fantastic, but also integrates the high-mounted turn signal.
Without the flowing fastback roof to connect the dots, you might think the Spyder’s shape would be bungled with a cloth top, but that’s hardly the case. Top down or top up, the Spyder has its own profile that works quite well. We like the fact that when the roof is down that the folds of cloth are hidden under a hard tonneau cover, which creates a much cleaner appearance. Those spoiled by convertibles with folding metal hardtops or acoustically-tuned cloth tops might find the Eclipse’s simple fabric roof noisier at higher speeds and providing less overall security, but we’ve found it to be leak-proof, and its simplicity is sure to improve prospects for
reliability. The roof is a semi-automatic affair, so before pushing the open or close buttons in front of the shifter's gate you simply have to push the clips on the overhead latches. Other than that, push the power roof button and the rest takes care of itself.
The Eclipse was never intended to be a track day machine, but rather a good, easy to drive day-to-day car. Unlike the typical exotic car that tends to be mid-engined and rear-wheel driven, the Eclipse has the much more conventional front-engine, front-wheel drive layout, which isn't the ideal configuration for high-horsepower or a heavy engine. Lopping the roof off the Eclipse exposes some of the chassis’ flaws, and even though a considerable amount of work was done to stiffen things up, chassis flex is present. Then again, few exotic convertibles from back in the day were rigid. And while the Goodyear Eagle RS-As on the Eclipse will squeal with protest during high speed cornering, combined with devout understeer,
there's enough grip in most situations to pull it through... but you get lots of squealing. Good for drama, not so good for fun.
Lacking a telescoping steering wheel and adjustable headrests, the Eclipse forces drivers to sit with arms stretched out and leaning back, a position familiar to anyone who has driven any old Italian sports car. You learn to be comfortable in this laid back position, and I'll be darned if it doesn't make you look good. One thing that we were a little surprised Mitsubishi didn't incorporate was a rollover protection system. Besides the strengthened A-pillars, the Spyder offers little by the way of protecting occupants' heads if you were to turtle. VW's New Beetle does, however, as do any number of premium models. Best keep the shiny side up, then. Surprisingly, the Spyder also didn't have stability control as an option - not here, not in the States - which is unusual as it's outlined as an option in the owner's manual. Traction control is offered as standard
equipment on the GT-P model.
Being the biggest and heaviest Eclipse to put tire to pavement, Mitsubishi decided to equip its beauty with the biggest engine that it makes, a 3.8-litre V6 with MIVEC variable valve timing. It's untroubled by the drop-top opposition, trumping just about every four-seater convertible for power and torque, with the exception of the BMW 335i Cabriolet, or the Mustang GT ragtop with its 4.6-litre V8. There's no shame in being beaten by either of these two, especially when both are thousands more than the Mitsu. The big V6 has a nice, linear torque curve that's suited to relaxed driving, and when it's time to get up and go there's plenty of twist to get the Spyder up to highway speeds without downshifting. While we were hoping to get more of the 3.8's lovely burble, it turns out that there's actually less to hear as Mitsubishi tuned the exhaust on the Eclipse Spyder to reduce the noise, though it's still wonderful.
Should you find the engine's soundtrack insufficient for your tastes, try turning up the 650-watt Rockford Fosgate audio system. And while there's enough bass to cause serious harm to the health of passengers, the special roof-down settings are especially effective at powering over any wind noise, ensuring your tunes will be heard. Sadly there's no plug for an MP3 player, which I found to be a glaring oversight considering how much time and effort Mitsubishi's interior stylists took to relocate the borderline antisocial 10-inch Rockford Fosgate subwoofer in between the two rear seats.
If you can bear the brightness, the best interior for this tanning bed on wheels has to be the Terra Cotta alcantara and white leather scheme. It might be impossibly hard to keep clean, but it's outrageous and attention grabbing. With it, the soft, vinyl dashboard pad turns the shade of an NBA-pro basketball, which sticks out all that much more against the hard black backdrop that is the rest of the dashboard and door panels. The only thing going against it is that you can only have this scheme with one colour, the Sunset Pearlescent Orange. All other cars get black leather and a black
dash pad, which is ordinary, but so depressingly dark. Yes, there's too much black, making the Eclipse Spyder a literal heat sink when the top is down and the sun is out. Another negative, is the lack of consistency with the interior. And if you go for the Orange, while the front buckets are all nicely finished in the two-toned stuff, the leather-trimmed sub box/parcel shelf is trimmed in regular black. What happened guys, did you run out of the good stuff?
Exotics, especially ones from the mid '80s, weren't easy vehicles to drive in the city. While there's no fear of overheating in stop and go traffic with the modern-day cooling system and electrics, the Eclipses turning circle is awful. Making a U-turn in traffic will require shifting into reverse in most cases, and parallel parking is almost guaranteed to scuff those shiny wheels. In Lamborghini Countach / Diablo style, it's best to reverse with the door open so you can see behind you, as the tiny mailbox slot that is the rear window provides next to no visibility. And since we're talking about the poor sight lines, the odd positioning of the side-view mirrors requires getting used to as well.
For the better part, driving an Eclipse Spyder will give the experience of a classic exotic car without some of the crippling downsides, such as overwhelming running costs and the fear of it breaking down all the time. It's even got a very good warranty, at 5 years or 100,000 km comprehensive and 10 years or 160,000 km powertrain, something that would've bankrupted any Italian manufacturer of the aforementioned era.
The Eclipse Spyder starts at $32,298 for a four-cylinder model (that’s like getting a non-SS Maserati Merak), while the GT-P starts at $37,298. Fully loaded, you won’t spend over $39,000, though the body kit isn’t included. Think about it for a moment - that's about as much as it'd cost to fuel, insure and maintain any number of Italian exotics these days, let alone to purchase one that isn’t in a permanent state of decay.
Like the exotics which we remember somewhat fondly, the Eclipse is a flawed vehicle. The rear seats are useless, the visibility is horrid and it's a bit of a brute to drive. Sure there are better convertibles around, but they just wouldn't be as special, or anywhere near fun.
Specifications (Eclipse Spyder GT-P):
 |
| When Mitsubishi branded their Eclipse Spyder as an "affordable exotic", they were true to their words... it is. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
The current style of Eclipse has been around for two years and the Spyder went on sale last year, just in time for the summer season. Two years is enough time for a car that was once fresh to fade into the background (Chrysler 300, I'm lookin' at you), but the Eclipse has managed to keep fresh even without the usual B-list celebrity plastic surgery. It further proved its resilience in attention grabbing as it managed to constantly turn heads
 |
| So it's not a V8, but the big-bore V6 sounds great and kicks out over 260 hp. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
Outrageous curves might have replaced wedges, louvers and garish side strakes from sports cars of past, but this car would've been perfect on the set of Miami Vice as the modern day replacement to that classic white Testarossa. I haven't seen an Eclipse, Spyder or otherwise in white, but it seems to carry every colour well, especially the marquee Sunset Pearlescent Orange. We're also quite fond of the Satin Meisai (green-gray) that's seen here on this particular example, plus the other new available colours for '08.
Unlike most cars that are billed as affordable, the Eclipse is loaded with some seriously top-level automotive fashion trends, from its pearlized bulbs to its outlandish hips. Purple-tinged lenses in front of the main headlamp beams are a little like U2 front man Bono's specs, while the giant 3-inch pipe offset to the left is sure to gain props from tuner-types. The frosted, plastic rear spoiler looks fantastic, but also integrates the high-mounted turn signal.
Without the flowing fastback roof to connect the dots, you might think the Spyder’s shape would be bungled with a cloth top, but that’s hardly the case. Top down or top up, the Spyder has its own profile that works quite well. We like the fact that when the roof is down that the folds of cloth are hidden under a hard tonneau cover, which creates a much cleaner appearance. Those spoiled by convertibles with folding metal hardtops or acoustically-tuned cloth tops might find the Eclipse’s simple fabric roof noisier at higher speeds and providing less overall security, but we’ve found it to be leak-proof, and its simplicity is sure to improve prospects for
 |
| Eclipse's top will drop in just 19 seconds, and seals tightly. Hard tonneau cover is a neat feature. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
The Eclipse was never intended to be a track day machine, but rather a good, easy to drive day-to-day car. Unlike the typical exotic car that tends to be mid-engined and rear-wheel driven, the Eclipse has the much more conventional front-engine, front-wheel drive layout, which isn't the ideal configuration for high-horsepower or a heavy engine. Lopping the roof off the Eclipse exposes some of the chassis’ flaws, and even though a considerable amount of work was done to stiffen things up, chassis flex is present. Then again, few exotic convertibles from back in the day were rigid. And while the Goodyear Eagle RS-As on the Eclipse will squeal with protest during high speed cornering, combined with devout understeer,
 |
| Not that the Eclipse is a poseur, but it's better suited to cruising around than the rally circuit. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
Lacking a telescoping steering wheel and adjustable headrests, the Eclipse forces drivers to sit with arms stretched out and leaning back, a position familiar to anyone who has driven any old Italian sports car. You learn to be comfortable in this laid back position, and I'll be darned if it doesn't make you look good. One thing that we were a little surprised Mitsubishi didn't incorporate was a rollover protection system. Besides the strengthened A-pillars, the Spyder offers little by the way of protecting occupants' heads if you were to turtle. VW's New Beetle does, however, as do any number of premium models. Best keep the shiny side up, then. Surprisingly, the Spyder also didn't have stability control as an option - not here, not in the States - which is unusual as it's outlined as an option in the owner's manual. Traction control is offered as standard
 |
| Like sound? How about the 10-inch Rockford Fosgate sub that's crammed in the middle of the otherwise useless back seat? (Photo: Mitsubishi) |
Being the biggest and heaviest Eclipse to put tire to pavement, Mitsubishi decided to equip its beauty with the biggest engine that it makes, a 3.8-litre V6 with MIVEC variable valve timing. It's untroubled by the drop-top opposition, trumping just about every four-seater convertible for power and torque, with the exception of the BMW 335i Cabriolet, or the Mustang GT ragtop with its 4.6-litre V8. There's no shame in being beaten by either of these two, especially when both are thousands more than the Mitsu. The big V6 has a nice, linear torque curve that's suited to relaxed driving, and when it's time to get up and go there's plenty of twist to get the Spyder up to highway speeds without downshifting. While we were hoping to get more of the 3.8's lovely burble, it turns out that there's actually less to hear as Mitsubishi tuned the exhaust on the Eclipse Spyder to reduce the noise, though it's still wonderful.
Should you find the engine's soundtrack insufficient for your tastes, try turning up the 650-watt Rockford Fosgate audio system. And while there's enough bass to cause serious harm to the health of passengers, the special roof-down settings are especially effective at powering over any wind noise, ensuring your tunes will be heard. Sadly there's no plug for an MP3 player, which I found to be a glaring oversight considering how much time and effort Mitsubishi's interior stylists took to relocate the borderline antisocial 10-inch Rockford Fosgate subwoofer in between the two rear seats.
If you can bear the brightness, the best interior for this tanning bed on wheels has to be the Terra Cotta alcantara and white leather scheme. It might be impossibly hard to keep clean, but it's outrageous and attention grabbing. With it, the soft, vinyl dashboard pad turns the shade of an NBA-pro basketball, which sticks out all that much more against the hard black backdrop that is the rest of the dashboard and door panels. The only thing going against it is that you can only have this scheme with one colour, the Sunset Pearlescent Orange. All other cars get black leather and a black
 |
| Interior is comfortable, but you need to assume a laid back driving position. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
Exotics, especially ones from the mid '80s, weren't easy vehicles to drive in the city. While there's no fear of overheating in stop and go traffic with the modern-day cooling system and electrics, the Eclipses turning circle is awful. Making a U-turn in traffic will require shifting into reverse in most cases, and parallel parking is almost guaranteed to scuff those shiny wheels. In Lamborghini Countach / Diablo style, it's best to reverse with the door open so you can see behind you, as the tiny mailbox slot that is the rear window provides next to no visibility. And since we're talking about the poor sight lines, the odd positioning of the side-view mirrors requires getting used to as well.
 |
| This one'll be a future classic... but with better build quality and reliability! (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press) |
For the better part, driving an Eclipse Spyder will give the experience of a classic exotic car without some of the crippling downsides, such as overwhelming running costs and the fear of it breaking down all the time. It's even got a very good warranty, at 5 years or 100,000 km comprehensive and 10 years or 160,000 km powertrain, something that would've bankrupted any Italian manufacturer of the aforementioned era.
The Eclipse Spyder starts at $32,298 for a four-cylinder model (that’s like getting a non-SS Maserati Merak), while the GT-P starts at $37,298. Fully loaded, you won’t spend over $39,000, though the body kit isn’t included. Think about it for a moment - that's about as much as it'd cost to fuel, insure and maintain any number of Italian exotics these days, let alone to purchase one that isn’t in a permanent state of decay.
Like the exotics which we remember somewhat fondly, the Eclipse is a flawed vehicle. The rear seats are useless, the visibility is horrid and it's a bit of a brute to drive. Sure there are better convertibles around, but they just wouldn't be as special, or anywhere near fun.
Specifications (Eclipse Spyder GT-P):
- Price Range (Eclipse Spyder GT-P MSRP): $37,298 - $38,358
- Price as Tested: $37,298
- Body Type: 2-door convertible
- Layout: front engine, FWD
- Engine: 260-hp, 258 lb-ft of torque, 3.8L, 24-valve, SOHC V6
- Transmission: 6-spd manual (opt. 5-spd auto with manual mode)
- Brakes (front/rear): disc/disc, ABS
- Dimensions (L/W/H/WB): 4,565 / 1,835 / 1,389 / 2,575 mm (179.7 / 72.2 / 54.7 / 101.4 in)
- Curb Weight: 1,575 kg (3,472 lbs)
- Tires: 235/45R18
- Trunk (max): 147 L (5.2 cu-ft)
- Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 13.3 / 8.1 L/100 km
- Observed Fuel Economy: 12.0 L/100 km
- Warranty (mo/km): 60/100,000 comprehensive - 120/160,000 powertrain
- Competitors: Chrysler Sebring Convertible, Ford Mustang Convertible, Mazda MX-5, Pontiac G6 Convertible / Solstice, Toyota Camry Solara Convertible, Volkswagen Eos
- Web Site: www.mitsubishicars.ca
© (Copyright Canadian Auto Press)
