Around the Block: 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GT: Along Came a New Spyder May 21, 2006
The Spyder’s biggest innovation is an “out of sight” soft top that electrically retracts and disappears into its own compartment under the trunk lid.
WHAT IS IT? Sporty 2+2 convertible
HOW MUCH? $29,794 base with automatic transmission; $33,702 as tested with $1,090 premium sport package (leather front seats, 18-inch alloy wheels, power driver’s seat and more) and $1,999 appearance package (aerodynamic body cladding, alloy fuel door, special floor mats, wheel locks).
WHAT MOVES IT? 3.8-liter V-6 (260 horsepower); five-speed automatic; front drive.
HOW THIRSTY? Rated 17 m.p.g. in town, 26 on highway (with automatic); 21 m.p.g. observed. Premium fuel recommended.
ALTERNATIVES: Ford Mustang convertible, Nissan 350Z Roadster.
THE most annoying thing about my friend’s three-year-old Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder is its appallingly large turning radius, making the car unexpectedly hard to maneuver in tight places. I was not pleased to find that the new model is even worse, but that’s the sort of thing that happens when you build a sporty car on a platform that started with an S.U.V.
I have been intimately acquainted with the foibles of the last-generation Spyder: more road noise when the top was up than when it was down, a ragtop that folded as messily as a motel’s rollaway bed, a horn that barked like an aggrieved Shih Tzu, a troll-size back seat and a Kmart interior. But my friend has enjoyed the Spyder’s Toyotalike reliability. Beat a drum for that.
The new styling shuns any hint of the outgoing model, instead resurrecting the look of the Eclipse that was discontinued in 1999. It reminds me of Pam’s dream on the old “Dallas” TV series ? you know, the 1986 episode in which Bobby Ewing’s wife awoke and a whole forgettable season was erased?
If only Mitsubishi could similarly dream away its sales slump of recent years.
The Eclipse’s voluptuous new body ? about the same length, but three inches wider ? looks a bit too big even for this platform, which was adapted from the Galant midsize sedan and Endeavor S.U.V. The wheel wells seem unfilled even with the optional, harsh-riding 18-inch wheels and tires.
Growling exhausts amplify the V-6, but the 260 horsepower feels like overkill. Tromp the accelerator and the left-front tire squeals, then whipsaws from torque steer until the traction control calms things down.
The four-cylinder GS, which I did not test, is worth considering as an adequately powered alternative that gets better mileage, costs a lot less (base price: $26,014) and runs optimally on regular gas.
The Spyder’s biggest innovation is an “out of sight” soft top that electrically retracts and disappears into its own compartment under the trunk lid. The space that’s left is for carry-on bags only. Top up, the rearward visibility is like peering down a long culvert.
At least the cabin is quieter. The prior car’s ragtop had all the sound-damping quality of a canvas sheet on a Conestoga wagon. The new three-layer top blocks sound much better; it would be a shame to drown out the new Rockford Fosgate stereo.
The old interior was cramped all around, though it had small rear seats that would accommodate children. The new “backseat” is unfit for any species with opposable thumbs. Maybe that’s why there are no longer rear window controls (or headrests). At least the front seats scoot back enough that 6-footers can drive without assuming a fetal position.
On the whole, I think the new Spyder is an improvement over the old one. Besides, it’s hard to screw up a convertible ? especially one that, after a bit of artful bargaining, can probably be driven home for a lot less than the sticker price.
- Posted in : Uncategorized
- Author : arnold
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