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Saturday, June 4, 2011
Introduced more than 20 years ago, Mitsubishi’s Eclipse reaches the end of the road this summer. The Japanese automaker will shut down the Normal, Illinois, lines that crank out the slow-selling coupe and retool the plant to make the Outlander Sport, which is sure to sell much better. Right?
Mitsubishi is sending off the Galant-based two-door with the 2012 Eclipse Special Edition. Available as either a coupe or convertible, the SE includes the GS Sport’s leather seats—heated up front—rearview camera, Bluetooth, HID headlamps, and 650-watt Rockford Fosgate stereo. Unique SE features include black side mirrors, SE decals and stripes, and 18-inch dark-finish wheels. Powering this special edition is Mitsubishi’s not-at-all-special 162-hp four-cylinder, sending power to a four-speed automatic. Perhaps that powertrain being installed in a 3300-pound car had something to do with the Eclipse selling so poorly?
Conversations don’t need to be screamed - the thumping Rockford Fosgate sound system adjusts depending on the position of the cloth top, and surprisingly, even Bluetooth-enabled phone calls come through loud and clear for people on both ends of the conversation.
Getting the top back up is as simple as pressing a button and latching a couple of clips located underneath the sun visors. The top-up experience isn’t quite as pleasant, with large blind spots, lots of wind noise, and the most egregious of convertible sins - an occasionally leaky roof.
The interior isn’t much to look at with its expanse of cold plastic and uninspired layout, but it’s all functional enough for the most part. There are some annoying aspects, such as the use of dull, difficult-to-see lights to show functions that are activated.
The only option you get available in the GT-P is an automatic transmission, but the list of standard features is expansive. One of the best is the backup camera, which is located in the rearview mirror. With some tricky blind spots with the top up, this helps a lot with parking.
The other pleasant surprise with the Eclipse Spyder is the amount of stuff it can hold. You definitely don’t want to use this as the summer road trip vehicle for your weekly cottage treks, but I manage to stuff a lot of stuff into the trunk and the back seats before making my way to a housewarming party.
The best part about the trunk is that unlike some convertibles, you don’t lose any room once the Spyder’s top is stowed into a section just in front of the trunk.
The Eclipse Spyder isn’t a bad little vehicle for someone whose vehicular priorities focus on style more than anything else. It’s a little rough around the edges, but with its impending end, it’s a shame there won’t be a chance to smooth them out.
The present-generation Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder debuted in 2007. Powertrains mirrored those of the current Spyders except that a manual transmission (five speeds for the GS, six speeds for the GT) was standard prior to 2010. The GT trim has always been available, but the base model was known as GS prior to 2010 and it had fewer standard features.
For '09 stability control was added for the GT and the car received a mild face-lift that included a more aggressive, Lancer Evo-like front fascia. For 2010, many of the GT's options were included as standard features -- along with a corresponding price hike. Both GS and GT models gained Bluetooth, a rearview camera and stability control as standard equipment, as well. Revisions for '11 included 18-inch alloy wheels, heated leather front seats and a power driver seat for all models.
The front-wheel-drive Eclipse Spyder is available in base GS Sport and sporty GT trims and shares its basic platform with the Galant sedan. The GS Sport is powered by a 162-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder that is mated to a five-speed manual transmission, while a four-speed automatic with manual-shift control is available as an option. The GT features a 265-hp 3.8-liter V6, but a five-speed automatic is the only transmission offered.
The GS is well-equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels, air-conditioning and full power features, heated leather front seats and a power driver seat, Bluetooth, a rearview camera and a powerful Rockford Fosgate audio system The GT ups the ante with a sport-tuned suspension, xenon headlights, foglights, leather upholstery, heated front seats, automatic climate control and a wind deflector. Both models have a power-operated convertible soft top and stability control.
In reviews, the Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder has earned favorable commentary for its powerful V6 engine, comfortable front seating and stylish interior. Noted downsides include a hefty curb weight that dulls handling, poor top-up outward visibility, sluggish acceleration on four-cylinder models, thirsty fuel consumption with the V6, subpar interior construction and a large turning radius.
reference:www.caranddriver.com,www.autonet.ca,www.edmunds.com
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