Mitsubishi gave its personal coupe and convertible models an update for 2011, and while the modifications are minimal the effect

The Eclipse Spyder fills a low-priced, front-drive convertible market niche of one. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

has been dramatic. The brand’s new corporate grille dominates the transformation, giving the sporty car a more aggressive appearance and simultaneously a new lease on life.

Based on Mitsubishi’s midsize platform architecture that also underpins the Galant sedan and Endeavor crossover SUV, the 2+2-seat Eclipse can either be had as a two-door coupe with a rear hatch or as a two-door convertible with a small trunk, dubbed Spyder. Both models come in two seasonings that I like to call medium and spicy – let’s leave mild for depicting the base Lancer and keep extra hot in reserve for the iconic Evolution X. With medium zest, the base GS model gets a 16-valve, SOHC, 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine that produces a maximum of 162-horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 162 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm, connecting through to the front wheels via a five-speed manual transmission or an optional four-speed automatic. My tester was the spicy top-line GT-P (“P” as in picante?), also front-wheel drive but putting the energy of its 24-valve, SOHC, 3.8-litre V6 with 265-horsepower at 5,750 rpm and 262 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm, through a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic with

Cloth roofs still look best more often than not. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

manual mode. The sound of the exhaust is almost good enough for the price of entry in itself, and it backs up the bark with decent acceleration off the line.

I’d have to say that the Eclipse rides the fine line between performance and comfort, as it’s energetic enough in GT-P guise to raise adrenaline levels up a notch or two, but it’s nowhere near up to Lancer Evolution X or even Lancer Ralliart levels of performance. The Eclipse fills a unique niche, smaller and sportier than its key Japanese competitors, the Honda Accord Coupe and Nissan Altima Coupe, and arguably more refined and luxuriously appointed than North American domestic pony cars, the Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger, and Ford Mustang (although Mustang has come a long way this year). Perhaps the Eclipse’ biggest threat is the Hyundai Genesis Coupe, but again Mitsubishi’s entry offers a front-wheel drive layout that will be more appealing to those raised on front-drive cars, not to mention the convertible model I was testing. To that end, the Volkswagen Eos is better suited to fight it out with the Eclipse, albeit at a loftier base price tag.

Attractive styling and nice soft-touch surfaces give the Eclipse an edge over some rivals. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

Lastly, styling continues to make the Eclipse a Mitsubishi bestseller, and to that end it works well for me despite its basic design getting on in years.

Over and above the aforementioned minor facelift, all Eclipse models get a 15-mm (0.6-inch) lowered suspension to improve handling and straight-line stability, while the GT-P gets standard Bluetooth connectivity to go along with its superb standard electronics menu that includes a 650-watt Rockford Fosgate audio system featuring a 6-disc CD changer plus 9 speakers and a 10-inch subwoofer, Sirius satellite radio with 6 months service, and steering wheel audio controls. The GT-P also gets an auto-dimming rearview mirror with an integrated rearview camera, and while the monitor is quite small it helps mitigate the blind spots inherent in a convertible with a small tiny window.

What might be more

Mitsubishi fully integrates the audio system into the Eclipse' centre stack. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

important to the Eclipse GT-P Spyder buyer is its list of standard features. In addition to the features available on all Eclipse models, such as a leather-wrapped steering wheel connecting through to a tilt-adjustable column, variable intermittent wipers, keyless remote entry, heated and powered mirrors, an auto-down driver’s window, cruise control, illuminated vanity mirrors, floor mats, etc, the Eclipse GT-P replaces manually-adjustable heated cloth seats with leather as well as six-way driver’s side power adjustment, whereas the standard air conditioning gets the heave-ho for automatic climate control. GT-P trim adds xenon headlamps, a large rear spoiler, aluminum scuff plates, and a glovebox door damper as well. On the performance front, the GT-P gets a front strut tower brace to stiffen the body structure and therefore enhance handling, while safety (and style) is improved via LED taillamps that improve brake light reaction time. 

The Eclipse Spyder’s black fabric convertible top is semi-automatic, in that it needs to be unlatched by hand before its powered mechanism lowers it under a hard tonneau, and latched back into place after raising it. Such a system isn’t unusual in this class, and it certainly wasn’t a problem for me. The real negative when opting for the Spyder is its miniscule 147-litre (5.2-cubic-foot) trunk, which is about a third the size of the coupe’s 445-litre (15.7-cubic-foot) cargo area. Additionally, the Spyder loses its split-folding rear seat, instead providing a less comfortable more upright seatback divided by a 10-inch subwoofer that comes as part of the standard Rockford Fosgate audio system. The Spyder’s stereo, incidentally, features Topstack roof up/down volume compensation to overcome wind-noise at speed without blasting your ears off when pulling to a stop.

I took to the curves a number of times during

Rear seating is sparse, but that's one sweet sub at centre. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

my week with the Spyder GT-P, and it performed noticeably better than the last one I tested, a 2009 model year car. Where the previous Eclipse Spyder GT-P I had would understeer to the point of tire squeal when pushed through the corners, the new 2011 needed a lot more right-foot motivation to upset its dynamics. When hard on the throttle I noticed some torque-steer which could be unsettling, but it’s easy to mitigate by being smooth on the pedal. The six-speed shifter is plenty enjoyable to row through the gears, and the clutch isn’t too light or weighty, achieving good feel while being easy on the left leg.

While the Eclipse GS coupe with a five-speed manual transmission starts at a very reasonable $24,498, the Spyder GT-P rings in at $35,998 with its six-speed manual or $37,198 with the five-speed automatic – a $1,350 destination fee must be added to the price of each Eclipse model. Even in top-dollar trim the Eclipse Spyder GT-P is quite reasonable, and made more so

That's a tiny trunk, but better than some in its class. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

if you factor in the likely discount you can get (it’s a great time to be a buyer, isn’t it?) and its other benefits, starting with Mitsubishi’s warranty. The Eclipse gets near bumper-to-bumper coverage for five years or 100,000 kilometers, while its powertrain coverage is the longest in the industry at ten years or 160,000 kilometers. After all, just because you’ve decided to go sporty doesn’t mean you shouldn’t play it safe.

The same safe ideology holds true in crash protection, where the IIHS rates the Eclipse Spyder as “Good” (it’s highest grade) in frontal offset and side impact crash tests, despite the deletion of the coupe’s standard front and rear side-curtain airbags, which couldn’t be incorporated into the convertible design. All Eclipse models get standard traction and stability control, however, plus four-wheel discs with ABS.

It’s not difficult to build a good case for the

The Eclipse is an eye-grabber! (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

American-made Eclipse, thanks to impressive performance, an excellent features list and loads of style, all to be had for reasonable prices across a broad model range, and it’s different enough not to be completely affected by big competition in the sport/muscle car game. This said, only Ford’s Mustang Convertible and the just released (but not yet available) Chevrolet Camaro Convertible are in the reasonably priced, 2+2 drop-top arena, and for many these cars’ images are way too “over the top.” The Eclipse Spyder answers the call, and therefore should continue to do well for Mitsubishi.

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