2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder Review (continued)
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Driving Impressions

We mentioned the advisability of driving the V6-powered GT for a reason. The GS's four-cylinder is an altogether adequate engine, but the flexible torque and exciting thrust of the V6 really gives you your money's worth in terms of driving enjoyment. This is a truly flawless engine, as smooth running as an electric dynamo. Indeed, since the Eclipse Spyder uses front-wheel drive, we would not want anything significantly more powerful under the hood, because the present engine is already at the threshold of wheelspin when vigorously used. With more power, we would want all-wheel drive, an option on the previous model that, due to low demand, has been discontinued. As it stands, the present engine and drive package -- especially with our car's traction control -- is a fine combination.

But it could be better. As mentioned, we had the Sportronic 4-speed auto/manual transmission. This allows the convenience of an automatic, important in bumper-to-bumper traffic, with the added benefit of manual gear selection whenever you wish. The Sportronic was reasonably good, though it doesn't always give you the gear you want when you want it. For instance, when first gear was selected, the transmission would not downshift until the Eclipse was virtually stopped.

We have also driven the Eclipse 5-speed manual, which, coupled with the V6, is something desperately close to the perfect drivetrain. We've already described the pleasures of the V6, but the clutch take-up and smoothness of the 5-speed manual, much aided by its heavily counterweighted shifter, is incomparably fine. If there is any way that you can justify a manual transmission -- and if you commute at drive time there may not be -- we strongly recommend this amazing combination.

With the top down, the Eclipse Spyder is a serious good-times car. Mitsubishi says that structurally it has been greatly stiffened over its forebear -- and we realize that stiffening an open car is a considerable challenge. However, the Spyder had a little more cowl shake than we would have liked. It's less pronounced than in some of its competition, but over rumpled roads the windshield and chassis juddered discernibly. This wouldn't be enough to discourage us, though, from committing to such a congenial new convertible.