What's in a name? The 2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder

Eclipse. Typically a word that describes a galactic event in which either the sun or the moon is completely obscured by a celestial body, it’s a fitting name for a Japanese import that’s struggled with obscurity since 1989. Introduced amid a flotilla of impressive imports like Mazda’s RX7, Toyota’s Supra, and Nissan’s 300ZX, and even Mitsubishi’s own 3000GT, the diminutive Eclipse was overshadowed by the high-dollar, high-performance world of twin turbocharged six cylinders and high-revving rotaries.

But, interestingly, the Eclipse didn’t borrow its all-too-fitting name from the celestial event. Actually (obscure fact warning!) named after an 18th century English racehorse that won 26 races, the Eclipse has been known as an Eagle Talon in Canadian markets for years; the bizarre side effect of Mitsubishi’s odd pairing with Chrysler. Interestingly, the Eagle brand was intended to allow Chrysler to compete with the Japanese imports by rebranding Mitsubishi products... with logic like that, it’s no wonder Chrysler crumbled.

Of course, that was then and this is now. The Supra is a long distant memory, Mitsubishi’s own 3000GT and its Dodge Stealth stablemate have gone gently into that good night, and the RX7 grew two more doors, lost its turbochargers, and matured into the practical RX8 sports sedan/coupe thing. But the Eclipse still exists. Now in its fourth generation, the Eclipse is available in both coupe and convertible forms, with the latter bearing the very European “Spyder” designation. Both are available in both GS and GT-P forms, with the GS coming standard with a 2.4L MIVEC-equipped four cylinder while the GT-P gets a ridiculous amount of thrust from a relatively massive 3.8L V6. It’s hard to confuse the two, seeing at the GT-P makes almost a hundred more horsepower and bears a striking resemblance to Nissan’s GTR supercar thanks to a flat black treatment surrounding the grille.

Of course, they’re even easier to distinguish when Mitsubishi paints your Eclipse Spyder GT-P press car a shade of yellow that’s best, and ironically, described as solar. Setting off the blackened nose quite well, the big convertible sits low over its 18” machined wheels, the big fender flares drawing the car out horizontally and accentuating the car’s width. With substantially more girth over the back axle and a rakish beltline, the car resembles a big, curvy wedge. Earning quite a few compliments, the Eclipse looked better than any three year old design has a right to, and oddly enough, still looks “fresh,” perhaps the result of being relatively rare on the roads.

And that rarity is something of a mystery when you combine those excellent looks with what is actually a pretty nice interior. The coupe feels a bit too cave like for anyone over 5’10”, but the convertible completely dispels that impression. The steeply raked windshield still comes a little low and intrudes into view, but the view over the hood is still pretty good, and visibility in every direction isn’t bad with the roof up or down, for that matter. The interior itself is pretty spartan, with the bare minimum of materials and textures. The controls are all centrally located, right where you’d expect them to be. Overall, it’s a far cry from most other vehicles on the market; devoid of ornamentation and needless styling touches. That might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s a refreshing breath of fresh air in a market saturated with overbuilt interiors. Of course, it’s worth noting that the Eclipse may also be one of the most comfortable vehicles on the market, with big, soft, and yet supportive seats and a very natural driving position.

And that comfortable, easy to use interior is perfectly suited to the GT-P’s chassis and powertrain. Although possessing a pretty serious amount of power and torque, the big 3.8L V6 is more musclecar than high-strung import. Don’t get me wrong, it pulls the Eclipse forward with some serious gusto, and the thing’s acceleration is damn near ballistic. But when it comes time to round a corner or two, the big Mitsubishi starts to get overwhelmed. There’s no getting around the fact that pairing the Eclipse’s 3,688 pounds with its ability to provide the front tires with 265 horsepower and almost as much torque (262 lb-ft) makes for one temperamental beast. Roll on the throttle too early, or too heavily, and the front end washes out catastrophically on all but the most mundane corner exit. Of course, then there’s the problem of body roll, which isn’t completely quelled by the GT-P’s uprated suspension. Piling into a corner with some aggression, and the tires will struggle to maintain their hold on the earth’s crust under braking. Roll in towards the apex and the whole thing pitches just a degree or two too far, making any mid corner bumps or adjustments just a wee bit unsettling.

But, crank the pace back just a tenth or two, and the whole thing comes together beautifully. So long as you avoid stretching the Eclipse’s abilities out to their limits, the body roll that unsettles at eight or nine tenths becomes little more than supple, comfortable suspension. Try coming out of a corner in third instead of second and the big V6 pulls smoothly out of the corner, building momentum instead of launching out of the corner.

So, pair that laid back, flowing, smooth attitude with the comfortable, practical layout of the interior and you end up with a car that’s a mediocre sports car, but a first rate grand tourer. With the top down and the wind blowing smoothly over your head on a warm day, it feels like you could easily cover a thousand kilometres without breaking a sweat. It makes the most fantastic sounds, and the sonorous tone of the V6 is sort of a melding of Nissan’s VQ35 with a healthy dose of aggression added in for good measure, and hearing that sound bounce of the mountainsides as you hustle comfortably down your favourite road is a glorious experience. And the price? Well, that’s not too bad either. With a base price of $37,798 bucks, some might think the entry fee a little steep until you consider that the Spyder carries no equipment options except a five speed automatic gearbox which is. The great Rockford Fosgate sound system is standard (there’s even a subwoofer mounted between the rear seats!), as is the leather seats with heaters, power windows and locks, traction control, 18” wheels, and dual exhaust. Sure, there are other sporty drop tops available with a lower MSRP, but they’ll easily outstrip the Eclipse’s price tag if equally outfitted. Overall, it’s a great car that ticks all the boxes, but falls into the classic jack-of-all-trades trap. But if you’ve only got one parking space in your garage, or you can’t validate buying an out-and-out four wheeled toy, this might be the perfect car for you.