2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT Road Test

Settling in, I adjusted the mirrors via power remote, locked my seat into position and adjusted the rake and depth of the

The upgraded Mitsubishi 3.8-litre V6 engine now sports 263-horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

steering wheel, ready for action. Action is what I got as the upgraded 3.8-litre V6 came to life, now sporting 263-horsepower compared to 230 in non-MIVEC (variable valve control) equipped Galant and Endeavor. What a sweet engine! It pulls so strongly from any gear that it actually inspired a boyish giggle from my tired, overworked body.

As good as the engine is the car's new triple-synchro six-speed manual and 5-speed automatic transmissions are up to the task. The former is a real smooth shifter, featuring short throws and positive increments that immediately made swapping gears an afterthought. The clutch took only a moment to

The triple-synchro six-speed manual is a real smooth shifter, featuring short throws and positive increments that immediately made swapping gears an afterthought. The 5-speed automatic (shown), is also ideally suited to the task at hand. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

get used to, but after a block or two was as effortless to operate as the rest of the car.

What impressed me most, other than the Eclipse's relentless acceleration, is its almost complete lack of torque steer - a tugging on the steering wheel that often comes with powerful, front-wheel drive cars. What does Mitsubishi understand about engineering front-wheel drive cars that eludes Nissan, for instance? Its manually-actuated Maxima can be a handful when hard on the throttle, darting into the opposing lane if you're not holding firmly onto the wheel with both hands. I can't say what the difference between the two cars' steering linkages and drivelines are, but once again Mitsubishi got the Eclipse right, and resultantly it's a joy to drive fast.