The 4-cylinder Eclipse Spyder GS starts at $30,498, while the fully-loaded, V6-powered GT-P costs $37,598 including freight and dealer prep.
The Eclipse Coupe may have more trouble with its rivals, but the Spyder has less of them to worry about. Still, similarly-equipped competition includes the $40,140 Volkswagen Eos 2.0 TSI Comfortline, the $43,295 BMW 128i Cabriolet, the $38,535 MINI Cooper S Convertible and the $36,899 Ford Mustang V6 Convertible.
The Mustang, especially the 2011 model with its 305-hp V6, has become the most serious threat to the Eclipse. Its $31,399 entry price is only a grand more than the base GS, but the Mustang is much more powerful.
In the end, the Eclipse is a gorgeous car with an easy-to-use top for glorious rides under the sun. It’s a good choice, but as long as you don’t ask too much of it. The performance potential of the GT-P is spoiled by torque steer, so maybe a more relaxed, 4-cylinder GS would be more enjoyable. The snorty sound of the V6 would be missed, but it would live up more to its expectations.
Note to Mitsubishi: make the next Eclipse lighter, smaller and equipped with all-wheel drive and the Lancer Ralliart’s 237-hp turbo four. Then again, the moms at my kids’ school might not like it as much.
The Eclipse Coupe may have more trouble with its rivals, but the Spyder has less of them to worry about. Still, similarly-equipped competition includes the $40,140 Volkswagen Eos 2.0 TSI Comfortline, the $43,295 BMW 128i Cabriolet, the $38,535 MINI Cooper S Convertible and the $36,899 Ford Mustang V6 Convertible.
The Mustang, especially the 2011 model with its 305-hp V6, has become the most serious threat to the Eclipse. Its $31,399 entry price is only a grand more than the base GS, but the Mustang is much more powerful.
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| The Eclipse Spyder GT-P costs $37,598. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
In the end, the Eclipse is a gorgeous car with an easy-to-use top for glorious rides under the sun. It’s a good choice, but as long as you don’t ask too much of it. The performance potential of the GT-P is spoiled by torque steer, so maybe a more relaxed, 4-cylinder GS would be more enjoyable. The snorty sound of the V6 would be missed, but it would live up more to its expectations.
Note to Mitsubishi: make the next Eclipse lighter, smaller and equipped with all-wheel drive and the Lancer Ralliart’s 237-hp turbo four. Then again, the moms at my kids’ school might not like it as much.
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