1999 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder Review

Mitsubishi's new Eclipse Spyder convertible shows there still is something magical about top-down driving.

And the reasonably priced, Illinois-built Spyder is tough to beat for the bucks.

Making a convertible from Mitsubishi's nifty front-wheel-drive Eclipse sport coupe was a great idea since the car debuted as an early 1990 model. But Mitsubishi dragged its feet, and the Eclipse Spyder convertible only recently arrived.

The Spyder is the first Japanese nameplate convertible to be built on a U.S. production line. Designed concurrently with the latest-generation Eclipse coupe at Mitsubishi's California studio, it is made at the automaker's Downstate Normal plant.

Covering all bases, the Spyder is available as a 141-horsepower four-cylinder GS model with a five-speed manual transmission for $19,280 and with a four-speed automatic for $19,990.

The bullet-like supercharged and intercooled four-cylinder GS-T model lists at $24,990 with the manual and at $25,830 with the automatic. Horsepower for the GS-T is 210 with manual, and 205 with automatic.

Standard Spyder GS equipment includes dual air bags, power steering, four-wheel disc brakes, sport suspension, AM/FM/cassette, power windows and mirrors, tilt steering column, split folding rear seat and alloy wheels.

The Spyder GS-T adds air conditioning, cruise control, eight-speaker AM/FM/cassette/CD player, power door locks, alarm system, remote keyless entry and high-speed low-profile tires.

You can get anti-lock brakes for $716 on the Spyder GS-T, but they're not offered for the Spyder GS.

The best Spyder, which I recently tested, is the GS-T with the manual, although the shift linkage could be more precise. This model's dual-overhead-cam, 16-valve four-cylinder whisks it to 60 m.p.h. in an even seven seconds and makes it a breeze to enter fast traffic or pass on open roads. The quiet, smooth, 2-liter engine has dual balance shafts to smooth out a four-cylinder's typical roughness. The engine power band is so wide that a driver need not shift gears much for decent performance.

Still, the under-$20,000 GS Spyder's 2.4-liter engine, which also has balance shafts, is satisfactory, with four valves per cylinder and good torque for quick throttle response at low engine speeds.

The GS does 0-60 m.p.h. in a respectable 9.3 seconds with the manual and its ample torque provides quck throttle response at low speeds. But performance is hindered by the power-robbing automatic.

Fuel economy is pretty good; both motors provide in the low 20s in the city and high 20s on highways, with either transmission.

The Spyder is designed from the ground up as a convertible--not just a coupe with the roof chopped off. It has a power soft top with a heated glass rear window, not a plastic one prone to scratches and fog that obscure vision.

The top goes up and down quickly and is thickly insulated to cut down on typical convertible noise. The glass rear window has a defroster to help make the Spyder a decent winter car. But the window is tiny, and the erected top seriously limits a driver's rear three-quarter view.

With no metal top to act as a structural body member, the Spyder gains about 132 pounds in platform and body reinforcements to enhance chassis rigidity and to control noise, vibration and harshness.

My test Spyder generally felt solid, but had a fair number of annoying door rattles on rough pavement. And, while the raised top kept the interior noise level down, the car generated a fair amount of road noise.

Still, the Spyder GS-T has quick, accurate steering, powerful brakes, slick clutch and cat-like handling--helped by an independent rear suspension. Cruising at interstate speeds with the top down is fairly comfortable, with little wind noise or annoying buffeting.

A short wheelbase, firm suspension and performance tires with short sidewalls that don't absorb road irregularities very well occasionally caused the GS-T's ride to be choppy on freeways. Still, the ride wasn't jarring--even on rough secondary roads.

There's decent room up front, where supportive seats, good gauges and easily reached controls provide a comfortable driving environment. However, the manual shifter blocks radio controls in first, third and fifth gears.

Forget the back seat, which is tight even in an Eclipse hardtop. The convertible design makes the rear seat smaller; even children will be cramped back there. The trunk has an inconveniently high opening, and room in it is marginal. And the car's large turning circle won't be appreciated in tight quarters.

Still, the Eclipse Spyder's virtues outweigh its faults. It will have owners praying for good top-down weather.