You know you've got a hit when the revamped car kicks the ass of an already bitchin' older edition. Tool around in one of the new Eclipse Spyder rag tops, and even jaded L.A. valet parkers perk up. Funkier, spunkier and slightly more rounded than the last model, the new GT has cool new dual air intake slots in the nose, a wider rear end and bigger, bolder headlights. Overall, it looks like a more refined take on Nissan's somewhat clumsy looking Z. And, as with most cabriolets, it looks exponentially better with the top down -- and a sexy babe in the passenger seat.
Words like "bright," "fun," "happy," "young" and "speeding ticket" pop into mind when riding around in the new Spyder. Our tester sported a whimsical three-tone black/orange/cream interior with suede-accented racing seats. Dropping the top is quick, painless and automatic. Even with smaller folks in the front and back, though, there's just barely enough room in the rear seats to maneuver. Anyone who sits back there risks hearing loss, because the gigantic bass-booming speaker mounted between the seats seems powerful enough to blow someone out of the car.
Mitsu is calling their new Eclipse an "attainable exotic." That might be an insult to the folks at Ferrari, but the GT's ferocious engine roar is on par with cars three times as expensive. Inexplicably, Mitsu makes a 162-horse, 4-cylinder GS. Trust us, you'd be foolish not to upgrade to the 260-horse, 3.8-liter V6. It was a gas to zip around L.A. in the 6-cylinder model -- it hops to 60 in about six and a half clicks -- but its agility in tight spaces is somewhat disappointing. In short, excellent output for not a lot of input.
She'll love its cool, cute styling so much she might not ever let you drive it. So sit back and soak up the sun.
