Eclipsing expectations – A test of Mitsu’s head-turning Eclipse

I’ve got to hand it to good ole Mitsu. Not a lot of mass market car companies would bother bringing in a fancy sports car with all the investment it entails if they can expect to sell just a handful of cars a month. Still, being able to see the occasional Eclipse (or the Nissan 350Z) on the road is a pleasure we owe to their local distributors.

And what pleasure! The silver Eclipse I drove for a week garnered even more looks than the BMW Z4 I tested a few weeks earlier. The front end may not make it to New York’s Museum of Modern Art, but the side and rear-three-quarters view is simply more bootylicious than Beyonce.

I just love the way the window beltline rises upwards from the front fenders all the way to the car’s curvaceous haunches. Seeing the sexy flared rear fenders from the side mirrors is a great constant reminder you that you are driving one gorgeous-looking car.

For the serious driver, more pleasure comes from the Eclipse’s impeccable driving dynamics. It’s a front-driver, so don’t expect sublime handling characteristics ala the virtuoso Z4. But do expect scintillating acceleration and gut-wrenching cornering grip (even if it’s not as sticky as the AWD Subaru Impreza).

The Eclipse, which is not much longer than a Mitsubishi Lancer, is powered by a huge and sweet-sounding 3.8-liter 24-valve V6 developing 268 hp – that’s more power than the BMW Z4.

The V6 is mated to a 5-speed manumatic that’s a willing partner when it comes to apex-strafing runs. The Eclipse’s forte is medium-to-high-speed sweeping curves where the firm yet surprisingly compliant suspension and ultra-wide tires team up to generate formidable cornering forces.

Straight-line banzai runs are equally easy, with the speedo reaching 170 as easily as most cars reach 100.

It’s with tight turns and hairpins where the front-wheel-drive of the Eclipse becomes its waterloo. Torque steer is an annoyance with 1.6- and even 2-liter cars. But it turns into a major issue in a car with this much power. I slammed the gas pedal once and the car almost jumped into a stopped jeepney on its right. Whoa!

The Eclipse has traction control but it’s just not enough when combined with a slippery road or an inordinately heavy right foot. Judicious use of the throttle is essential to setting fastest times in this car.

Inside, the Eclipse is one serious go-fast machine. The sport seats are heavily bolstered for high-g loadings. The driver sits with all controls well within arm’s reach. The dashboard is free of any extraneous grills that only serve to distract.

I just find the otherwise good-looking steering wheel to be on the large size for a sports car.

Back seat? The hatchback Eclipse isn’t called a 2+2 for nothing. Rear headroom is limited due to the sloping roofline (max. 5’5 occupants) but that’s nothing compared to the almost non-existent legroom. The bottoms of the seats seem too long; they should have shortened it a bit to free up more legroom.

Forget large (or even medium) suitcases due to the squarish shape of the trunk – made even smaller by the huge Rockford-Fosgate subwoofer mounted there. Golf bags have a better chance as the rear seats fold forward to expand cargo capacity.

More gripes: The always-on daytime running lights make you seem like an insufferable showoff – or an idiot who left his lights on. The Eclipse is imported from the US where DTRLs are mandated in some states; but this is an issue that should be remedied by the expedient measure of snipping the right wires.

Surprisingly, fuel economy didn’t seem too bad for a car with such a large and powerful engine (a 286-hp 3.8-liter V6, remember?). I managed a 6-kilometer-per-liter average on really bad traffic with the occasional pedal-to-the-metal forays when traffic cleared up and the motor simply begged for me to give it the reins.

As exotic car looks and 6-second 0-to-100-kph acceleration runs go, few cars can match the latest Mitsubishi Eclipse for sheer visual and visceral bang for the buck.