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2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT V6 Road Test

Best in Class?

Flashing lights, artificial smoke, loud, pumping trance music and a self-revealing cloth - it was a slightly better than average version of the show all manufacturers use to unveil new cars. Underneath it all, this pearl orange colored figure gathered attention quicker than almost any other exhibit at this years North American International Auto Show in Detroit. And there it sat, raised on a pedestal, the all-new 2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse in all its radiance and glory. All that went through my mind was my sincere hope that it would be as good to drive as it was to look at. From that moment on, and for the next six months, I was excited - and that rarely ever happens.

Six months later, Mitsubishi is experiencing its best launch in years. Sales are higher than expected, and a company that has been through a very difficult time as of late is now enjoying a little optimism. Now, Im staring at it in the metal in Mitsubishis corporate lot and its looking better than in any photo. Having taken a general hint from the trendy sports car crew, its stylists added in long-running elements of the past two generations of Eclipse - cheese-grater doors of the third

This pearl orange colored figure gathered attention quicker than almost any other exhibit at this years North American International Auto Show in Detroit. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

generation and towering spoiler excluded. Slimmed down, the Concept-Es X-rated figure shows its extreme curves even more, particularly those perfectly shaped hips. Oh my, this car is so hot.

Between nose and tail are the details that will settle well with the Fast and the Furious crowd, details worthy of your attention. The rear ends form-fitting spoiler and afterburner LED tail lamps are glitzed up with automotive bling - chrome under glass as Mitsubishi calls it - while the headlamps project through light purple tinted automotive sunglasses. Cornering bulbs up front and back are pearlized, appearing orange only when activated. You can dress the Eclipse up with a number of additional accessories, including an alloy, race-style fuel filler cap and a cool-looking aero kit.

The rear ends form-fitting spoiler and afterburner LED tail lamps are glitzed up with automotive bling. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

Surely, the latest model will be a kingpin in style and street cred. People oft criticize me of thinking that that the Eclipse will be "the" car of 2006, most cases pinned on the fact that Mitsubishis arithmetic for the Eclipse doesnt add up to a true performance machine. Admittedly, this is true; such concerns are justified considering that the latest cars underpinnings are from the same Platform America skeleton used in Mitsubishis midsize Endeavor SUV and Galant family sedan. The fourth-gen Illinois-built Eclipse encounters yet another growth spurt, gaining some 0.6 inches in wheelbase, 2.3 inches in length and 3.3 inches in width. Both front and rear tracks are 2.4 inches wider as well, filling in those gorgeous hips and adding to the Eclipses road-hugging demeanor. The downside is that it packs on some 360 pounds of extra weight and as you know, extra weight and girth do not a sports car make. But before

Both front and rear tracks are 2.4 inches wider as well, filling in those gorgeous hips and adding to the Eclipses road-hugging demeanor. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

dismissing the Eclipse as a flop in the making, continue to read. You might just be surprised.

First stop is the engine department, which has been seriously upgraded to keep up with consistent weight gains. It gives the flashy body the legs that the third generation never had. While there are no arguments that last years 200-horsepower 3.0-liter V6 delivered the smoothness which no prior turbo-four could ever offer, how it went about its business was more laid back and relaxed than adrenaline inducing, too smooth for the urgency which sports compact drivers demand. Thank goodness for the new V6, which deals an ace action card. Mitsubishi decided to make a stop over at the parts bin, picking out the large displacement 3.8-litre cast-iron V6, topped with an aluminum head. While in most applications it generates 245 horses, Mitsubishi added MIVEC variable intake valve timing and a high performance cam profile switchover to further caffeinate existing performance abilities. Its

Mitsubishi decided to make a stop over at the parts bin, picking out the large displacement 3.8-liter cast-iron V6, topped with an aluminum head. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

263-horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque beat most rivals, toppling powerhouse compacts and aiming for bigger, beefier prey such as Nissans 350Z and Mazdas RX-8.

As with the 164-horsepower 2.4-liter MIVEC I-4 found in the Eclipse GS and Lancer Ralliart, the V6-powered Eclipse uses displacement to its advantage. Theres no need to rev the engine hard to feel thrust, as power is always on tap and ready to deliver a satisfying punch, powerful enough to pin you to the seat and gently rearrange your internal organs. Even with my optional 235-width Goodyear Eagle RS-A tires on 18-inch wheels, theres more than enough torque to overwhelm. In first gear the V6-powered Eclipse struggles to find traction all the way up to redline, when the tires emit a resounding chirp through fast-paced second-gear upshifts. At 4,000 rpm, theres a subtle switch over to the hot camshaft profile, though its not as obvious as the kick-in-the-pants motion of hyperactive Hondas and Acuras. Sixty mph whips by in a little over six seconds, provided you deactivate the traction control, which otherwise

Standard to the Eclipse GT is a sweet six-speed manual gearbox, with short throws and a baseball-stitched shifter knob. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

limits power to prevent torque steer. Pull does not diminish in higher gears. Complimenting the performance is a baritone exhaust note that urges you to seek out underground parking lots and lengthy tunnels, its reverberating echo sure to send chills down your spine.

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