Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GS-T
Four-passenger, two-door convertible; 2.0-liter, turbocharged I-4 engine; 210 horsepower; five-speed manual transmission; EPA mileage 23 city, 31 highway; curb weight 3,053 pounds; Base price: $26,960
If you know how to go through the gears and handle the corners, the front-wheel drive 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder can be like riding a roller coaster. Mitsubishi made this car with its motto “Wake up and drive,” in mind. With 210 horses packed inside this sporty four-seat convertible, this car will make you feel like a teenager again. The top comes down effortlessly, the interior seating area is fine; though there isn’t much room for back-seat passengers, you may not want to drive Grandma and Grandpa around in this car anyway. Mitsubishi reengineered the Eclipse for the American public, especially the college graduate, an ex-race car driver or the 35-year-old CPA burnout who wants to enjoy life a little more. The black-on-white face instrumentation on the dash panel just might fool you into thinking you are in a NASCAR stock car jetting around banked turns at Daytona, instead of going down Imperial Highway on your way to work. The Spyder is assembled in Mitsubishi’s Normal, Ill., plant along with its Eclipse coupe cousin. The GS-T may come with a 4-speed automatic transmission with overdrive, but I would recommend the 5-speed manual transmission. It also comes with solid rear disc brakes, which you will need. In the Spyder, peeling out is easy. So is breaking the speed limit on the 57 Freeway (the speed limit is 65 mph). It only took about 6 seconds. Did I mention the car is fast?
