I was just at the New Orleans car show. Grr Ford wasn't there again!

I was talking to a Mitsubishi guy about an eclipse. He was showing me the spyder. He asked me what other cars I was looking into. I told him I was looking at the Lightning.

He said, "Lightning? That's Chrysler right?"

I said, "No, Ford"

"Ford? Look, Ford isn't even hear. They don't even have anything good to show!"

"Well, what is the 0-60 of this and the 1/4 mile times for this?"

"I'll have to check on that. I know it has 210 horsepower. You can just feel the power when you sit in it. I would love to get this out on a dirt road"

"Well, I'm sure it is fast but it costs $30k. I can get a Lightning for 32k"

"Once you feel the power, then you'll know that the price is worth it"

"Still, I bet the Lightning could smoke this."

"How much horsepower does the Lightning have"

"380"

"It is a sports car"

"No, an F-150"

"Ohh, a truck. Well you are comparing two different things. Trucks are made for towing and hauling. Just because it has the horsepower doesn't mean it is fast."

"It is the fastest production truck"

"You are still trying to compare two different things. A car will be able to handle the curves better"

"I've also been looking at the Cobra"

"Oh... how much horsepower do they have?"

"390"

That is pretty much where are conversation ended. He then went on to talk about the financing and the Mitsubishi "trade mark" of putting this air intake right where the hood closes. He told me it helps by sucking in cold air. I wanted to tell him that Ford has done that before on their F-150s.

 

I wouldn't knock Mitsu cars too much. They seem unable to make up their minds though. Earlier gen1 and gen 2 DSM (which includes some Dodge/Eagle models) cars had some impressive figures, but most of their current stock are underpowered and overweight. A mildly massaged '91 or '92 Galant VR-4 could edge out a mildly tuned L in a 1/4 mile. (true, AWD helps and abusing the clutch is a pre-requisite) Anyway, most people would have as much problem believing performance from a 4 door family sedan as they would have from a truck.

 

Yes - I had the pleasure of tossing a '92 Galant VR-4 around some back roads in central Massachusetts nine years ago. The 5-speed was icing on the cake! That ride was an unmitigated blast.

 

I'm not. I might end up getting one.

 

my wife has the 01 spyder with the v6 and manual.
if that is what u are looking for, great car, we shopped for all kinds of verts, drove the BMW 3 series vert, s2000, z8...
both BMW were to slow, the z was only the small 4.
s2000 probally to much sports car than she needed.
mustang she didnt like the rear drive plus i have a 91 project mustang vert..
so we ended on the spyder is a good car 1st gear seems sluggish but once the r's are up it will go, but still no, none, nada, camparo to the L...


jim

 

Man that that hilarious!!! I could just hear him talking in this excited and enthusiastic voice about the Spyder, well you're just in this monotone all knowing one voice.

And why would the guy wanna get it on a dirt road?!?

Lastly, is a Spyder really 32K??? That's just mind boggling to me.

 

So he could slide around corners? I was kinda wondering that too. It isn't a rally car.

The sticker prices was 30k

 

30 still seems high, we paid around 28....