As one of the most poignant signs of the times, one automaker proudly touted its Japanese heritage, complete with authentic tribal music and dancers, as it debuted its new convertible at the 2006 North American International Auto Show. You know, the gig that takes place in Detroit, the heart of the domestic car industry, in the dead of winter. Company executives explained that the new marketing theme represents American car buyers’ respect for Japanese products. Couple that with Honda winning the show’s car and truck of the year awards, and one gets the sense that a few local boys were getting roughed up on their own turf. Those Japanese heritage comments came from the folks at Mitsubishi, who unveiled the 2007 Eclipse Spyder. This new take on the brand’s four-passenger convertible bears the styling first seen in 2005 on the Eclipse Coupe, with the added touch of a power cloth top. But with cars like the sought-after Ford Mustang convertible providing more standard power at a lower cost, chances are this open-top import will be unable to inflict any real damage to the hometown rides.