The registry
Eagle Registry: Models, Builds & Photos
Eagle was Chrysler's import-fighter division, launched for the 1988 model year after Chrysler bought American Motors Corporation from Renault in August 1987. The name came from the four-wheel-drive AMC Eagle line, and the early catalog mixed leftover AMC and Renault projects with rebadged Mitsubishis. Its two most consequential cars were the Talon sport coupe (1990-1998), built alongside the Mitsubishi Eclipse at Diamond-Star Motors, and the Vision sedan (1993-1997) on Chrysler's cab-forward LH platform. Chrysler shut the brand down after the 1998 model year, having never given it a clear identity or a real marketing budget.
Pick your model
Where Eagle came from
When Chrysler absorbed AMC in August 1987, it kept Jeep and needed somewhere for the remaining AMC and Renault dealer network to sell passenger cars. Eagle was that answer, launched for 1988 under the new Jeep-Eagle division. The 1988 catalog was thin and strange: the Premier sedan (1988-1992), engineered by AMC and Renault with a Giugiaro-styled body and a 150 hp 3.0L PRV V6, sold next to the Eagle Wagon, the carryover four-wheel-drive AMC Eagle that gave the brand its name and lasted just that one year. The French-built Medallion wore Renault badges for 1988 and Eagle badges for 1989, then was dropped. The Mitsubishi Mirage-based Summit joined for 1989 and ran through 1996. The Premier matters more than its sales suggest. Its longitudinal layout and chassis work fed directly into the LH platform that produced the Vision, the Dodge Intrepid, and the Chrysler Concorde, and Chrysler rebadged it as the Dodge Monaco for 1990-1992, largely to work down a contractual commitment to buy PRV engines from Renault.
Talon (1990-1998)
The Talon was Eagle's version of the Diamond-Star Motors triplets, built in Normal, Illinois alongside the Mitsubishi Eclipse and, through 1994, the Plymouth Laser. First-generation cars ran 1990-1994; the second generation ran 1995-1998. The one to know is the TSi, which carried the Mitsubishi 4G63 2.0L turbo four, rated at 195 hp in first-generation cars and 210 hp with the manual (205 with the automatic) in the second generation, with an available all-wheel-drive system. That drivetrain takes big power on stock internals, which is why Talons got used up hard by the tuner crowd and clean AWD cars are scarce now. Crank walk on some 1995-1998 7-bolt 4G63s is the failure every second-gen buyer asks about.
Vision (1993-1997)
The Vision was Eagle's full-size cab-forward sedan on the LH platform, sold as the sportier, European-flavored sibling of the Intrepid and Concorde (in Europe it wore a Chrysler badge). The ESi used the 3.3L pushrod V6 rated at 153 hp; the TSi ran the 3.5L SOHC 24-valve V6 rated at 214 hp with firmer suspension tuning. For 1996 the TSi added AutoStick, the tap-shift gate for the 42LE automatic, and the Vision was the first Chrysler product to offer it. The car reviewed well and made Car and Driver's 10Best list, yet only a little over 105,000 were sold across five model years because few buyers knew what an Eagle was.
The end
Eagle never got distinct sheetmetal of its own after the Premier, and Chrysler spent its advertising money elsewhere. The Vision ended after 1997, and the second-generation LH car developed as its replacement reached production wearing a different badge, as the 1999 Chrysler 300M. The Talon finished the brand's run in 1998. Parts support today follows the donor: Talon mechanicals interchange with the Eclipse and the DSM aftermarket, Vision mechanicals with Intrepid and Concorde stock.
Asked all the time
What years was Eagle in business?
Eagle sold cars from the 1988 through 1998 model years. Chrysler created the Eagle brand after buying AMC in August 1987 and shut it down after 1998, with the Talon as the last model standing.
Is the Eagle Talon the same car as the Mitsubishi Eclipse?
Mechanically, yes. The Eagle Talon, Mitsubishi Eclipse, and Plymouth Laser were all built on the same line at Diamond-Star Motors in Normal, Illinois. Most engine, drivetrain, and suspension parts interchange, so Talon owners lean on the DSM and Eclipse aftermarket.
Which Eagle Talon is the desirable one?
The Talon TSi, especially with all-wheel drive. It uses the Mitsubishi 4G63 2.0L turbo four (195 hp first generation, up to 210 hp second generation) that responds well to modification. Clean, unmolested AWD examples from either the 1990-1994 or 1995-1998 generation are the hard find; check second-gen cars for crank walk.
What is an Eagle Vision and what engine does it have?
The Eagle Vision (1993-1997) is a full-size cab-forward sedan on Chrysler's LH platform, sibling to the Dodge Intrepid and Chrysler Concorde. The ESi trim used the 153 hp 3.3L V6 and the TSi used the 214 hp 3.5L SOHC V6.
Are parts still available for Eagle vehicles?
Generally yes, because nearly every Eagle shares parts with a donor brand. Talon parts cross to the Mitsubishi Eclipse, Vision parts to the Intrepid and Concorde, and Summit coupe and sedan parts to the Mitsubishi Mirage (the tall Summit Wagon crosses to the Mitsubishi Expo LRV instead). Eagle-specific trim, badging, and body pieces are the tough hunt.
The wall
The most-documented Eagle vehicles in the registry, every photo by the owner.
