AMC Eagle

AMC Eagle
AMC Eagle
	1981 AMC Eagle Sport Wagon
Overview
Manufacturer	American Motors Corporation (1980-1987); Chrysler Corporation (1987-1988);
Also called	Eagle Wagon (MY1988)
Production	August 1979 – December 1987
Model years	1980–1988
Assembly	United States: Kenosha, Wisconsin (1980–1983); Canada: Brampton, Ontario (1984–1988);
Designer	Dick Teague
Body and chassis
Class	Compact car
Body style	2-door coupé; 2-door hatchback; 4-door sedan; 4-door station wagon; 2-door convertible;
Layout	Front engine, four-wheel drive
Related	AMC Concord; AMC Gremlin; AMC Hornet; AMC Spirit;
Powertrain
Engine	150 cu in (2.5 L) AMC I4; 151 cu in (2.5 L) GM Iron Duke I4; 258 cu in (4.2 L) AMC I6;
Transmission	4-speed manual; 5-speed manual; 3-speed TorqueFlite automatic;
Dimensions
Wheelbase	97.2 in (2,469 mm) liftback/kammback; 109.3 in (2,776 mm) coupe/sedan/wagon;
Length	166.6 in (4,232 mm) liftback/kammback; 186.2 in (4,729 mm) coupe/sedan/wagon;
Width	73.0 in (1,854 mm) liftback/kammback; 72.3 in (1,836 mm) coupe/sedan/wagon;
Height	55.2 in (1,402 mm) liftback/kammback; 54.4 in (1,382 mm) coupe/sedan; 54.6 in (1,387 mm) wagon;
Chronology
Successor	Eagle Summit (for Kammback and liftback); Eagle Talon (for liftback); Eagle Medallion (for sedan, coupe and wagon); Eagle Summit Wagon (for wagon);

The AMC Eagle is a compact four-wheel drive passenger vehicle manufactured and marketed in a single generation by American Motors Corporation (AMC) for model years 1980 through 1987 and continued by Chrysler Corporation following its acquisition of AMC in 1987, for the 1988 model year.

Introduced in August 1979 for the 1980 model year, the coupe, sedan, and station wagon body styles were based on the AMC Concord. In 1981, the two-door subcompact-sized AMC Spirit-based models, the SX/4 and Kammback, joined the Eagle line aimed at both first-time buyers and fleet sales.^[3]

A Sundancer convertible conversion for the larger Eagle two-door model was available during 1981 and 1982. By 1984, only sedan and station wagon versions were available. For 1988, its final model year, only a station wagon was offered, marketed as the "Eagle Wagon". However, the name continued to be used by Chrysler Corporation as the Eagle brand of cars through 1998.

The AMC Eagles were the only four-wheel drive passenger cars produced in the United States at the time.^[4] All models featured "passenger-car comfort, plus 4WD security for all-weather security."^[5] Marketing materials of the time refer to the Eagle as a "vehicle," "automobile," "car," or “sport machine.”^[6] Although the description was not in use at the time, the AMC Eagle is widely recognized as the first crossover vehicle.^[7]^[8]^[9]

^ Segura, Eleonor (December 27, 2021). "This Minty 1987 AMC Eagle Limited Wagon Could Be Yours in 2022". Motor Trend. Retrieved January 6, 2023. The small-town carmaker introduced the AMC Eagle in 1980, a rugged and well-appointed station wagon based on the AMC Concord.
^ "AMC Eagle: American 4x4 Pioneer". allpar.com. November 16, 2020. Retrieved January 6, 2023. ... upmarket version of the compact AMC Hornet.
^ Ernst, Kurt (March 10, 2014). "Lost Cars of the 1980s – 1981–1982 AMC Eagle Series 50 Kammback". Hemmings Classic Car. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
^ "AMC a longtime loser starts to roar". Newsweek. Vol. 94. 1979. p. 207. Archived from the original on May 28, 2022. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
^ Cite error: The named reference Jacobs was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Lombard, Stefan (May 16, 2023). "How the AMC Eagle blazed a trail through a giant government loophole". Hagerty. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
^ Padgett, pp. 242–243.
^ Cite error: The named reference Carney 2013 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Gold, Aaron (May 2017). "AMC Eagle: No, Seriously, This Was the First Crossover SUV". autotrader.com. Archived from the original on April 22, 2019. Retrieved September 15, 2019.

[1] Segura, Eleonor (December 27, 2021). "This Minty 1987 AMC Eagle Limited Wagon Could Be Yours in 2022". Motor Trend. Retrieved January 6, 2023. The small-town carmaker introduced the AMC Eagle in 1980, a rugged and well-appointed station wagon based on the AMC Concord.

[2] "AMC Eagle: American 4x4 Pioneer". allpar.com. November 16, 2020. Retrieved January 6, 2023. ... upmarket version of the compact AMC Hornet.

[Ernst-3] Ernst, Kurt (March 10, 2014). "Lost Cars of the 1980s – 1981–1982 AMC Eagle Series 50 Kammback". Hemmings Classic Car. Retrieved April 24, 2022.

[Newsweek79-4] "AMC a longtime loser starts to roar". Newsweek. Vol. 94. 1979. p. 207. Archived from the original on May 28, 2022. Retrieved May 18, 2017.

[Jacobs-5] Cite error: The named reference Jacobs was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Lombard-6] Lombard, Stefan (May 16, 2023). "How the AMC Eagle blazed a trail through a giant government loophole". Hagerty. Retrieved November 29, 2023.

[Padgett,_pp._242–243-7] Padgett, pp. 242–243.

[Carney_2013-8] Cite error: The named reference Carney 2013 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[9] Gold, Aaron (May 2017). "AMC Eagle: No, Seriously, This Was the First Crossover SUV". autotrader.com. Archived from the original on April 22, 2019. Retrieved September 15, 2019.

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