| AMC Eagle | |
|---|---|
 1981 AMC Eagle Sport Wagon | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer |
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| Also called | Eagle Wagon (MY1988) |
| Production | August 1979 – December 1987 |
| Model years | 1980–1988 |
| Assembly |
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| Designer | Dick Teague |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Compact car[1][2] |
| Body style |
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| Layout | Front engine, four-wheel drive |
| Related | |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine |
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| Transmission |
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| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase |
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| Length |
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| Width |
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| Height |
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| Chronology | |
| Successor |
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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
Jacobswas 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 2013was 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.