Editing AMC Eagle (section)

==History==

===The concept===
[[File:1985 AMC Eagle wagon Hinton-4w.jpg|thumb|right|All AMC Eagles featured 4WD]]
[[File:Eagle dirt 02.jpg|thumb|right|AMC Eagle Wagon in off-road duty]]
[[File:1982 AMC Eagle 4-door wagon two-tone 05.jpg|thumb|right|AMC Eagle Wagon in two-tone finish]]
[[File:1982 AMC Eagle SX-4 (31404336770).jpg|thumb|right|AMC Eagle SX/4 liftback]]
[[File:1983 AMC Eagle at 2012 Rockville a.jpg|thumb|right|AMC Eagle Wagon at classic car show]]
[[File:1980 AMC Eagle Limited wagon in blue with woodgrain at Rambler Ranch 3of3.jpg|thumb|AMC Eagle Interiors focused on comfort and luxury]]

Fuel-thirsty vehicles built for rugged off-road were on the market, but AMC "predicted that consumers would embrace a vehicle with the comfort of an automobile, but the ride height and foul-weather capabilities of a four-wheel drive utility vehicle."<ref name="Ernst"/> The objective was an affordable car with comfortable ride and handling on the road and superior traction in ''light'' off-road use.<ref name="Jacobs">{{cite magazine|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=MAEAAAAAMBAJ&q=There+are+three+versions+of+Eagle+ED+JACOBS&pg=PP137 |last=Jacobs |first=Ed |title=Passenger-car comfort, plus 4wd security for all-weather security |magazine=Popular Science |date=September 1979 |volume=215 |issue=3 |pages=90–91 |access-date=24 April 2022 |via=Google Books}}</ref>

The initial proposal for production of what would become the AMC Eagle came from [[Roy Lunn]], the chief design engineer for AMC Jeep.<ref name="egg">{{cite web|url= http://www.amceaglenest.com/images/Eaglebook/03bookthegg.pdf |title=The Egg – Development of the AMC Eagle |first=Doug |last=Shepard |work=AMC Eagle Nest |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110112215010/http://www.amceaglenest.com/images/Eaglebook/03bookthegg.pdf |archive-date=12 January 2011 |access-date=24 April 2022 }}</ref> "Project 8001 plus Four" was Lunn's code name for a new "line of four-wheel drive vehicles with the ride and handling conventions of a standard rear-wheel drive car" built on a unibody platform.<ref name="egg"/> In February 1977, AMC contracted [[FF Developments]] to build a [[prototype]] vehicle based on a production V8-powered [[AMC Hornet]] with drive torque split 33% front and 66% rear.<ref name="egg"/> Testing and further development proved the feasibility of a vehicle with greater ground clearance, larger 15-inch wheels, and a torque split closer to 50% – 50%, with Lunn recommending using the AMC [[straight-six engine]] coupled to an automatic transmission.<ref name="egg"/>

Thus, the AMC Eagle came about when Jeep's chief engineer joined a Concord body with a four-wheel drive system.<ref name="Sherman">{{cite magazine |last=Sherman |first=Don |title=All-Wheel-Drive Revisited: AMC's 1980 Eagle pioneered the cross-over SUV |magazine=Automotive Industries |date=February 2001 |url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-69103689.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130501140243/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-69103689.html |archive-date=1 May 2013 |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref> Such a vehicle was a logical step for AMC, according to the CEO [[Gerald C. Meyers]].<ref name="Newsweek79"/> A second energy crisis had hit in 1979. Sales of AMC's highly profitable truck-based Jeep line dropped due in part to their low fuel efficiency.<ref name="Newsweek79"/> This forced AMC into a precarious financial position.<ref name="Newsweek79"/> The Eagle provided a low-cost way of bridging the gap between AMC's solid and economical, but aging, passenger-car line and its well-regarded, but decidedly off-road focused, Jeep line, as the Eagle used the existing Concord (and later, Spirit) [[automobile platform]].

The Eagle also bridged the sizable price gap between the low-end imported four-wheel drive (4WD) [[Subaru]] and the large-sized domestic 4WD vehicles such as the [[Jeep Wagoneer]].<ref name="Lamm80">{{cite magazine|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=1dkDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA102 |last=Lamm |first=Michael |title=PM Owners Report: AMC Eagle |magazine=Popular Mechanics |date=April 1980 |volume=53 |issue=4 |pages=102–103 and 193–194 |via=Google Books |access-date=24 April 2022}}</ref> The Eagle models provided the most significant new boost to the automaker's profit mix.<ref name="Newsweek79"/> Sales were brisk since Day One,<ref name="Lamm80"/> with the manufacturer's [[suggested retail price]] (MSRP) for the basic two-door model starting at $6,999 (US${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|6999|1980}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}) and the 4-door station wagon at $7,549 (US${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|7549|1980}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}}). The Eagle represented a "burst of AMC's genetic creativity...quickly captured the attention of many American drivers who found its unique union of four-wheel drive safety and security with the comfort of an automobile."<ref>{{cite book |first=Robert C. |last=Ackerson |title=Standard catalog of 4 x 4's |publisher=Krause Publications |year=1993 |isbn=978-0-87341-203-2 |page=8 }}</ref>

The early AMC Eagles had a full-time automatic system that operated in permanent all-wheel drive (AWD). The drivetrain added about {{convert|300|lb|kg|0}} to the Eagle's curb weight.<ref name="Lamm80"/> The AMC Eagles were also the first mass-produced U.S. 4WD automobiles with an [[Independent suspension|independent front suspension]].<ref name="Lombard"/> The 1963 Jeep Wagoneer and Gladiator pickups featured an independent front suspension with 4WD as well as the revised for 1980 truck-based [[Ford Bronco]] and [[Ford F-Series (seventh generation)|F-Series]] vehicles.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wright |first1=Jim |title=1963 Jeep Wagoneer First Test: Revisiting the Original, The Jeep becomes a gentleman. |url= https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/1963-jeep-wagoneer-first-test-archives/ |work=Motor Trend |date=3 September 2020 |access-date=11 December 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=McNessor |first1=Mike |title=How Ford's Twin Traction Beam transformed the Bronco and F-Series 4x4s - Here's why you shouldn't hate Ford's Twin Traction Beam |url= https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2020/04/16/how-fords-twin-traction-beam-transformed-the-bronco-and-f-series-4x4s |work=Hemmings |date=16 April 2020 |access-date=11 December 2023}}</ref>

The AMC Eagle's central differential behind its [[TorqueFlite]] automatic transmission was a single-speed (without a low-range option). It featured a [[Viscous coupling unit|viscous fluid coupling]] for the quiet and smooth power transfer to the axle with the most traction on wet or dry pavement. The central unit consisted of closely spaced, wavy clutch plates operating in a "honey-like [[silicone]] fluid" performing a "limited-slip function" between the front and rear drives, as well as under adverse driving conditions sending torque to the axle with the most traction.<ref name="Jacobs"/>

Designed as "reasonably size[d] passenger cars" offering a comfortable ride and handling on pavement, the AMC Eagles "behave more like [[mountain goat]]s" when off the road.<ref name="Jacobs"/> The value of 4WD in the AMC Eagle was apparent when driving in slippery conditions. They served in America's first ice-driving school.<ref>{{cite news|last=Schuon |first=Marshall |title=Teaching the skills of driving on ice |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1984/03/11/sports/about-cars-teaching-the-skills-of-driving-on-ice.html |newspaper=The New York Times |date=11 March 1984 |access-date=9 July 2015}}</ref> The Eagle models provided the comfort and appointments expected of passenger models, combined with off-road technology offering an extra margin of safety and traction.<ref name="nytimes.com">{{cite news|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/automobiles/collectibles/09EAGLE.html |last=Sass |first=Rob |title=A Breed of 4-by-4 Hatched on the Fly |newspaper=The New York Times |date=9 March 2008 |access-date=9 July 2015}}</ref> The Eagle was designed for customers who "must get through regardless of road or weather conditions (doctors, police, emergency personnel, and so on)" as well as those living areas of bad weather or roads, and adventurous hunters and fishermen.<ref>{{cite magazine |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=8tR3aBIi53sC&pg=PA102 |first=Bill |last=Kilpatrick |title=An Eagle of a Different Feather |magazine=Field & Stream |date=January 1980 |volume=84 |issue=9 |pages=102, 122}}</ref> The AMC Eagle did not compete with traditional, rudimentary 4WD vehicles. The company did not design the Eagle as an off-pavement recreation vehicle, but rather as a passenger car that offers added benefits.<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=Road & Track |volume=31 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=vV1WAAAAMAAJ |title=AMC Eagle |year=1980 }}</ref> Not built for off-road performance as a [[Chevrolet K5 Blazer|Chevrolet Blazer]] or a [[Jeep Cherokee (XJ)|Jeep Cherokee]], the Eagle "will overcome mud, sand, snow, and obstacles that would stop ordinary sedans cold."<ref>{{cite magazine |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=cUpqF_NKRToC&pg=PA39 |pages=39–43 |title=4WD cars for all-weather mobility on and off road |first1=Jim |last1=Dunne |first2=Ed |last2=Jacobs |magazine=Popular Science |date=August 1980 |volume=217 |issue=2 |via=Google Books |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref>

The AMC Eagle was one of the first production cars to use an AWD system. Other 4WD automobile-type vehicles – the [[Subaru Leone|Subaru DL/GL]] (1972 for the [[Japanese domestic market]] and two years later in the U.S.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://jalopnik.com/40-years-of-not-getting-stuck-a-subaru-awd-history-5966299 |title=40 Years of Not Getting Stuck: A Subaru AWD History |first=Máté |last=Petrány |date=12 June 2012 |work=Jalopnik |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |page=12 |title=Subaru Impreza |first=Graham |last=Robson |publisher=Veloce Publishing |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-84584-042-6 }}</ref>), and much later the [[Toyota Tercel|Toyota Tercel SR5 Wagon]] (1983) - only had part-time 4WD systems that could not be engaged on dry pavement.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2009/08/curbside-classic-1984-toyota-tercel-wagon/ |quote=Toyota's first-ever front wheel driver ... extend the output shaft out the back of the transmission, and connect it to a driveshaft for the solid rear axle ... Not on dry pavement, though, because like most 4WD systems of the time, it had no center differential |title=Curbside Classic: 1984 Toyota Tercel Wagon |first=Paul |last=Niedermeyer |date=18 August 2009 |website=thetruthaboutcars.com |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref> The Eagle was also years ahead of Subaru's simplistic, part-time front-drive/4WD system, due to Roy Lunn's creativity and Jeep's experience producing 4WD vehicles.<ref name="Sherman"/> Another feature was the Eagle's independent front suspension, accomplished by mounting the front differential to the engine block with [[universal joint]]s and [[half shaft]]s to drive the front wheels.

As the first mass-produced American passenger car with 4WD of any type, automotive industry analysts were taken by surprise at the fact that AMC, a company most had deemed past its ability to produce competitive vehicles, turned the best of what they had into a revolutionary, novel, and all-around competent vehicle.<ref name="nytimes.com"/> In doing so, the small American manufacturer was seen as having cleverly pioneered a new market segment – one that would grow wildly over the next 25 years and beyond, as evinced by ''Four Wheeler'' magazine's conclusion in 1980 that the new AMC Eagle was, indeed, "The beginning of a new generation of cars."<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.amxfiles.com/amc/eagle.html |archive-url= https://archive.today/20080430161510/http://www.amxfiles.com/amc/eagle.html |archive-date=30 April 2008 |last=Foster |first=Patrick R. |title=AMC Eagle 4wd: Underfunded before its time |work=Autoweek Magazine |via=amxfiles.com |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref> Even as the automaker was struggling financially, "AMC's reputation for developing vehicles on the cheap is only exceeded by its legacy of [[Midwifery|midwifing]] the SUV", including the Eagle to be the precursor to one of the most popular vehicle types on the market.<ref>{{cite book |last=Padgett |first=Martin |title=Hummer |publisher=Zenith |year=2004 |page=26 |isbn=978-0-7603-1863-8 }}</ref> Indeed, the Eagle's basic concept - that of a station wagon with AWD, raised ground clearance, full range of power options, and automatic transmissions, as well as the rough-road capability - has inspired vehicles such as the Subaru [[Subaru Outback|Outback]] and [[Subaru Forester|Forester]] lines, the [[Audi A6 allroad quattro|Audi Allroad]], the [[Volkswagen Passat|Volkswagen Passat Alltrack]], the Volvo XC range, and many others.<ref name="Sherman"/><ref name="nytimes.com"/> Similarly, motoring journalist [[Marty Padgett]] described AMC's car-based 1980 Eagle, combining all-weather capability with better gas mileage, as "the first crossover," that was succeeded by whole generations of Subaru vehicles and other models.<ref name="Padgett, pp. 242–243"/>

A long-term road test conducted in 2009 of a new Suzuki crossover vehicle described the original AMC Eagle as "combined two disparate personalities – rugged, childlike playfulness and staunch paternal responsibility – in a way that few thought possible in 1980. And for all the Eagle's lowly heritage, it has set a lasting standard for utility and a friendly, innovative spirit that has eluded most of the compact crossovers on the market today."<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.edmunds.com/suzuki/sx4/2009/long-term-road-test/ |last=Magrath |first=Mike |title=2009 Suzuki SX4 Long-Term Test |work=Edmunds Inside Line |date=15 January 2009 |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref> An article in a series about innovations and icons, the BBC wrote, "the Eagle was, in essence, the kind of segment-busting product that engineers and marketers spend entire careers trying to create."<ref name="Carney 2013" >{{cite web|url= http://www.bbc.com/autos/story/20130925-the-unlikely-awd-trail-blazer |date=26 September 2013 |title=AMC Eagle, the unlikely trail-blazer |first=Dan |last=Carney |work=BBC |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131203154514/http://www.bbc.com/autos/story/20130925-the-unlikely-awd-trail-blazer |archive-date=3 December 2013 |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref>

===Model years===

====1980====
[[File:1980 AMC Eagle Limited coupe in yellow with yellow and brown at Rambler Ranch 1of4.jpg|thumb|1980 AMC Eagle Limited coupe]]
[[File:1980 AMC Eagle Limited wagon in blue with woodgrain at Rambler Ranch 2of3.jpg|thumb|1980 AMC Eagle Limited wagon]]

Based on the AMC Concord, the 1980 AMC Eagle was introduced in August 1979 and available as a four-door [[sedan (car)|sedan]] and [[station wagon]], as well as a [[coupe]].<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=r9j7MWLE_jMC&pg=PA270 |page=270 |title=The Cars of American Motors: An Illustrated History |first=Marc |last=Cranswick |publisher=McFarland |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-7864-8570-3 |via=Google Books |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref> Standard equipment included [[power steering]] and power front [[disk brake|disc]] and rear drum brakes, as well as 15-inch road wheels with fiberglass-belted radial [[whitewall tire]]s.<ref>{{cite web |title=EagleWeb |first=Gerard |last=Rosa |url= http://javelinamx.com/Eagleweb/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090502124852/http://javelinamx.com/Eagleweb/ |archive-date=2 May 2009 |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref> The Eagle came base and upscale Limited trims, both of which carried the same features as the Concord DL and Limited, respectively. A [[sports package]] was available only on the two-door and wagon models featuring in addition to "Sport" emblems the following items: Durham Plaid fabric seat trim, leather-wrapped sport steering wheel, P195/75R15 Goodyear Tiempo steel-belted [[radial tire]]s (which were the first tires made to meet standards for winter tires but intended for year-round use<ref>{{cite news |title=Year-Round Tire Introduced by Goodyear |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1977/09/13/year-round-tire-introduced-by-goodyear/3fb2385d-e089-4c0d-8316-0904bf3d57e5/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=13 September 1977 |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref>), sport fog lamps, halogen high beam headlamps, dual black remote mirrors, 4X4 sport graphics, black bumpers with nerf strips, black [[lower body molding]]s, blackout grille, taillamp paint treatment, side tape stripes, and black moldings on the windshield, rear window, door frames, and [[Pillar (car)|B-pillar]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/AMC/1980_AMC/1980_AMC_Data_Book/1980%20AMC%20Data%20Book-A20.html |title=AMC Data Book – Eagle Sport |publisher=American Motors – Merchandising/Sales Support Department |via=oldcarbrochures.com) |year=1980 |page=20 |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref>

All Eagles came with "[[Ziebart]] Factory Rust Protection" that included a five-year "No Rust Thru" transferable [[warranty]].<ref name="10features">{{cite web |last1=Gardner |first1=Randy |title=AMC Eagle: Ten Fascinating Features on America's First Crossover |url= https://www.hotcars.com/amc-eagle-ten-fascinating-features-on-americas-first-crossover/ |work=HotCars |date=3 April 2021 |access-date=3 February 2022}}</ref> The cars were built using aluminized trim screws, plastic inner fender liners, and galvanized steel in every exterior body panel, and the body went through an [[Epoxy#Paints and coatings|epoxy-based primer]] bath (up to the window line). Eagles were backed by the AMC Buyer Protection Plan, a 12-month/{{convert|12000|mi|km|0|abbr=on}} warranty on everything except the tires.<ref>{{cite magazine |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=LTm0ceUT6r4C&pg=PT106 |title=The Beauty of 4-Wheel Drive. American Eagle (advertisement) |magazine=Ski Magazine |pages=130–131 |date=February 1980 |volume=44 |issue=6 |via=Google Books |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref>

The drivetrain consisted of one engine, the {{convert|258|CID|L|1|abbr=on}} straight-six, in conjunction with a three-speed automatic transmission (a version of Chrysler's A998), with [[Dana 30]] and [[Dana 35]] differentials. All 1980 Eagles came standard with a permanent 4WD system that employed a [[New Process]] 119 [[transfer case]] with a viscous fluid coupling that allowed the drive system to operate on wet or dry pavement without causing undue suspension and drivetrain wear. Due to its rugged undercarriage, two trailer-towing packages were available for handling trailers weighing up to {{convert|3500|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name="10features"/> The top package included a weight distributing (equalizing) [[tow hitch]], seven-connector wiring harness, wiring, auxiliary transmission oil cooler, 3.54 axle ratio, and also required both the optional heavy-duty battery and automatic load-leveling air shocks.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.n0kfb.org/homepage/amc/80_eagle/flipchrt.htm |title=Built for Today...Built to Last for Tomorrow: Eagle 4-WD (flipchart) |year=1980 |via=n0kfb.org |access-date=3 February 2022}}</ref>

The 1980 Eagle's appearance differed from the Concord's in that the bodies were raised {{convert|3|in|mm|abbr=on}} further off their suspension to afford better ground clearance.<ref name="Jacobs"/> To fill in the increased visual space between the tires and wheel wells, AMC used durable [[Kraton (polymer)]] plastic wheel arch flares that flowed into rocker panel extensions. The grille was similar to the 1980 Concord's, with horizontal bars spaced slightly further apart and the Eagle emblem mounted to the left side. Because coupes and sedans carried Concord DL equipment as standard, they also carried the Concord DL coupe and sedan roof treatments, featuring [[vinyl roof]] coverings and [[opera window]]s. However, bumpers were mounted closer to the body than those fitted on Concords due to the Eagle having been classified by the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]] as a light truck. This made Eagles exempt from regular passenger-car regulations that mandated both front and rear bumpers sustain a {{convert|5|mph|0|abbr=on}} impact with no damage. As on the Concord, black plastic end caps were featured on the 1980 model year Eagle bumpers.

Demand for the innovative 4WD models caused AMC to discontinue the slow-selling [[AMC Pacer|Pacer]] in December 1979, to allow for increased Eagle production capacity at its assembly facility in Kenosha, Wisconsin.<ref name="ward1981">{{cite book |title=Ward's Automotive Yearbook |volume=43 |page=213 |publisher=Ward's Reports |year=1981 }}</ref> The 4WD components beneath a conventional car made the Eagle popular in regions with snow, and AMC made the Jeep connection explicit creating "an early crossover" vehicle.<ref>{{cite book|title=Automotive Engineering International – Volume 113 |page=16 |publisher=Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) |year=2005 }}</ref> Production for the 1980 model was: 9,956 four-door sedans, 10,616 two-door sedans, and 25,807 station wagons, for a total of 45,379 units.<ref name="eaglenest80">{{cite web|url= http://amceaglesden.com/history1980/ |title=1980 AMC Eagle History |work=AMC Eagles Den |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref> The Eagle models helped AMC increase total car production to 199,613 units, or 18% higher than the previous year.<ref name="ward1981"/>

====1981====
[[File:1981 AMC Eagle Sport station wagon in blue metallic at 2021 PA meet 01of14.jpg|thumb|1981 AMC Eagle Sport]]
[[File:1981 AMC Eagle SX4.jpg|thumb|right|1981 AMC Eagle SX/4 liftback]]
[[File:AMC Eagle Kammback two-door sedan WI.jpg|thumb|right|AMC Eagle Kammback]]
[[File:AMC Eagle SX4 "Doesn't Always Need a Road" Ad.jpg|thumb|upright|1981 AMC Eagle SX/4 ad, "Doesn't Always Need a Road"]]

Changes to the standard (Series 30) Eagle lineup for the 1981 model year were significant. The General Motors- sourced {{convert|151|CID|L|1|abbr=on}} "Iron Duke" [[inline-four engine]] became standard equipment, as AMC's {{convert|258|CID|L|1|abbr=on}} I6 became optional. The I4 engine was only available with the manual transmission in the Eagle sedans and wagons.<ref name=RT81a>{{cite magazine |magazine=Road & Track's Road Test Annual & Buyer's Guide 1981 |issue=January–February 1981 |title=1981 Buyer's Guide |editor-first=Tony |editor-last=Hogg |page=80}}</ref> The AMC inline-six was redesigned to produce more low-end torque, as well as made smoother running, more economical, and required less maintenance.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Witzenburg |first=Gary |title=Driving the new AMC models |magazine=Popular Mechanics |date=September 1980 |volume=154 |issue=4 |pages=100, 180 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=RtQDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA100 |via=Google Books |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref> The engineering improvements to the venerable AMC engine also reduced its weight by {{convert|90|lb|kg|0}} to {{convert|445|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}, thus making it "the lightest in-line Six in the domestic industry".<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=RtQDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA180 Witzenburg, p. 180].</ref>

All Eagles took on a new plastic egg-crate-style grille divided into 24 squares at the front. The Eagle emblem was relocated to the grille header bar. Bumpers were updated so their end caps flowed smoothly into the Kraton plastic wheel arches and rocker panel trim. The Sport package, carried over from 1980 on all three body styles, used the Spirit's hood and grille header bar trims starting with the 1981 model year. At {{convert|183.2|in|mm|abbr=on}}, the Series 30 Eagle was also three inches (76&nbsp;mm) shorter than the previous year.<ref name=RT81a/>

Two smaller [[subcompact]] models, the AMC Eagle [[Kammback]], based on the [[AMC Spirit]] sedan (née [[AMC Gremlin|Gremlin]]), and the sporty Eagle '''SX/4''', based on the Spirit [[liftback]], debuted as "Eagle Series 50" models.<ref>{{cite magazine |page=58 |title=1980 Automobiles |magazine=U.S. News & World Report |volume=89 |date=1980 |quote=...the SX/4 and Kammback are descended from the Spirit/Gremlin... }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=PdQDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA80 |pages=80–81 |title=Driving the new AMC Eagles |first1=Gary |last1=Witzenburg |first2=Moss |last2=Miller |magazine=Popular Mechanics |date=September 1980 |volume=154 |issue=3 |quote=The Eagle Kammback looks very much like the old Gremlin. |via=Google Books |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref> The Kammback and SX/4 came standard with GM's {{convert|151|CID|L|1|abbr=on}} "Iron Duke" four-cylinder engine, four-speed manual transmission, and power steering.<ref name=RT81a/> The Series 50 Eagles reflected the styling updates that the larger Series 30 models showed for 1981. The SX/4 model was available with a Sport package, as well. "Billed as 'the sports car that doesn't always need a road', the SX/4 two-door hatchback had a sporty look, but hardly qualified as a sports car."<ref>{{cite book |first=James M. |last=Flammang |title=Standard Catalog of American Cars, 1976–1986 |page=14 |publisher=Krause Publications |year=1990 |isbn=978-0-87341-133-2 }}</ref> The SX/4 has also been reviewed as "a car decades ahead of its time, it offered a sports car body with increased ground clearance and a four-wheel drive powertrain, creating an entirely new automotive genre overnight."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Branch |first1=Ben |title=The AMC Eagle SX/4 – An American 4x4 Sports Car That Was Ahead Of Its Time |url= https://silodrome.com/amc-eagle-sx-4/ |work=Silodrome |date=15 March 2022 |access-date=11 December 2023}}</ref>

At the beginning of the model year, all Eagles carried over the new-for-1980 permanent [[four-wheel drive|all-wheel drive]] system with a viscous fluid coupling that protected the suspension or driveline components from wear during dry pavement use. A "Select Drive" option, which allowed the Eagle to run in two-wheel-drive (RWD) mode and be switched to four-wheel-drive via a dashboard switch, was offered as a mid-year fuel economy measure.  The Select Drive system required the vehicle to be stationary when switching between two-wheel and four-wheel-drive.

Road tests by Gary Witzenburg in ''[[Popular Mechanics]]'' described the 1981 "Sport" model station wagon as "Snowbird Supreme" after driving it in [[Detroit]]'s worst winter weather and noting the numerous improvements that were incorporated for the new model year building on the AMC Eagle's "soundness of design and originality of its concept."<ref>{{cite magazine |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=_9gDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA77 |page=77 |last=Witzenburg |first=Gary |title=AMC's Snowbird Supreme – The Eagle Wagon |magazine=Popular Mechanics |date=June 1981 |volume=155 |issue=6 |via=Google Books |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref>

A road test by ''Car and Driver'' of the new Eagle SX/4 Sport reported that since it goes where most cars find impossible, it "doesn't require pavement to be fun."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lindamood |first1=Jean |title=Tested: 1981 AMC Eagle SX/4 Sport Goes Where Most Cars Can't |url= https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a35521676/1981-amc-eagle-sx4-sport-by-the-numbers/ |work=Car and Driver |date=18 February 2021 |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref>

Marketing of the new SX/4 highlighted experiencing what lies beyond the sports car. The advertising was about how the car looked, and with the four-wheel-drive feature, AMC's objective was to establish a new market niche: the off-road sports car.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://barnfinds.com/sporty-4x4-six-cylinder-1981-amc-eagle-sx-4-survivor/ |title="Sporty" 4×4 Six Cylinder: 1981 AMC Eagle SX/4 Survivor |first=Michelle |last=Rand |date=1 June 2023 |website=barnfinds.com |access-date=6 August 2024}}</ref> Given AMC's meager advertising budget, most owners purchased them not as sports cars, but to allow them to go through mud and snow.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2011/09/junkyard-find-iron-duked-1981-amc-eagle-sx4/ |title=Junkyard Find: Iron Duked 1981 AMC Eagle SX/4 |first=Murilee |last=Martin |date=8 September 2011 |website=thetruthaboutcars.com |access-date=6 August 2024}}</ref> Reviews in the early 2020s have described it as a "sporty crossover hatchback, built 25 years ahead of its time".<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.autoblog.com/2022/11/05/junkyard-gem-1981-amc-eagle-sx4-sport/ |title=Junkyard Gem: 1981 AMC Eagle SX/4 Sport |first=Murilee |last=Martin |date=5 November 2022 |website=autoblog.com |access-date=6 August 2024}}</ref> The new model was yet another response to the "many times the odds were stacked against this bold, little automaker from Kenosha, Wisconsin, and how they just kept coming up with new attempts to do things in a novel way."<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-american/curbside-classic-1981-amc-eagle-sx-4-ready-for-anything/ |title=1981 AMC Eagle SX/4 – Ready For Anything |first=Joseph |last=Dennis |date=28 April 2020 |website=curbsideclassic.com |access-date=6 August 2024}}</ref> The SX/4's design has been described as simply attractive and successful because it had no polarizing features.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-american/curbside-classic-1981-amc-eagle-sx4-series-50-this-bird-has-earned-its-wings/ |title=1981 AMC Eagle SX/4 Series 50 – This Bird Has Earned Its Wings |first=Joseph |last=Dennis |date=12 April 2022 |website=curbsideclassic.com |access-date=6 August 2024}}</ref>

Production for the 1981 model year was 5,603 Kammbacks, 17,340 Liftbacks, 2,378 two-door sedans, 1,737 four-door sedans, and 10,371 station wagons for a total of 37,429 units.<ref name="eaglenest81">{{cite web|url= http://amceaglesden.com/history1981/ |title=1981 AMC Eagle History |work=AMC Eagles Den |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref>

====1982====
[[File:1982 AMC Eagle.jpg|thumb|right|1982 AMC Eagle SX/4]]

New low-drag disc brakes were featured as standard equipment. A five-speed [[manual transmission]] joined the options list. The optional automatic transmission received wider gear ratios for better fuel economy. All received as standard equipment the "Select Drive" system that could be changed between all-wheel drive and two-wheel drive for a potential increase in fuel economy. The system put the front axle and prop shaft into the gas-saving freewheeling mode from the driver's seat.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://oldcarbrochures.org/United%20States/AMC/1982-AMC/1982-AMC-Eagle-Folder/slides/1982_AMC_Eagle_Folder-04.html |title=1982 AMC Eagle brochure |page=4 |website=oldcarbrochures.org |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref> The Series 30 sedan was no longer available with the Sport package.

Even with the choice of two wheelbase versions and five body styles, the most popular model was the wagon with 20,899 built out of total Eagle production of 37,923 for the 1982 model year. Production of the other available body designs were: 520 Kammbacks, 10,445 Liftbacks, 1,968 two-door sedans, and 4,091 four-door sedans.<ref name="eaglenest82">{{cite web|url= http://amceaglesden.com/history1982/ |title=1982 AMC Eagle History |work=AMC Eagles Den |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref>

====1983====
[[File:1983 AMC Eagle wagon fr-Cecil'10.jpg|thumb|1983 AMC Eagle wagon]]
[[File:AMCEagle-front.jpg|thumb|right|AMC Eagle 2-door sedan]]

Few changes were seen for the 1983 model year. The Series 50 Eagle Kammback and Series 30 Eagle two-door sedans were both dropped from the line, due to slow sales. The Series 30 Eagle sedan was no longer available in the Limited trim, leaving only the base model in the Eagle sedan line. The Series 50 SX/4 and Series 30 wagon continued unchanged. These measures reduced costs by streamlining their processes reducing production variations, and therefore, complexity.

Starting in February 1983, the AMC {{convert|150|CID|L|1|abbr=on}} I4 theoretically replaced the GM Iron Duke 151 in the Eagle as the standard engine, though the installation rate is unknown. The {{convert|258|CID|L|1|abbr=on}} I6 was improved for better performance by increasing the compression ratio to 9.2 to 1 (from the previous 8.2 to 1), as well as a fuel feedback system, a knock sensor, and the [[AMC Computerized Engine Control|CEC]]; thus allowing the continuing use of regular-grade fuel.<ref name="PMlongterm1">{{cite magazine |title=PM long-term car tests |magazine=Popular Mechanics |date=June 1983 |pages=174, 176 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=itUDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA170 |via=Google Books |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref>

A long-term road test by ''Popular Mechanics'' began with the editors describing that the "Eagle is best when working hard" and "you can feel the tremendous traction" of its big all-weather tires in four-wheel drive giving "a great feeling of security."<ref name="PMlongterm1"/>

Production was: 2,259 Liftbacks, 3,093 four-door sedans, and 12,378 station wagons for a total of 17,730 units in 1983.<ref name="eaglenest83">{{cite web|url= http://amceaglesden.com/history1983/ |title=1983 AMC Eagle History |work=AMC Eagles Den |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref>

====1984====
[[File:1983 AMC Eagle sedan, front right, 08-25-2023.jpg|thumb|right|AMC Eagle 4-door sedan]]

The Series 50 SX/4 was no longer available with the 1984 model year. The lineup now consisted of the base Series 30 Eagle sedan and wagon as well as the Limited wagon. The base wagon was available with the Sport option trim package.

For 1984, the popular {{convert|258|CID|L|1|abbr=on}} I6 was optional in place of the {{convert|150|CID|L|1|abbr=on}} AMC I4. The four-cylinder engine was installed in only 147 Eagles, but this still allowed AMC to advertise its fuel economy of {{convert|24|mpgus|L/100 km mpgimp|abbr=on}} city and {{convert|30|mpgus|L/100 km mpgimp|abbr=on}} highway with the four-speed transmission and {{convert|32|mpgus|L/100 km mpgimp|abbr=on}} with the five-speed on the highway.<ref name="eaglenest84"/> The Select Drive system was redesigned to allow Shift on the Fly. (Prior model-year Eagles required two hands to operate the shifting switch, making it difficult, if not impossible, to change while the car was in motion.)

All Eagle models were now assembled in [[Brampton Assembly (AMC)#AMC's original Brampton plant|AMC's original factory]] in [[Brampton, Ontario]], [[Canada]] because the automaker's main Kenosha plant was used for the [[Renault Alliance|Renault Alliance and Encore]] models.

Production for the 1984 model year was: 4,241 four-door sedans and 21,294 station wagons totaling 25,535.<ref name="eaglenest84">{{cite web|url= http://amceaglesden.com/history1984/ |title=1984 AMC Eagle History |work=AMC Eagles Den |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref>

====1985====
[[File:AMC Eagle wagon burgundy wood umi.jpg|thumb|AMC Eagle's "Shift on the Fly" dashboard switch mounted near the steering column]]

Exterior styling was slightly revised as all models used the "power bulge" hood, seen previously on the 1981 through 1983 Eagle Series 50 models. The grille header bar and hood ornament/trim strip were deleted in the process. "Shift-on-the-Fly" capability was added to the Select Drive 4-wheel-drive system as standard equipment.<ref name="1985brochure">{{cite web |title=1985 American Motors Eagle (brochure) |url=https://www.xr793.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/1985-AMC-Eagle.pdf |website=xr793.com |pages=2–9 |access-date=11 December 2023}}</ref> A new key-fob-activated infrared [[remote keyless system]] with power locks was newly available as an option. A digitally tuned AM/FM/cassette radio with a built-in power amplifier and four coaxial speakers was also introduced.<ref name="1985brochure"/>

The standard powertrain was now the previously optional five-speed manual, with the wide-ratio three-speed automatic transmission as a popular option. The AMC 258 I6 became standard. However, Eagle sales began to drop as AMC was no longer promoting the models.<ref name="eaglenest85"/> Advertising was limited to dealer signage and even the 1985 sales brochure noted the Eagle's history highlighting the introduction in 1980 of the full-time 4WD and the 1982 premiere of the "Select Drivee" system.<ref name="1985brochure"/>

American Motors was no longer aggressively marketing the Eagle line and production for the 1985 model year decreased to 2,655 four-door sedans and 13,335 station wagons, for a total of 16,990 units.<ref name="eaglenest85">{{cite web|url= http://amceaglesden.com/history1985/ |title=1985 AMC Eagle History |work=AMC Eagles Den |access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref>

====1986====
[[File:Flickr - DVS1mn - 87 AMC Eagle (1).jpg|thumb|right|1987 AMC Eagle wagon]]

American Motors introduced the open differential Model 128 transfer case for the Eagle. The automatic transmission no longer had a lockup torque converter. Eagle sales would drop beneath the 10,000 annual unit mark for the first time after the 1986 model year production (and would slide further for its remaining two seasons on the market), as the car was aging due to its seven-season life atop a [[Automobile platform|platform]] that debuted for 1970.

Production was: 1,274 four-door sedans and 6,943 station wagons, for a total of 8,217 units.<ref name="eaglenest86">{{cite web|url= http://amceaglesden.com/history1986/ |title=1986 AMC Eagle History |work=AMC Eagles Den |access-date=29 March 2016}}</ref> The Eagles were now built in AMC's [[Brampton Assembly]] in Canada alongside AMC's new [[Jeep Wrangler]].<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ZpdUEVGU2toC&pg=PA199 |page=199 |title=The Story of Jeep |first=Patrick R. |last=Foster |publisher=Krause Publications |year=2004 |edition=Second |isbn= 978-0-87349-735-0 }}</ref>

====1987====
Though AMC debuted its new fuel-injected [[AMC Straight-6 engine#4.0|{{convert|242|CID|L|1|abbr=on}} I6 engine]] for 1987 Jeep vehicles, the new engine did not make it under the venerable Eagle's hood. The {{convert|258|CID|L|1|abbr=on}} I6 remained the sole engine available in the eight-season-old Eagle sedan and wagon. No major changes were seen on the 1987 Eagle, as American Motors turned its attention to the debut of the imported [[Renault Medallion]]. The buyout of the company by Chrysler Corporation took effect officially on 5 August 1987.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=r9j7MWLE_jMC&pg=PA312 Cranswick, p. 312.]</ref>

Production for the 1987 model year was: 454 four-door sedans, and 5,468 or 4,564 (varies with source) station wagons, for a total of 5,018 to 5,922 (varies with source) units.<ref name="eaglenest87">{{cite web|url= http://amceaglesden.com/history1987/ |title=1987 AMC Eagle History |work=AMC Eagles Den |access-date=29 March 2016}}</ref>

====1988====
[[File:Nicks88eagle.jpg|thumb|right|1988 AMC Eagle Wagon]]
[[File:1988 AMC Eagle door plaques.jpg|thumb|100px|left|1988 Eagle door plaques continued to use AMC branding]]

Chrysler took over AMC, but the production of the Eagles continued for the 1988 model year. The car's name was officially changed from '''AMC Eagle''' to '''Eagle Wagon'''.<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=SOT6OJZarr0C&pg=PA256 |page=256 |title=Those 80s Cars – American Catalog |first=James |last=Kaster |year=2011 |publisher=Lulu.com |isbn=978-0-9828220-0-5 }}</ref> However, all of the AMC badges, build sheets, and door plaques were carried over. The VIN was no different under the new corporate owner, other than the digit for the year. Although the paperwork that came with the 1988 Eagles continued to indicate that American Motors Canada, Ltd. built them, the company as named ceased to exist, since it became a [[subsidiary]] of Chrysler in the buyout, as did all AMC properties. The final car rolled out of AMC's original [[Brampton Assembly (AMC)|Brampton Assembly Plant]] in [[Brampton, Ontario]] on 14 December 1987.<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=CyBFAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA203 |page=203 |title=American Motors Corporation: The Rise and Fall of America's Last Independent Automaker |first=Patrick R. |last=Foster |isbn=978-0-7603-4425-5 |publisher=Motorbooks International |year=2013 }}</ref> In its place, production was increased of the Jeep Wrangler that was built there.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.upi.com/Archives/1987/12/03/Chrysler-to-end-production-of-AMC-Eagle/1061565506000/ |title=Chrysler to end production of AMC Eagle |date=3 December 1987 |agency=United Press International (UPI) |access-date=8 September 2017}}</ref>

The sedan and Limited wagon models were discontinued, leaving the wagon as the only available version in 1988, its final season, and now under Chrysler's ownership. The standard and only {{convert|258|CID|L|1|abbr=on}} I6 engine was rated at {{convert|112|hp|kW PS|0|abbr=on}} and came with either a 5-speed manual or automatic transmission with AMC's Select-Drive system.<ref name="ski1987">{{cite magazine |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=kJcXO3bC82AC&pg=RA1-PA175 |page=175 |title=Road Warriors |first=John |last=Lamm |magazine=Ski |date=November 1987 |volume=52 |issue=3 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=MVJGAAAAYAAJ |page=372 |title=Chrysler Engines 1922–1998 |first=Willem L. |last=Weertman |publisher=SAE International |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-7680-1642-0 }}</ref> Standard equipment in 1988 that was previously optional included air conditioning system, rear window defroster, halogen headlamps, AM/FM stereo radio, light group (glove box, dome, and engine lights), and adjustable steering wheel. The following remained optional equipment for the 1988 production: power windows, power seats, power mirrors, radio with cassette player, cruise control, rear window wiper, wood grain side panels, floor mats, headlamp warning buzzer, intermittent wipers, wire wheel covers, and a cold climate group.<ref name="ski1987"/><ref>Sources: American Motors 1987 dealer brochure and the 1988 addendum to the 1987 dealer brochure. Note: There was no separate sales booklet published for the 1988 model year.</ref>

Total 1988 model year production was 2,306 units, all station wagons.<ref name="eaglenest88">{{cite web|url= http://amceaglesden.com/history1988/ |title=1988 AMC Eagle History |work=AMC Eagles Den |access-date=8 September 2017}}</ref>