Eagle

Following the introduction of General Motors' Saturn brand automobile, Chrysler promised a similar new brand designed to take Saturn on with innovative design and building methods. A press release by then Chrysler Chairman Lee Iacocca indicated that the company was working on a car that would be known as the "Liberty" which aimed to achieve significant cost savings. However, these plans never reached fruition. However, Popular Mechanics soon reported that the AMC-developed Premier would replace Chrysler's Liberty project attempts at using the K-car platform. The Liberty name was later applied by Chrysler for a Jeep model marketed in the U.S. starting with the 2002 model year, replacing the AMC-designed Cherokee XJ line.

The main objective of Chrysler acquiring American Motors was the long-established Jeep vehicles, but Renault forced the company to take on the contractual obligations of the passenger car models as part of the deal. Another major factor was that, due to state franchise laws, Chrysler could not start selling Jeeps through their existing dealer networks, nor could ex-AMC dealers begin to sell other Chrysler products. Thus, the Eagle marque was born.

Under new ownership, Chrysler quickly discontinued the domestic-built front-wheel drive Alliance and Encore that were developed under Renault (plans by AMC to import the Renault Espace minivan and the Alpine GTA halo car were also scrapped), but continued to build the four-wheel drive AMC Eagle crossover. It was now called Eagle Wagon and marketed into the 1988 model year until production ended in December. This meant the Brampton Assembly (AMC) manufacturing capacity could be used for making more Jeeps. Moreover, Chrysler kept AMC's long-established Eagle brand by continuing to import the mid-sized Renault 21 (renamed Eagle Medallion) as well as starting production of the Renault 25-based full-size sedan that was developed by AMC (renamed Eagle Premier).

Marketing

To consolidate the marketing and maintain distribution through AMC dealerships following the 1987 acquisition, the Jeep-Eagle division of Chrysler Corporation was formed. Chrysler's initial problem was that unlike the Big Three, which had multiple brands under their corporate name, American Motors had sold passenger cars under its corporate initials of "AMC" since 1970. Thus, without having a separate brand from the now-defunct company, Chrysler management looked to re-brand the legacy vehicles inherited by purchasing AMC under the Eagle name instead of trying to fold those outside-designed products into Chrysler's existing distribution structure. A limiting factor is that almost all states "have dealership-friendly franchise regulations" that do not allow manufacturers flexibility because the laws provide dealerships territorial exclusivity, including protection from new competition, as well as limit dealership franchise termination to the point that even "gross inefficiency and poor financial condition are not legitimate grounds for termination."

Two of Eagle's first models, the Eagle Premier and the Eagle Medallion, were designed by AMC in cooperation with its former corporate partner (and 46.4 percent owner), Renault. The remainder of the brand's cars were rebadged versions of cars sold by other Chrysler Corporation divisions, as well as some captive imports produced by Mitsubishi Motors. At one point, an Eagle variant of Chrysler's popular AS platform minivan was in the planning stages, but this variant never made it to market.

Unlike Chrysler, Dodge, and Plymouth branded automobiles, the Eagle models lacked the Chrysler Corporation "pentastar" logo. Instead, all models prominently featured the Eagle head logo.

Throughout its history, the Eagle brand needed more product recognition, although its Premier was technically more advanced than anything offered by Chrysler. Most of Eagle's models were available in Chrysler-Plymouth, Dodge, and Mitsubishi dealerships under different guises. Chrysler was in financial difficulty at the end of the 1980s and did not have the funds to spread to its new automotive division. Moreover, Jeep vehicles were popular and profitable, so most of the division's marketing resources flowed to the Jeep product range. Since Jeep's products had better recognition and higher profit margins, many dealers emphasized Jeeps. They considered the Eagle line of passenger cars to distract that business. Their sales and service expertise was primarily in the four-wheel drive Jeeps and AMC's Eagle all-wheel-drive models.