The Eagle Premier is a full-size executive car that was developed by American Motors Corporation (AMC) during the 1980s through its partnership with Renault.

Chrysler Corporation bought the rights to the Premier when it acquired Renault's outstanding shares in AMC in 1987, and began selling the car under the new Eagle marque.

In 1982 American Motors and Renault, a major shareholder in AMC since 1979, began work on a new downsized full-size front-drive passenger car, code-named X-58, for introduction in late 1986.

[citation needed] The exterior by Giorgetto Giugiaro's Italdesign was picked over other concepts generated by AMC's styling department and other independent firms.

[citation needed] The Eagle also featured new technology to improve the luminous efficiency of its headlamp system, afford greater styling freedom, and have a rectangular frontal aspect.

The instrument panel featured "a heavy dose of electronics",[14] with all driver controls housed within a fingertip distance from the steering wheel.

[citation needed] The climate controls used an unusual up-down button that cycled through the different heating modes, indicated by an array of lights.

Featuring electronically controlled throttle-body fuel injection, it developed a peak power output of 111 hp (83 kW; 113 PS) and 142 lb⋅ft (193 N⋅m) of torque at 1400 rpm.

[21] The Eagle Premier was described as "a world-class car" by automotive journalists, in addition to its international origins with an Italian design and Canadian assembly.

It has the most powerful conventional engines in its field, state-of-the-art electronics with a first-ever feature, and is made in the newest assembly plant in the world.

Pre-production prototypes left the factory with Renault emblems on their grille and wheel covers, but had an Eagle nameplate on the trunk lids.

Before its January 1988 launch, all pre-production cars had the Renault emblem removed from the grille and steering column horn hub pad.

After Chrysler purchased Renault's stake (46%) in AMC and all other outstanding stock (54%), the wagon and coupe body styles were canceled as was a planned Premier DL model featuring a five-speed manual gearbox.

The ES models included lower bodyside cladding, a firmer suspension, and larger "touring" tires, as well as individual front bucket seats with adjustable see-through headrests and a full-length console with center armrest.

The Premier was highlighted in Chrysler's broad product line as being "shaped right" in its being the most aerodynamic sedan built in North America and offering "an American car with European sophistication and handling.

[28] Marketing focused on "the swift reflexes of eagles" describing the Premier's fully independent suspension components to be sure-footed and athletic to "inspire driver confidence" in addition to the car's exclusive seven-year, 70,000-mile protection plan.

The 1991 model year had little news for the Premier except for a new anti-lock braking system (ABS) that was also available on the Canadian-built Dodge Monaco twin.

[35] The Eagle Premier and its badge engineered variant, the Dodge Monaco, continued mostly unchanged for 1992,[36] except every model received the grille and tail lamps that were only on the Limited in 1991.

[16]> Chrysler also announced it would be the Premier's final year as the automaker prepared to launch all its new LH models in the Bramalea assembly plant.

The Eagle brand targeted consumers that would not typically include purchasing an American sedan, "but would have instead sought out a Volvo or an Audi.

"[39] The "upscale" Premier was the flagship of the new Eagle division at Chrysler and in the same class "as cars like the Audi 5000, ... roomy, understated and elegantly turned out.

[40] The fully independent suspension on all the wheels made for better ride quality and handling characteristics, as did the rack and pinion steering design.

[44] Not only could Chrysler not afford to properly promote and advertise each of its brands, but it also faced the legacy of failure by French cars in the United States.

The introduction of a rebadged model named Dodge Monaco resulted from a contractual obligation to use 260,000 of the PRV engines over five years, a clause in the AMC buyout from Renault.

There was little marketing support for the Premier by the Jeep-Eagle dealers themselves because they were focused on selling the highly successful and more profitable Jeep models.

Furthermore, the decision to eventually combine Jeep-Eagle with Chrysler-Plymouth dealers called for the long-term corporate goal of phasing out the Eagle brand.

[46] The LH platform's dedicated transmission, the A606, was also quite similar in design to the electronically controlled automatic featured in four-cylinder Premiers.