The Eagle Medallion, also marketed as the Renault Medallion, is a
rebadged
In the automotive industry, rebadging is a form of market segmentation used by automobile manufacturers around the world. To allow for product differentiation without designing or engineering a new model or brand (at high cost or risk), a man ...
and mildly re-engineered North American version of the French
Renault 21
The Renault 21 is a large family car produced by French automaker Renault between 1986 and 1994. It was also sold in North America initially through American Motors dealers as the Renault Medallion and later through Jeep-Eagle dealers as the Ea ...
Renault
Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English; legally Renault S.A.) is a French multinational automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company produces a range of cars and vans, and in the past has manufacture ...
brand for the 1988 model year, and by Chrysler’s Jeep/Eagle division for the 1989 model year.
The front-engine, front-wheel drive, four-door D-segment, or
mid-size
Mid-size—also known as intermediate—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than compact cars and smaller than full-size cars. "Large family car" is a UK term and a part of the D-segment in ...
Medallion was launched in North America on 1 March 1987. The Medallion was imported from France, sharing its
platform
Platform may refer to:
Technology
* Computing platform, a framework on which applications may be run
* Platform game, a genre of video games
* Car platform, a set of components shared by several vehicle models
* Weapons platform, a system or ...
with the Renault 21. Just eight days after the North American introduction of the Medallion, Renault initiated the sale of its stock in American Motors to Chrysler on 9 March 1987.
History
The Renault 21 was introduced in Europe in 1987 to compete in the large family size market such as the VW Passat. Its clean design was the work of Giorgetto Giugiaro. Modified to meet safety and emissions requirements, as well as rebadged as the Medallion, it became a
captive import
Captive import is a marketing term and a strategy for a vehicle that is foreign-built and sold under the name of an importer or by a domestic automaker through its own dealer distribution system.
The foreign vehicle may be produced by a subsidia ...
for Renault's corporate partner, American Motors Corporation (AMC). It went on sale on 1 March 1987 as a 1988 model and filled the gap left after the slow-selling Renault 18i/Sportwagon and the venerable
AMC Concord
The AMC Concord is a compact car manufactured and marketed by the American Motors Corporation for model years 1978–1983. The Concord was essentially a revision of the AMC Hornet that was discontinued after 1977, but more luxurious, quieter, ...
. Both the 18i sedan and Concord had been discontinued after the 1983 model year, while the Sportwagon version of the 18i was marketed through 1986. Therefore, from 1984 until 1987, AMC/Renault dealers offered no sedan larger than the small C-segment Alliance. The larger D-segment Medallion sedan was thus important to American Motors dealers and filled a hole in its product line when it was launched.
The Medallion was an Americanized version of the Renault 21, "a highly successful car in the European market." The Medallion was the second entry in a three-model marketing effort to expand market coverage for AMC/Jeep/Renault dealers beyond the four-wheel-drive Jeep utility vehicles. The first product in that plan had been the C-segment
Renault Alliance
The Renault Alliance is a front-wheel drive, front-engine subcompact automobile manufactured and marketed in North America by American Motors Corporation (AMC) for model years 1983–1987. The Alliance and its subsequent hatchback variant, the ...
that launched for the 1983 model year, while the third was the E-segment
Eagle Premier
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. This model was manufactured in the then-brand-new Brampton Assembly in Canada. Chrysle ...
, which launched 10 months after the D-segment Medallion. AMC/Renault were planning to sell 40,000 to 45,000 Medallions annually.
Badged as the Renault Medallion at its press launch in the winter of 1986, it went on sale 1 March 1987 - a mere 8 days before Chrysler agreed to buy Renault's shares in American Motors - as an early 1988 model. The Medallion retained its Renault branding after the Chrysler buyout, through the end of the 1988 model year, despite Chrysler's creation of the Jeep/Eagle Division in the fall of 1987. Because the Medallion had been launched as a 1988 Renault model prior to Chrysler's buyout of AMC and creation of the Eagle marque - Chrysler's first new brand since 1955 - Chrysler waited until the beginning of the 1989 model year to rebrand the Medallion as an Eagle, so as not to confuse buyers by selling the Medallion under both Renault and Eagle nameplates for 1988.
The cars were marketed as "Eagle Medallion" for the 1989 model year and sold through the newly formed
Jeep-Eagle
Jeep-Eagle was the name of the automobile sales division created by the Chrysler Corporation after the US$2 billion takeover of American Motors Corporation (AMC) in 1987. The division marketed a variety of vehicles until 1997.
History
The Jee ...
division. As a distinct Chrysler subsidiary, the nearly 1,200 AMC- Jeep-
Renault
Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English; legally Renault S.A.) is a French multinational automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company produces a range of cars and vans, and in the past has manufacture ...
dealer organization would initially remain independent. As part of the buyout, Chrysler would continue AMC's program for U.S. distribution of the new Renault Medallion for five years, but not to sell a specific number of the French imports.
platform
Platform may refer to:
Technology
* Computing platform, a framework on which applications may be run
* Platform game, a genre of video games
* Car platform, a set of components shared by several vehicle models
* Weapons platform, a system or ...
of the European market Renault 21, and imported from France. It was re-engineered for the U.S. and Canadian markets and differed from the Renault 21 in numerous features, trims, frontal styling, stronger bumpers and safety features, as well as powertrain availability. The final assembly of options and trim was performed at a facility at the U.S. port of entry.
The
front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitu ...
Medallion used the 2.2 L I4 engine that also powered the European
Renault 25
The Renault 25 is an executive car produced by the France, French automotive industry, automaker Renault from 1983 to 1992.
The 25 was Renault's Flagship#Automotive, flagship, the most expensive, prestigious, and the largest vehicle in the co ...
. It was mounted in a traditional
longitudinal
Longitudinal is a geometric term of location which may refer to:
* Longitude
** Line of longitude, also called a meridian
* Longitudinal engine, an internal combustion engine in which the crankshaft is oriented along the long axis of the vehicl ...
(front-back) configuration, driving the front wheels through either a 5-speed
manual transmission
A manual transmission (MT), also known as manual gearbox, standard transmission (in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States), or stick shift (in the United States), is a multi-speed motor vehicle transmission system, where gear change ...
or a 3-speed computer-controlled automatic. The longitudinal engine placement was somewhat unusual for a
front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitu ...
car of this era, as the
transverse engine
A transverse engine is an engine mounted in a vehicle so that the engine's crankshaft axis is perpendicular to the direction of travel. Many modern front-wheel drive vehicles use this engine mounting configuration. Most rear-wheel drive vehicles ...
layout is typically more space-efficient. However,
Audi
Audi AG () is a German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany. As a subsidiary of its parent company, the Volkswagen Group, Audi produces vehicles in nine production facilities worldwide.
Th ...
,
SAAB
Saab or SAAB may refer to:
Brands and enterprises
* Saab Group, a Swedish aerospace and defence company, formerly known as SAAB, and later as Saab AB
** Datasaab, a former computer company, started as spin off from Saab AB
* Saab Automobile, a fo ...
, and Subaru used longitudinal engines with front-wheel-drive in this era, as well.
It was unusual that Renault designed the R21 to use transverse-mounted sub-2 liter engines, and longitudinal engines over 2 liters, which included all Medallion versions. Renault did this for two reasons: 1) The larger, more powerful engines required stronger gearboxes that could not be made to fit into the transaxle assembly common to transverse powertrains, and 2) The longitudinal engine/transmission layout allowed Renault to use equal-length half-shafts from a centrally-mounted gearbox, which reduced
torque steering
In physics and mechanics, torque is the rotational equivalent of linear force. It is also referred to as the moment of force (also abbreviated to moment). It represents the capability of a force to produce change in the rotational motion of the ...
that would have otherwise been brought on by the increased power generated by the larger engines. The longitudinal engine R21s and Medallions thus had slightly shorter wheelbases than the transverse engine R21s. Product plans also called for a
four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer cas ...
Medallion to be imported in late-1988.
All Medallions came with an aluminum overhead cam I4 engine with Bendix multi-point fuel injection. The engine was rated at at 5000 rpm and at 2500 rpm, achieving
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it ...
(EPA) fuel economy ratings of:
: highway, city, combined, with the manual transmission, and
: highway, city, combined, with the automatic.
The Medallion featured four-wheel independent suspension with
MacPherson strut
The MacPherson strut is a type of automotive suspension system that uses the top of a telescopic damper as the upper steering pivot. It is widely used in the front suspension of modern vehicles, and is named for American automotive engineer Ear ...
s in the front with negative offset for stability and inclined lower wishbones for anti-dive effect, while the rear suspension is controlled by a V-section cross-member with four transverse torsion bars and inclined shock absorbers.
When the original European Renault 21 models were shown for 1986, they featured a different design compared to the contemporary cars of the era with more rectilinear traditional designs. The new Renault 21 design most closely resembled the
aerodynamic
Aerodynamics, from grc, ἀήρ ''aero'' (air) + grc, δυναμική (dynamics), is the study of the motion of air, particularly when affected by a solid object, such as an airplane wing. It involves topics covered in the field of fluid dyn ...
look of the
Audi 100
The Audi 100 and Audi 200 (and sometimes called Audi 5000 in North America) are primarily mid-size/executive cars manufactured and marketed by the Audi division of the Volkswagen Group. The car was made from 1968 to 1997 across four generations (C ...
models that were introduced in 1983. The Medallion was described "crisp look in contemporary wedge/aerodynamic styling." The station wagon version was judged by one automobile journalist as "arguably the most stylish compact wagon on the market."
The interior of the Medallion was spacious compared to similar cars in the compact segment, which AMC compared it to. The total volume index of the sedan was rated at . This put the Medallion in the mid-size car class according to EPA market segments (those between of passenger and luggage space). The sedan was also notable for its rather commodious trunk.
The station wagon was typically French in design in that it was built on a longer
wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels. For road vehicles with more than two axles (e.g. some trucks), the wheelbase is the distance between the steering (front ...
than the sedan. The wagon was rated at passenger area and of cargo volume behind the 2nd row of seats. The Medallion station wagon seats "five adults in true comfort - and will accept an additional two kids" with the optional bench seat for the cargo area. This was a front-facing third-row seat, such as in the Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser and
Ford Freestyle
The Ford Freestyle is a crossover utility vehicle that was sold by Ford from 2005 to 2009. Largely marketed as the successor to the Ford Taurus station wagon, the Freestyle was the CUV counterpart of the Ford Five Hundred and Mercury Montego fo ...
.
Model years
1988
Medallion sedans were offered in base DL and uplevel LX sedans, as well as a DL wagon, for the long 1988 model year. Standard equipment on all Medallions included a tachometer, digital clock, AM/FM stereo, tinted glass, tilt steering wheel, power steering and brakes, as well as a driver's seat-height adjuster for the reclining front seats. The station wagon also included a locking storage bin, as well as an adjustable
roof rack
A roof rack is a set of bars secured to the roof of a motor car. It is used to carry bulky items such as luggage, bicycles, canoes, kayaks, skis, or various carriers and containers.
They allow users of an automobile to transport objects on ...
and a rear-window wiper.
George C. Scott
George Campbell Scott (October 18, 1927 – September 22, 1999) was an American actor, director, and producer who had a celebrated career on both stage and screen. With a gruff demeanor and commanding presence, Scott became known for his port ...
was the spokesperson for Renault products at the time and was featured prominently in commercials for the 1988 Renault Medallion, touting its new, larger size and competitive power, interior room, and warranty coverage.
Exterior styling showed many unusual features, including slightly skirted rear wheel arches, fixed chromed door handles with hidden squeeze-type actuators, and a decklid that wrapped over the tops of the rear fenders. At the front, the Medallion featured flush-mounted composite headlamps - a first for an AMC vehicle - mounted on either side of a flush grille with 3 horizontal black bars and a prominent Renault diamond logo. Medallion DL sedans offered a different taillight lens pattern than uplevel LX sedans did, with smoked clear reflector lenses continuing inward from the Medallion's reversing lights, and surrounding the upper portion of the decklid-mounted rear license plate depression. The LX sedans showed red lenses in this area instead. A power sunroof option on LX models was available later in the 1988 model year. Medallion station wagons had a longer wheelbase, and rear doors were much longer than those of their sedan counterpart, to improve optional third seat ingress and egress. While unusual for its class in the North American market, the wagon's uniquely longer wheelbase (more than longer than the much larger Eagle Premier's) was in keeping with French station wagon tradition to maximize interior space for passengers or cargo. This design was also used on the competing
Peugeot 504
The Peugeot 504 is a mid-size, front-engine, rear-wheel-drive automobile manufactured and marketed by Peugeot from 1968 to 1983 over a single generation, primarily in four-door sedan and wagon configurations – but also as twin two-door coupé ...
and 505.
The new Renault Medallion station wagon was reviewed by ''Kiplinger's Personal Finance'' magazine as "surprisingly comfortable, with a load of standard features for its relatively modest $10,693 base price." The "powerful engine allows it to whiz through city traffic with ease" and the wagon's interior was "spartan," but "spacious and comfortable."
A week-long review of an automatic transmission equipped 1988 Medallion by ''The Milwaukee Sentinel'' described it as an "eye-appealing alternative for those shopping for a compact four-door sedan" offering "peppy" performance with an engine that "purred contently at highway speeds" while offering a smooth ride in both the city and on the highway returning an actual combined fuel economy, but the sedan's light weight, , was criticized as too light on open roads in the wind and the insulation to reduce road noise seemed inadequate. The EPA estimated fuel efficiency for the station wagon at in the city, for highway, and combined.
A long-term test by ''Popular Mechanics'' found the Medallion "low on flash, high on comfort" especially on long-distance journeys and along the roughest roads in New York City, and the editors came to regard it as a "pretty nice car." Other automotive guides recommended the Medallion for comfortable ride and interior roominess, as well as summarizing that Chrysler does not "have a domestic model in this category that's quite as nice."
American Motors offered a special optional warranty program exclusively on the Medallion for the 1988 model year called Ultra Plan, which included scheduled maintenance services. After the Chrysler buyout of American Motors, Chrysler took on responsibility for marketing the 1988 Renault Medallion and supported its financing through Chrysler Credit Corporation until the end of the 1988 model year.
1989
For 1989, Chrysler focused on the advanced technology incorporated in the Eagle models. The 1989 Medallions were also covered by Chrysler's new "7/70 Protection Plan" that was a comprehensive warranty on the entire vehicle for seven years or . The rear of the 1989 Medallions now featured an “imported for Eagle” badge and the terms of the AMC buyout included the continued sales of Renault-built cars in the U.S. However, Chrysler decided to cease importing the Medallions from Renault at the end of the 1989 model year. This also ended the potential revival of a four-wheel-drive Eagle station wagon.
Marketing
While reviews were initially favorable, the Medallion had a poor launch into the North American market because of AMC's limited marketing resources. There were industry rumors of problems at AMC and Chrysler's takeover of the company overshadowed the Medallion's introduction. ''Kiplinger's Personal Finance'' magazine raised the question of continued commitment and service for the Medallion after Chrysler's buyout of AMC, and noted that an expected letter of intent between Chrysler and Renault indicated that Chrysler "it would support the vehicle for a minimum of five years."
The Madallion was a solid entry in a highly competitive market segment. Total U.S. sales were 25,672 spread over three calendar years. This reflects the numerous stuggles with the Medallion line that was launced just before Renault exited from U.S. market and Chrysler wanted to continue only the Jeep models. It was ranked as "a damn good car — winning numerous accolades and enjoying a 9-year model run outside the States." Although "it was actually a very nice car to drive," Chrysler discononued the Medallion soon after purchasing AMC.
The Eagle name came from the innovative all-wheel drive
AMC Eagle
AMC may refer to:
Film and television
* AMC Theatres, an American movie theater chain
* AMC Networks, an American entertainment company
** AMC (TV channel)
** AMC+, streaming service
** AMC Networks International, an entertainment company
*** ...
line, but the Medallion was a standard passenger car and its sales were also hindered by marketing missteps. Chrysler also planned to phase out the Medallion sedan in favor of a four-wheel-drive wagon by 1990. However, the Eagle division in the U.S. went without a 4-wheel-drive station wagon model until the launch of the 1992 Eagle Summit Wagon. In Canada, a 4-wheel-drive wagon was available as the Eagle Vista from 1989 through 1991.
Robert Lutz, the head of the Chrysler Corporation at the time, said in his 2003 book ''
Guts
The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The GI tract contains all the major organs of the digestive system, in humans and ...
'' that the Medallion, and its larger line mate, the Premier were "salesproof" in that no matter how attractive and competitive the cars were, customers in large enough number to ensure success just would not take notice. In reality, the corporation was drawing a tighter bead on "import intenders," and rather than working with an independent Renault, Chrysler shifted the Eagle models to
badge engineered
In the automotive industry, rebadging is a form of market segmentation used by automobile manufacturers around the world. To allow for product differentiation without designing or engineering a new model or brand (at high cost or risk), a ma ...
cars sourced from its Japanese partner since 1971,
Mitsubishi Motors
is a Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. At the time, Chrysler was investing in the Diamond-Star Motors manufacturing joint venture and building a new plant in
Normal, Illinois
Normal is a town in McLean County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town's population was 52,736. Normal is the smaller of two principal municipalities of the Bloomington–Normal metropolitan area, and Illinois' seventh most ...
, with an annual capacity of almost a quarter-million vehicles. In 1986, Honda introduced their luxury brand Acura with the Acura Legend and
Acura Integra Integra may refer to:
* Honda Integra, a compact car
* Integra Air, a Canadian airline
* Integra Bank, a regional bank headquartered in Evansville, Indiana
* Integra Hellsing, a main character of the manga and anime series ''Hellsing''
* Integra Ma ...
thereby further competing in a crowded market segment.
The smaller Eagle Summit made by Mitsubishi was also marketed by Jeep-Eagle dealers, primarily for
Alliance
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
and Encore owners to trade into, but with the Medallion "they were stuck with for a couple of years due to legal issues with Renault."
The imported Medallion also competed with Chrysler's numerous domestic Dodge, Plymouth, and Chrysler models. This may have also contributed to a lack of enthusiasm within the company for properly marketing the Medallion - as well as the larger Premier. While the first-generation Summit and the much larger Premier were both replaced, the Medallion line had no successor in the U.S. market, despite the periodic appearance of several D-segment midsize concepts like the Optima and Jazz. In Canada, the Medallion was replaced by the Mitsubishi Galant-based Eagle 2000GTX.