AMC Eagle

AMC Eagle

There is 1 generation of the AMC Eagle in this catalogue: 1 generation, 1979-01-01 to 1987-12-31, body Sedan. There is no second generation to compare on weight, clearance, or drive. Ground clearance is 178 mm on every version below; drive is AWD on every version; fuel type is Gasoline; boost is No; engine placement is Front, longitudinal; feed is Carburetor; fuel grade label is 76.

There is 1 generation of the AMC Eagle in this catalogue: 1 generation, 1979-01-01 to 1987-12-31, body Sedan. There is no second generation to compare on weight, clearance, or drive. Ground clearance is 178 mm on every version below; drive is AWD on every version; fuel type is Gasoline; boost is No; engine placement is Front, longitudinal; feed is Carburetor; fuel grade label is 76. The buying decision is which 2.5 MT, 4.2 MT, or 4.2 AT row matches the job, not which generation.

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Engines and specs

All engines are naturally aspirated (No boost), Gasoline, Carburetor, 2 valves per cylinder, Front, longitudinal. Cylinders are 4 Inline on every 2.5 MT and 6 Inline on every 4.2 MT and 4.2 AT. Gearboxes are Manual 4- or 5-speed, or Automatic 3-speed. Drive is AWD.

Compression: 9.2 on the 2464 cm³ 2.5 MT 106 hp rows and on the 114 hp / 117 hp 4.2-litre rows; 8.2 on the 2471 cm³ 2.5 MT 85 hp and 88 hp rows; 8.3 on the 112 hp 4.2-litre rows. Bore × stroke: 98.42 × 80.97 (2464 cm³), 101.6 × 76.2 (2471 cm³), 95.25 × 99.06 (4235 cm³).

Power per litre (hp ÷ displacement in litres): 2.5 MT 106 hp = 43.0 hp/l; 2.5 MT 88 hp = 35.6 hp/l; 2.5 MT 85 hp = 34.4 hp/l; 4.2 AT 117 hp = 27.6 hp/l; 4.2 MT 114 hp = 26.9 hp/l; 4.2 AT / 4.2 MT 112 hp = 26.4 hp/l. The four-cylinder 106 hp engine makes 16.6 hp/l more than the strongest 4.2-litre row. Torque per litre: 2.5 MT 106 hp = 72.6 Nm/l; 4.2 at 285 Nm = 67.3 Nm/l; 4.2 MT 112 hp 4-speed (271 Nm) = 64.0 Nm/l. Specific output favours the 2464 cm³ 2.5 MT; absolute torque favours every 4235 cm³ row except the 271 Nm 4-speed, which is still 92 Nm above the 106 hp four-cylinder.

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Performance and economy

0–100 km/h, ranked (measured only):

1. 4.2 MT 114 hp, 4-speed and 4.2 MT 114 hp, 5-speed — 13.0 s 2. 4.2 MT 112 hp, 5-speed, 285 Nm — 13.3 s (0.3 s slower than the 114 hp Manual) 3. 4.2 MT 112 hp, 4-speed, 271 Nm — 14.4 s (1.1 s slower than the 5-speed 112 hp; 1.4 s slower than 114 hp) 4. 2.5 MT 106 hp, 4-speed 1485 kg and 2.5 MT 106 hp, 5-speed — 14.6 s 5. 4.2 AT 117 hp — 14.7 s 6. 4.2 AT 112 hp — 15.0 s (0.3 s slower than 117 hp Automatic; 2.0 s slower than 114 hp Manual) 7. 2.5 MT 85 hp, 4-speed and 5-speed — 17.8 s 8. 2.5 MT 88 hp — 18.1 s

2.5 MT 106 hp, 4-speed, 1499 kg: 0–100 km/h not measured; top speed not measured.

Top speed, ranked (measured only): 4.2 MT 114 hp (both gearboxes) 160 km/h; 4.2 MT 112 hp 5-speed 158 km/h; 4.2 AT 117 hp 157 km/h; 2.5 MT 106 hp (4-speed 1485 kg and 5-speed) 156 km/h; 4.2 AT 112 hp 154 km/h; 2.5 MT 88 hp 145 km/h; 2.5 MT 85 hp 144 km/h. 4.2 MT 112 hp 4-speed, 271 Nm: top speed not measured. Spread from slowest measured to fastest measured: 16 km/h (144 vs 160).

Fuel consumption (l/100 km). Only four rows have numbers; the rest are not measured.

• 2.5 MT 106 hp, 4-speed, 1485 kg: city 14.6, highway 13.8, combined 13.2
• 2.5 MT 106 hp, 5-speed: city 14.6, highway 12.8, combined 12.7 — same city as the 4-speed, 1.0 less on highway, 0.5 less combined
• 2.5 MT 106 hp, 4-speed, 1499 kg: city 9.8, highway 7.8, combined 9.0 — 4.8 / 6.0 / 4.2 below the other 4-speed 106 hp row; 0–100 and top speed on this row are not measured, so it cannot be ranked on acceleration
• 4.2 AT 117 hp: city 17.8, highway 12.6, combined 14.3 — city 3.2 above the 106 hp 5-speed; highway 0.2 below that 5-speed; combined 1.6 above

Not measured for city, highway, and combined: both 2.5 MT 85 hp rows, 2.5 MT 88 hp, 4.2 AT 112 hp, 4.2 MT 112 hp 5-speed, 4.2 MT 112 hp 4-speed 271 Nm, both 4.2 MT 114 hp rows. CO2 is not measured on every version. Eco class is not measured on every version.

The 5-speed on the 106 hp 2.5 MT does not change 0–100 (still 14.6 s) or top speed (still 156 km/h). What it changes is highway and combined fuel: 12.8 and 12.7 versus 13.8 and 13.2. On the 85 hp 2.5 MT, 4-speed and 5-speed share 17.8 s and 144 km/h; consumption is not measured, so the extra gear cannot be scored on economy. On the 114 hp 4.2 MT, 4-speed and 5-speed share 13.0 s and 160 km/h and the same 1538 kg, so the extra gear is not buying a measured performance delta.

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Dimensions and weight

Gross weight is not measured on every version. Wheel size is not measured on every version. Fuel tank is 83 l on every version. Ground clearance is 178 mm on every version. Front suspension is Independent, spring; rear is Dependent, leaf spring. Front brakes Ventilated disc; rear Drum. Those chassis figures do not change with engine, so they do not decide which version to buy.

Kerb weight:

Lightest: 1482 kg (2.5 MT 85 hp). Heaviest: 1557 kg (4.2 MT 112 hp, 4-speed, 271 Nm). Spread: 75 kg. Best kg/hp: 4.2 AT 117 hp at 13.18 kg/hp. Worst kg/hp: 2.5 MT 85 hp at 17.44 kg/hp — 4.26 kg/hp heavier per horsepower than the 117 hp Automatic. The 106 hp 2.5 MT at 1485 kg (14.01 kg/hp) is 3.43 kg/hp better than the 85 hp car and 0.83 kg/hp worse than the 117 hp 4.2 AT.

The 114 hp 4.2 MT is 14 kg lighter than the 5-speed 112 hp 4.2 MT (1538 vs 1552) and 19 kg lighter than the 271 Nm 4-speed (1557), with 2 hp more than both 112 hp Manuals. That is the cleanest “same name, better numbers” step inside 4.2 MT.

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Which version to choose

There is no generation step. 1 generation, 1979–1987, Sedan, AWD, 178 mm, 83 l. Choice is version.

Choose 4.2 MT 114 hp (4-speed or 5-speed) when 0–100 and top speed are the ranking. Both: 114 hp, 84 kW at 3200 rpm, 285 Nm at 1800 rpm, 4235 cm³, 6 Inline, Manual, AWD, 13.0 s, 160 km/h, 1538 kg, compression 9.2. City / highway / combined not measured. Versus 4.2 MT 112 hp 5-speed: +2 hp, −14 kg, −0.3 s, +2 km/h. Versus 4.2 MT 112 hp 4-speed 271 Nm: +2 hp, +14 Nm, −19 kg, −1.4 s; that 112 hp 4-speed also peaks later (3400 vs 3200 rpm) and has top speed not measured. The 4-speed and 5-speed 114 hp cars are tied on every measured performance and weight figure in this data, so gearbox count is not a measured reason to pick one 114 hp row over the other.

Choose 4.2 MT 112 hp 5-speed (285 Nm) only if the 114 hp 4.2 MT is not the car in front of you. It is still the second-quickest Manual: 13.3 s, 158 km/h, 112 hp, 285 Nm, 1552 kg. It is 1.1 s quicker than the 271 Nm 4-speed 4.2 MT at the same 112 hp name.

Avoid treating all “4.2 MT 112 hp” rows as one car. The 5-speed makes 285 Nm at 1800 rpm and 82 kW at 3200 rpm; the 4-speed makes 271 Nm at 2000 rpm and 82 kW at 3400 rpm. Same name, 14 Nm and 0.4 s–1.1 s and 5 kg apart (1552 vs 1557), and one has no measured top speed.

Choose 4.2 AT 117 hp when the gearbox must be Automatic. It is the only Automatic with a full consumption set: 17.8 / 12.6 / 14.3 l/100 km, 14.7 s, 157 km/h, 117 hp, 86 kW, 285 Nm, 1542 kg, 13.18 kg/hp (best in this table). Versus 4.2 AT 112 hp: +5 hp, +17 kg, −0.3 s, +3 km/h. The 112 hp Automatic has consumption not measured, so you cannot score it on l/100 km. Versus the 114 hp Manual: the Automatic is 1.7 s slower and 3 km/h lower, with 4 kg more kerb weight (1542 vs 1538) and 3 hp more. The Automatic is not buying speed over the 114 hp 4.2 MT; it is buying 3 gears Automatic versus 4 or 5 Manual.

Choose 4.2 AT 112 hp only as the lighter Automatic: 1525 kg, 17 kg below the 117 hp Automatic, 15.0 s, 154 km/h, consumption not measured. It is the lightest 4.2-litre car in this set.

Choose 2.5 MT 106 hp 5-speed when displacement should stay near 2.5 litres and highway fuel is measured. 106 hp, 78 kW at 4800 rpm, 179 Nm at 2800 rpm, 2464 cm³, 4 Inline, Manual 5, 14.6 s, 156 km/h, 14.6 / 12.8 / 12.7 l/100 km, 1485 kg, 43.0 hp/l. Versus the 4-speed 1485 kg twin: identical power, torque, 0–100, and top speed; highway −1.0, combined −0.5. Versus 4.2 AT 117 hp: −11 hp, −106 Nm, −0.1 s (14.6 vs 14.7 — the four-cylinder Manual matches the stronger Automatic to 100 km/h within 0.1 s), −1 km/h, −57 kg, city −3.2, combined −1.6, highway +0.2. Versus 4.2 MT 114 hp: +1.6 s, −4 km/h, −53 kg, +16.1 hp/l. The 2.5-litre 106 hp car is the efficiency-and-mass choice; it is not the sprint choice.

Choose 2.5 MT 106 hp 4-speed, 1485 kg if the 5-speed is unavailable and you still want measured 14.6 s / 156 km/h. Accept 13.8 highway and 13.2 combined instead of 12.8 / 12.7.

Treat 2.5 MT 106 hp 4-speed, 1499 kg as a separate row. Same name, same 106 hp, same 2464 cm³, same 9.2 compression, but +14 kg, city 9.8, highway 7.8, combined 9.0, and 0–100 and top speed not measured. Do not use its 9.0 combined figure to claim the 1485 kg 106 hp cars drink 9.0 l/100 km — those cars are measured at 13.2 and 12.7 combined.

Do not choose 2.5 MT 85 hp or 2.5 MT 88 hp for performance. 2471 cm³, compression 8.2, 85 hp (63 kW at 4100 rpm, 170 Nm at 2600 rpm) or 88 hp (65 kW at 4200 rpm, 171 Nm at 2400 rpm). 17.8 s / 144 km/h (85 hp, either gearbox) or 18.1 s / 145 km/h (88 hp). Consumption not measured. The 88 hp car is 3 hp up on the 85 hp car and 4 kg up (1486 vs 1482) and slower to 100 km/h by 0.3 s. Power per litre 34.4–35.6 versus 43.0 on the 106 hp 2464 cm³ engine: the 106 hp 2.5 MT is 21 hp above the 85 hp car (+24.7%) and 3.2 s quicker, at 3 kg more (1485 vs 1482). That is the four-cylinder step that actually moves the numbers.

What a larger engine buys (arithmetic only). Going from 2.5 MT 106 hp 5-speed (1485 kg, 14.6 s, 156 km/h, 179 Nm) to 4.2 MT 114 hp (1538 kg, 13.0 s, 160 km/h, 285 Nm) costs 53 kg and 1771 cm³ and returns +8 hp, +106 Nm, −1.6 s, +4 km/h. Going from the same 106 hp 5-speed to 4.2 AT 117 hp costs 57 kg and returns +11 hp, +106 Nm, +0.1 s (slightly slower), +1 km/h, and a measured combined 14.3 versus 12.7. Displacement does not automatically buy a quicker Automatic.

Reliability / problems. This dataset has no failure rates, no service intervals, and no defect lists. What can be said from the specs: every version shares Carburetor, AWD, the same brake and suspension labels, and fuel grade 76. Differences that could matter in use are compression (8.2 vs 8.3 vs 9.2), cylinder count (4 vs 6), gearbox type (Manual vs Automatic), and whether consumption and 0–100 were measured at all. Those are specification splits, not a reliability ranking.

Short list. Fastest measured: 4.2 MT 114 hp (4- or 5-speed). Fastest Automatic: 4.2 AT 117 hp. Highest hp/l and only 2.5-litre with a complete speed-plus-economy pair: 2.5 MT 106 hp 5-speed. Lightest: 2.5 MT 85 hp at 1482 kg, with the weakest kg/hp and 17.8 s. Same name is not the same car: split every 2.5 MT and 4.2 MT / 4.2 AT by hp, gears, torque, and kerb weight before you treat two rows as one version.