Eagle Talon History

The Talon was Eagle's halo car and easily its best-remembered model. Built at the Diamond-Star Motors plant in Normal, Illinois — a Chrysler–Mitsubishi joint venture — it was mechanically identical to the Mitsubishi Eclipse and the Plymouth Laser, the three together known to enthusiasts as the 'DSM' cars.

The first generation (1990–1994 model years) was a sharp 3-door hatchback coupe. The car's reputation rests on the TSi turbo models, which paired Mitsubishi's 2.0-liter 4G63 turbocharged four with an available all-wheel-drive system — a combination that made the turbo-AWD Talon a giant-killer and a tuner favorite for decades. The 1990 car made Car and Driver's 10Best list.

A redesigned second generation (1995–1998) became a more rounded 2-door coupe; the naturally aspirated cars switched to Chrysler's 420A engine while the TSi kept the 4G63 turbo. With the Eagle brand wound down, the last Talons rolled off the line in early 1998, making the final-year cars relatively scarce.