text: Background and development In August 1987, Chrysler completed its acquisition of American Motors Corporation (AMC). Along with its ownership of the Jeep model line, the AMC Eagle sedan/station wagons, and the Renault lineup of the Alliance and Encore (and the newly introduced Medallion), AMC was sought after for ability to develop and engineer cars quicker (and at lower cost) than other American auto manufacturers. Beginning in 1985, AMC had begun to build the Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon and the Dodge Diplomat/Plymouth Gran Fury/Chrysler Fifth Avenue for Chrysler under contract.
  At the time of the sale, AMC was nearing the release of the Premier, a collaboration between AMC and Renault to develop a full-size car for the North American market. The largest AMC-branded vehicle since the 1978 Matador, the Premier was to become a full model line, including a four-door sedan, station wagon, and two-door coupe (named the Allure). Derived from the chassis of the Renault 25 (the flagship Renault model line in Europe), the Premier adopted the suspension of the Renault (later Eagle) Medallion (a Renault 21 developed for North America, replacing the Renault 18i and AMC Concord). To further distinguish the AMC Premier from the Renault 25, the model line received an exterior update by Giorgetto Giugiaro; the interior was restyled by AMC designer Dick Teague (one of his final designs). The standard engine was an AMC-sourced 2.5 L inline-4 (shared with Jeep) and an optional 3.0 L PRV V6.