Eagle Talon

The first generation Talon was released in mid-1989 as a 1990 model and ran through 1994. It was created through a joint operation between Chrysler Corporation and Mitsubishi Motors. It was a joint 50/50 corporate venture known as Diamond Star Motors, or DSM. This is why many enthusiasts refer the car and its similar counterparts as DSM's. The Talon was sold under the Eagle marquee, a brand developed by Chrysler to compete with Japanese rising number of imports in the late 1980's, after purchasing American motors, also known as AMC. This allowed the Talon to be produced in other versions under a different brand like the Mitsubishi Eclipse and the Plymouth Laser. The compatibility between these cars has produced groups who refer to them solely as DSM's.

The first generation Talon was released in mid-1989 as a 1990 model and ran through 1994. This era of DSM vehicles is commonly referred to as the first generation, or "1G" for short. The first generation of Talons built before 1992 had "6 bolt" engines. "6 bolt" refers to the number of bolts connecting the flywheel to the crankshaft. The second generation, or "2G," Eagle Talon was introduced in 1995 simultaneously with its Mitsubishi Eclipse counterpart. All 1G Talons built after April 1992.5 received a freer revving "7-bolt" engine, which was a vast improvement. By November 1998, the Talon was the last model in the shrinking Eagle lineup and the rarest Talon model year. Because of the slowing sales, the Chrysler management decided to stop promoting the Eagle brand and in 1998 stopped production of the Eagle Talon all together. The last one rolled off the assembly line on February 10, 1998.