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The Chrysler Concorde is a large four-door, full-size, front wheel drive sedan that was produced by Chrysler from 1993 to 2004. It replaced the Chrysler Fifth Avenue on the lineup. It was one of Chrysler's three original Chrysler LH platform models derived from the American Motors/Renault-designed Eagle Premier, it used revolutionary cab forward design. The Concorde was related to the Dodge Intrepid, Eagle Vision, Chrysler 300M, Chrysler LHS, and the eleventh and final generation Chrysler New Yorker. It was on ''Car and Driver'' magazine's Ten Best list for 1993 and 1994. == Design background == The Concorde's design can be traced to 1986, when designer Kevin Verduyn completed the initial exterior design of a new aerodynamic concept sedan called Navajo. The design never passed the clay model stage. It was also at this time that the Chrysler Corporation purchased bankrupt Italian sports car manufacturer Lamborghini. The Navajo's exterior design was reworked and became the Lamborghini Portofino, released as a concept at the 1987 Frankfurt Auto Show. The Portofino was heralded as a design triumph, setting in motion Chrysler's decision to produce a production sedan with the Portofino's revolutionary exterior design, called "cab-forward". The cab forward design was characterized by the long, low slung windshield, and relatively short overhangs. The wheels were effectively pushed to the corners of the car, creating a much larger passenger cabin than the contemporaries of the time. Design of the chassis began in the late 1980s, after Chrysler had bought another automaker, American Motors Corporation (AMC) in 1987. During this time, Chrysler began designing the replacement for the Dodge Dynasty and Chrysler Fifth Avenue, as well as a potential Plymouth. The initial design of Dodge's LH bore resemblance to the Dynasty, and this design was scrapped entirely after François Castaing, formerly AMC's Vice President of product engineering and development, became Chrysler's Vice President of vehicle engineering in 1988. The new design, under Castaing's leadership, began with the Eagle Premier, also sold later as the Dodge Monaco. The Premier's longitudinal engine mounting layout was inherited, as was the front suspension geometry, and parts of the braking system. The chassis itself became a flexible architecture capable of supporting front or rear-wheel drive (designated "LH" and "LX" respectively). The transmission was inspired by the Premier's Audi and ZF automatics. Borrowing heavily from Chrysler's A604 (41TE) "Ultradrive" transversely mounted automatic, it became the A606 (also known as 42LE). The chassis design was continually refined throughout the following years, as it underpinned more Chrysler prototypes: the 1989 Chrysler Millennium and the 1990 Eagle Optima. By 1990, it was decided that the new technologically advanced car would need a new technologically advanced engine to power it. Until that time, the only engine confirmed for use was Chrysler's 3.3 L pushrod V6. The 3.3 L engine's 60° block was bored out to 3.5 L, while the pushrod-actuated valves were replaced with SOHC cylinder heads with four valves per cylinder, creating an advanced 3.5 L V6. The appearance, still based on the cab forward exterior design of the 1987 Lamborghini Portofino concept, with its aerodynamic shape, made for little wind noise inside this large car. This sleek styling gives the Concorde a low drag coefficient which was ahead of its time. Although American Motors' Eagle Premier (and Dodge Monaco) was discontinued by Chrysler after the 1992 model year, the new Concorde's packaging was derived from the Premier, and all the suspension and drivetrain development mules were Premiers.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=1993–1997 Dodge Intrepid, Eagle Vision, and Chrysler Concorde, New Yorker, and LHS )〕 Other design features found their way into the Chrysler LH platform, most notably the longitudinal engine layout, a hallmark of Renault's front-wheel-drive designs. This design allowed Chrysler to lower the hoodline, made maintenance/servicing simpler, and tightened the car's turning diameter. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Chrysler Concorde」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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