Dodge Intrepid, Eagle Vision, and Chrysler Concorde, 300M, New Yorker, and LHS

We thank Larry's SuperFun Dodge Intrepid Page for much of this information, and Douglas Miske for updates.

Click here for information on the Dodge Intrepid police package

LH Series - Contents

First Generation: 1993-1997

Note: instead of referring to "LH" cars each time, we will usually use the Intrepid as an example.

Separate pages:

• Definition and advantages of cab forward (how cab forward was developed, and an interview with Tom Gale.)
• Interview about LH packaging and design with G. Glenn Gardner
• Interview about LH design with Francois Castaing
• Powerful climate control and engine cooling systems
• How the LH body shell and suspension were designed for maximum performance, comfort, and safety
• Dodge Intrepid, Chrysler Concorde, and Eagle Vision styling development
• 80-mpg Intrepids: ESX and ESX-2
• Performance upgrades and common repairs
• Design process for the LH series: innovations in the engineering and involvement process
• Step-by-step guide to repairing the LH steering
• Step-by-step guide to replacing the hub and bearing

  

On this page:

1. History
2. Overview of the cars
3. Fleet (taxi, police) use
4. Was the LH based on the Eagle Premier?
5. Test drive (1993 review)
6. Specifications

Bill Watson wrote that the Plymouth Accolade was seriously considered as a base model for the LH series. It was apparently a rebadged first-generation Intrepid with minor detail changes. “The name did go well with Acclaim, which was still in production at the time. If I remember correctly, the Breeze came about in much the same way, well after the Cirrus/Stratus, except the Breeze made it into production.”

Second generation: 1998-2004

Engines gained a substantial power boost even as they became smaller - the aging 3.3 and 3.5 were replaced with new 2.7 and 3.2 liter designs, while the 3.5 was reeengineered to produce 250 horsepower, up from 214. The Eagle Vision was rebadged Chrysler 300M at the last moment, when Eagle was abandoned (the 300M appeared in 1999, after the other LH cars, partly because it ran on a shortened body — with the same wheelbase as the rest — to fit into European parking spaces).

To keep this page at a manageable size, the second generation information is spread across several pages.

• Chrysler Concorde review and photos (1999)
• Performance and repairs
• Chrysler 300M page (also see Chrysler 300M and LHS body changes)
• Chrysler 300M review and photos (2001)
• LH Series forums
• For information on the 2.7 liter engine sludge issue, click here
• Dodge Intrepid SST (style, sound and technology customized)
• Details:
  • LH series technical overview
  • Specifications
  • Safety, security, and serviceability (ease of maintenance and repair)
  • Body shell
  • Noise, vibration, and harshness reduction
  • Environmental concerns
  • Electrical - many changes!

About the LH cars

The "cab-forward" design has two major elements: pushing the wheels out to the corners of the car, which is where they are in every Honda, and making the engine compartment just large enough - not large enough to fit a larger engine if one becomes available in the future, but large enough for the standard, current engine. (In some Hondas, the difference between engines is in technology, not size - though horsepower can vary quite a bit, the engines are the same size to keep the size of the car small on the outside, but not the inside).

Alldata: service bulletins and advice to solve common problems; on-line car manuals!

Some of the LH's selling points were the largest interior space of its price class (by a good margin), a black-on-white instrumentation panel, dual airbags ahead of their time, and an award winning child seat built into the rear bench.  A point of distinction of the LH models was, and remains, the north-south/longitudinal mounting of the engines, as opposed to the usual east-west/transverse installation typical with front wheel drive cars.  The longitudinal mounting allowed Chrysler to lower the hoodline for aerodynamics and looks, made maintenance/servicing simpler (just think of changing the rear spark plugs up against the firewall with a transverse V6, and you will get the idea), and tightened the car's turning diameter.  In addition, the LH's had a very wide track (the distance between the center points of the wheels), wider than the 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix, whose advertising tag line boasted "wider is better."   LH owners discovered that back in 1993.

The Intrepid included a multitude of amenities in even the base model. Ride and handling were up to par with the overseas competition.  The Intrepid ES and Vision TSi also saw the first North American use of the "manu-matic" transmission with the introduction of Chrysler's AutoStick®.

The most common complaints were road noise and the lack of rear folding seats. Early LH models had some problems with transmissions, air conditioning, and weak headlights. A retro kit brought the headlights up to par (no higher!), and continual revisions to the transmission design and computer increased reliability and smooth shifting. As for air conditioning, the jury is still out, but it appears that the system had some teething problems in the first year, and that problems were down to the average level afterwards.

The first 1,000 LH sedans went into rental fleet service, mainly in Orlando but also in Denver, to test for problems - a practice Chrysler has continued. Engineers were also sent to dealerships. "It's part of our commitment to quality," explained Padgham. "If any problems should develop, we'll have a 'lock' on the vehicle itself right at the dealerships. We're determined to have early diagnosis and feedback from the people who know these power- trains intimately."

The first LH series ran from 1993 to 1997.  It was replaced in 1998 by a revised series with a 2.7 that matched the 3.3's power, a 3.2 that matched the 3.5, and a reworked 3.5 producing 250 horsepower - all on regular gas.

Intrepid, Vision, Concorde, and New Yorker: LH nameplates

The Intrepid was the Dodge version. The Eagle Vision had a more aggressive grille and a stiffer suspension, as it was meant to compete with European sedans. The Chrysler Concorde had a softer suspension, in keeping with Chrysler's supposed emphasis on luxury. Engine availability differed among trim lines, but there were only two engines: the 3.3, at first producing 153 hp but later bumped to 161, mainly through airflow improvements, and the 3.5, which produced 214 hp but required midgrade (89, rather than 87, octane) gas to do it. The 3.3 is still used in minivans. Both were multiple-port sequential fuel-injected gas engines.

Shortly after the regular-sized LH models were introduced, "stretched" versions were created. They received another four inches of wheelbase, and were extremely roomy inside, particularly in the back seat.  The main differences, outside of standard features, engines, and prices, were the firmer, more European ride of the LHS, and the softer, more luxury-oriented ride of the New Yorker.

When the New Yorker nameplate was finally retired at the end of the 1994 model year, along with the model it was attached to (because most extended-LH sales went to the LHS), it was the oldest nameplate in continuous use in America.

Fleet use

Doug Miske wrote: The Chrysler (remember, I'm in Canada) Intrepid has rapidly emerged as a car of choice amongst Toronto's taxicab drivers. They cite the roominess, maneuverability, ride/handling, strong heating/air conditioning system (with rear venting), low maintenance costs, and better fuel economy over the Ford Crown Victoria as reasons for choosing the Intrepid.

Intrepids were used as police cars in isolated locations throughout the United States and Canada due to their room, speed, and handling. Click here for information on the Dodge Intrepid police package.

History

The original LH sedans were the first test of two new Chrysler concepts: design by cross-platform team, and "cab-forward." Both were borrowed from Honda. Chrysler engineers actually went to Japan to study Honda's design team system, and Chrysler's was based on it (though Chrysler adapted and changed the system so it is not a direct copy). Click here to read about the manufacturing and design process for the LH series.

Was the LH based on the Eagle Premier?

Dan Minick wrote:

There are some interchangeable parts, such as rear brake components, and miscellaneous other stuff. It's my understanding that Hal Sperlich's team had another big transverse-engine car fairly well along in development, but Lutz didn't like it, so Castaing suggested using the Premier/R25 chassis as a starting point for a new big car. Most everything was changed, but engineering-wise they started with the Premier. Sperlich's big transverse-engine car was sent to the dust bin along with him.

Bob Sheaves wrote:

When François Castaing took over as VP of Engineering, the existing LH was thrown out and the Premiere was used as the basis. True, the components are not interchangeable, but the geometry is exactly the same for the suspension, and the packaging was derived from the Eagle Premiere. All of the suspension and drivetrain mules were Premiers also.

As far as the GS transmission, yes some of the internals are the same, but the case and power transmission sequence is different - shared only with Prowler. The half shafts are perpendicular to the power flow in this trans, where the GS (and NS) uses a parallel arrangement. The ZF used in the Audi 5000/100 series was the prototype used for development of the LH.

As a side note, if you compare the trans in the Premiere to the Audi Quattro (ZF) you might be surprised. Then compare the LH trans....

(When the original LH was being designed, there was an LX platform that was configurable as AWD, FWD and RWD by swapping components around. If you remember the TV series "Viper", they had, in the initial show, a crash of 4 "Premiere police cars" that had a funny wheelbase if you looked closely. The rear tires were 6 inches farther rearward than a normal Premiere. These were our LX prototypes that had 360 v8s and Audi/ZF AWD transaxles.)

...[the original LH/LX that Mr. Sperlich had done looks like] a Dynasty, 6.5 inches wider, 13.2 inch longer wheelbase, and a "hot wrench" passed over the sharp creases in the vehicle reveal lines. A lot like the Buick LeSabre of 3 years later.

...Yes, it was based on the Premier, in all its glory. The rear suspension is as described in the link provided, but with one addition...AMC recieved 2 patents on the torsion bar design. Chrysler developed longitudinal torsion bars into a high science, but the transverse bars of the M-body (when used in police service) had an annoying tendency to allow the front suspension to lose alignment whenever a curb was hit. The same engineer responsible for the M-body design corrected the problems on the Premier, in that the bars were "folded" together into a single, more compact design that was more rigid in bending and smoother riding, due to lower rate and greater travel.

Another interesting thing was that Chrysler destroyed the LH mule cars in a very public manner. At the beginning of the TV show "Viper", you will see 3 Premier police cars that are destroyed. If you look closely, the rear wheels are not in the proper rerlationship to the rear door as on the OE cars. This was because they were LH mule cars, one of which was a v8 (5.2L) with AWD, and an Audi 5000 transaxle and driveline......

On suspension travel, only the Baby-Ram Dakota 4x4 (at that time) had more wheel travel than the Premier/ LH design, allowing a more smooth riding tuning to be configured...

Rob McNay wrote:

I currently own a 1997 Eagle Vision TSi and my last car was an 1991 Eagle Premier ES Limited. The Premier has a solid axle, torsion bar rear suspension with leading shock absorbers. The LH cars have an independent rear suspension with 2 lateral links, a trailing arm and a MacPherson strut per side. In the front, the Premier has a MacPherson strut with a lower A-frame control arm and the caster and camber are fixed and unadjustable. The LH is a single lower control arm with a leading tensioning strut and MacPherson struts. Caster and camber are fully adjustable.

Contemporary Dodge Intrepid review

The 1993 Intrepid is brand new, from the ground up. Under the hood is a standard 153-hp V-6, with a remarkably flat torque curve. The result is power at practically any engine speed, from just above idle to just below redline. All six spark plugs are readily available. Hoses are marked with their part number and their function, a nice feature for home mechanics. There's no distributor, so there's less maintenance and hotter sparks. The fit and finish are unusually good, even under the hood.

The smooth ride and quiet interior are not unusual for luxury cars. What is unusual is the handling, which is superb and confidence-inspiring. There's no American luxury car wallowing through the corners. The four-speed transmission is smooth and sure, downshifting quickly and easily when needed. Although I prefer a stick-shift, the four-speed automatic is standard, as are four doors, two airbags, and air conditioning. (On the Eagle Vision, the 214 hp V-6 and traction control are standard). Acceleration is unusually smooth; on the Eagle, with traction control, it's even smooth when you slam on the gas from a gravel surface. There's a good combination of road feel and power assist from the steering.

The dashboard has unusual black-on-white instruments, which are easier to read than the reversed kind. All the controls are easily accessible. No rude surprises. Even with the seat as far up as it would go, my head was a couple of inches from the roof. The interior is spacious in the front or back, and the rear vents are a nice touch. Visibility is excellent; the windows are specially treated to keep heat out. The windshield wipers manage to cover almost the entire windshield, which, incidentally, is enormous due to the cab-forward design.

The Intrepid was designed and produced in three and a half years, at the same time as a fleet of new trucks, a new small car, the Viper, and the new Grand Cherokee; and all the new machines have Chrysler drive-trains.

Specifications: first-generation Intrepid/Vision/Concorde

Navigation

Allpar covers all Chrysler and related vehicles* with news, performance tips, forums, histories, repairs, racing, and more. Use the menus on top of the pages!

Cars - Engines - History - Forums - Repairs - Reviews - Other car reviews - Us - Terms of Service - News - Random link - Corrections/Additions

Please read the terms of use! * Mopar, Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler, HEMI, and certain other names are trademarks of Chrysler, LLC. We are not Chrysler. We are not responsible for the consequences of actions taken based on this site and make no guarantees regarding validity or applicability of information or advice. The Webmaster is not an expert. Copyright © 1998-2000, David Zatz; copyright © 2001-2008, Allpar LLC. All rights reserved. Recommend this page!

We hope you liked Allpar's Jeep, Plymouth, Chrysler, and Dodge car, truck, and minivan information.