Delorean DMC-12
Brand | Delorean |
Model | DMC-12 |
Color | Grey |
Transmission | Manual 5-speed |
Pk | 200 ch |
Year | 1981 |
Price | Not for sale |
The DeLorean DMC is a 2-seat rear mid-engine sports car manufactured and marketed by John DeLorean’s DeLorean Motor Company (DMC) for the U.S. market from 1981 to 1983 and ultimately the only car marketed by the young company. Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and noted for its gullwing doors and brushed stainless steel exterior body panels, the sports car was also noted for its lack of power and incongruous performance for its looks and price. Although its production was short-lived, it became widely known when it was featured as the time machine in the “Back to the Future” movies.
The first production car was completed on January 21, 1981, but the design underwent many minor revisions to the hood, wheels, and interior before production ended in late December 1982, shortly after DMC filed for bankruptcy and after total production had reached about 9,000 units.
Although the car has a reputation for being shoddy and not offering a satisfying driving experience, the DeLorean continues to have a large following, thanks in part to the popularity of Back to the Future. An estimated 6,500 DeLoreans are still in circulation.
The DeLorean’s engine is a 2.85-liter Peugeot-Renault-Volvo (PRV) V6, producing 130 hp at 5,500 rpm and 207 N⋅m of torque at 2,750 rpm. These PRVs were a development of the 2.7-liter V6 used in the Renault 30, and were designed and built under a special contract with the DeLorean Motor Company.
This example, purchased in 2016, is part of the first series of Deloreans (chassis #1031) with the gas door on the front hood. It is equipped with a manual gearbox, but above all it received a “Stage II” engine preparation from DMC Texas for nearly $10,000, bringing the engine to nearly 200 hp.