DMC DeLorean
The DMC DeLorean is a rear-engine two-passenger sports car manufactured and marketed by John DeLorean's DeLorean Motor Company (DMC) for the American market from 1981 until 1983—ultimately the only car brought to market by the fledgling company. The DeLorean is sometimes referred to by its internal DMC pre-production designation, DMC-12. However, the DMC-12 name was never used in sales or marketing materials for the production model.
| DMC DeLorean | |
|---|---|
1983 DeLorean | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | DeLorean Motor Company (DMC) |
| Production | January 1981 – December 1982 |
| Model years | 1981–1983 |
| Assembly | Northern Ireland: Dunmurry (DeLorean Motor Cars, Ltd.) |
| Designer | Giorgetto Giugiaro at Italdesign |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Sports car |
| Body style | 2-door coupé |
| Layout | Rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive |
| Doors | Gull-wing doors |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 2.85 L (174 cu in) PRV ZMJ-159 V6 |
| Power output | 130 hp (132 PS; 97 kW) and 153 lb⋅ft (207 N⋅m) of torque |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual 3-speed automatic |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,413 mm (95.0 in) |
| Length | 4,267 mm (168.0 in) |
| Width | 1,988 mm (78.3 in) |
| Height | 1,140 mm (44.9 in) doors closed 1,962 mm (77.2 in) doors open |
| Curb weight | 1,233 kg (2,718 lb) |
Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the DeLorean is noted for its gull-wing doors and brushed stainless-steel outer body panels, as well as its lack of power and performance incongruous with its looks and price. Though its production was short-lived, the DeLorean became widely known after it was featured as the time machine in the Back to the Future films.
With the first production car completed on January 21, 1981, the design incorporated numerous 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 reached between 8,500 and 9,600 units.
Despite the car having a reputation for poor build quality and an unsatisfactory driving experience, the DeLorean continues to have a strong following driven in part by the popularity of Back to the Future. 6,500 DeLoreans were estimated to still be on the road as of 2015.