The DMC DeLorean is a sports car and the only automobile manufactured by John DeLorean's DeLorean Motor Company (DMC) for the American market from 1981 to 1983. The car was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and stood out for its gull-wing doors and brushed stainless-steel outer body panels. It became widely known for its disappointing lack of power and performance, which did not match the expectations created by its looks and price tag. It is memorable for its appearances as the time machine in the Back to the Future media franchise after 1985.
Despite the car having a reputation for poor build quality and a less-than-satisfying driving experience, the DeLorean continues to have a cult following driven in part by the popularity of the Back to the Future movies. An estimated 6,500 DeLoreans are still on the road.
When details surrounding the DeLorean first started to be revealed in the mid-1970s, there were numerous plans and rumors that the DeLorean would have myriad advanced features, such as elastic reservoir moulding (ERM), a unit construction plastic chassis, a mid-engine layout, airbags, 10 mph bumpers and Pirelli P7 tires; none of them would materialize in the production vehicle.
Originally, the car was intended to have a centrally-mounted Wankel rotary engine. The engine selection was reconsidered when Comotor production ended and the favored engine became the Ford Cologne V6 engine.
The first prototype appeared in October 1976. The prototype was completed by American automotive chief engineer William T. Collins, formerly chief engineer at Pontiac and the prototype was known as the DSV-1, or DeLorean Safety Vehicle. As development continued, the model was referred to as the DSV-12 and later the DMC-12 since DMC was targeting a list price of $12,000 upon release. More details
