John DeLorean had been of tremendous automotive significance for decades before literally driving into our imaginations in the cult classic, Back to the Future. But what car company made this iconic vehicle?
The DeLorean Motor Company (DMC), founded by John Z. DeLorean in 1975, was the seminal maker of the DeLorean DMC-12 sports car. However, it was short-lived, closing down in 1982 after producing a mere 9,000 cars over the course of several years.
Though John DeLorean had the vision and dream for the DeLorean DMC-12, it’s been proven conclusively that he relied heavily on the consultation and effort of other engineers, designers and manufacturers to actually bring the car to life. The DeLorean Motor Company had multiple major partners in the effort, including Lotus Cars and the British Motor Corporation.
The DeLorean DMC-12 was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro at the Italian firm Ital Design, and it featured a spectacular stainless steel body and rolling chassis. In addition, it had the iconic gullwing doors, although the official website of the DeLorean Motor Club notes that these were the subject of constant repair and were major elements of the car’s maintenance requirements.
The DeLorean Motor Company had a variety of financial partnerships in order to actually build the cars, but it was later revealed that the primary source of funding was the Northern Ireland Development Agency (NIDA). That agency threw its support behind the DeLorean Motor Company in order to bring new industry to its troubled homeland. The project was ambitious, but unfortunately it ended in utter failure.
The idea behind DeLorean’s DMC-12 was that it would offer a low-cost yet high-performance automobile. The company set its target price at $12,000 and aimed to produce thousands of cars each year. However, the actual cost of production for each car was estimated at closer to $27,000, and the DMC-12 was unable to make any substantial impact in the automobile industry.
The DeLorean Motor Company was mired in controversy from the beginning. John DeLorean was overspending and making questionable decisions to finance production of the cars. Ultimately, he was arrested on charges of drug smuggling, a move that spelled the death knell of the DeLorean Motor Company. With the money gone, the company simply closed its doors and the last DeLorean cars were built in February 1982.
Fuel Economy
The original design for the DMC-12 boasted impressive fuel economy for its time. The 2.8 liter V6 engine was designed for fuel efficiency, and the car could get up to 17 miles per gallon city and 24 miles per gallon highway. The rear-mounted positioning of the engine meant it was not only more efficient, but also easier to access.
However, the added weight of the stainless steel body meant that the car was not as fuel efficient as originally hoped. Additionally, the performance of the car suffered, and the car did not handle as well as its lightweight European counterparts. It was simply too heavy to be a true sports car, even though its sleek design would suggest otherwise.
When production ceased in 1982, the DeLorean Motor Company had already taken steps to improve fuel economy of the car by tweaking the engine components. However, those adjustments came too late, and the DeLorean DMC-12 never saw the fuel economy expected from John DeLorean’s original vision.
The DeLorean DMC-12 Today
The DeLorean DMC-12 has since achieved a legendary status in the automobile industry. It was, and still is, considered a remarkable feat of design and engineering, although at the time it was deemed a financial failure. The legend of the DeLorean DMC-12 was only sealed with the launch of the extraordinarily successful Back to the Future franchise.
Today, the DeLorean Motor Company continues operations out of Texas, but now it specializes in restoring and modifying classic DeLorean DMC-12 cars. Although the production of new DeLorean cars has been discontinued, enthusiasts who appreciate the history and aesthetics of the car are ensuring its legacy lives on.
The DeLorean Motor Company is a unique one, and it will always be remembered as the company that created an iconic automobile and an even more iconic movie franchise.
Popularity Of The DeLorean DMC-12
Although the DeLorean DMC-12 had a poor market reception at the time, the movie Back to the Future caused a pop culture resurgence of the car. It was now seen as a time-traveling time machine rather than a failed sports car, and the DeLorean DMC-12 was now embraced by a new generation of fans.
Now, the DeLorean DMC-12 is an iconic symbol of the 1980s, and it is loved and admired by people across the world. From model car collectors to gear heads, the DeLorean DMC-12 is an automotive icon that has withstood the test of time.
In recent years, there have also been efforts to actually bring the DeLorean DMC-12 back to life. Several companies have taken up the challenge, with varying degrees of success. While they have not been able to mimic the same aesthetic and ergonomics of the original DeLorean DMC-12, they have harnessed some of the original car’s technology and applied it to the modern automotive industry.
Although the DeLorean Motor Company might be gone, its legacy lives on in the many DeLorean DMC-12s that still roam the roads and the many movie fans who look forward to a future of time machines and hoverboards.
History Of John DeLorean’s Cars
John Z. DeLorean’s influence in the automotive industry stretches beyond the DeLorean DMC-12. Before the DMC-12, DeLorean had built a successful career in the General Motors Corp, rising to the top tiers of the corporation. His stint there marked him out as an invaluable asset, and he was responsible for revolutionizing the company’s production process.
In fact, DeLorean’s most famous contribution to the company was the Pontiac GTO, one of the first consumer-grade muscle cars. That model proved to be a revolutionary concept and transformed the entire market. It sold like hot cakes, and its success cemented DeLorean’s status as a car guru.
In addition, DeLorean led the design and production of Pontiac’s Firebird and Trans Am models, which went on to become staples of the muscle car scene. DeLorean’s cars were the perfect marriage of design, power and performance, and they remain admired among car enthusiasts even today.
DeLorean later moved on to other projects and eventually launched his own company, producing the DeLorean DMC-12 in 1981. It was a bold endeavor that ultimately failed, but it also gave birth to one of the most beloved cars in history.
Production Cost Of The DeLorean DMC-12
It has been said that the production cost of the DeLorean DMC-12 was far more than what the company initially set its target price at. This high production cost made the DeLorean a financial burden to the company, and it quickly spiraled into a financial disaster.
The company initially thought its production cost would be closer to $12,000, but the actual cost was closer to $27,000. In addition, the gullwing doors of the DeLorean DMC-12 proved to be a major source of maintenance costs, meaning that the cost of ownership was far too high for the average consumer.
The engineers at the DeLorean Motor Company also reportedly struggled to make the DeLorean’s engine as efficient as originally planned. The final production model was heavier than expected and did not have the fuel economy to match its lightweight performance counterparts.
In addition, the DeLorean Motor Company simply did not have the financial resources to manufacture enough cars in order to make a profit. Thus, the DeLorean Motor Company never achieved the success that it set out to reach, and the DeLorean DMC-12 never became the successful sports car that John DeLorean had envisioned.
Delorean Motor Company’s Closure
John DeLorean’s pioneering work in the automotive industry ultimately ended in disaster, and the bankruptcy of the DeLorean Motor Company. The company suffered from numerous financial scandals, and DeLorean himself was arrested on the suspicion of drug trafficking. The DeLorean Motor Company closed its doors in 1982, without ever having achieved its goal of producing a successful and affordable sports car.
The downfall of the company proved to be an immense financial loss for the citizens of Northern Ireland, who had heavily invested in the company in order to bring a steady industry to their land. The hope had been that DeLorean Motor Company would function as an anchor for the community, providing jobs and income for a struggling area of the country.
However, due to the numerous financial and legal woes of John DeLorean and the DeLorean Motor Company, that dream never came to fruition. The DeLorean Motor Company closed down, and its legacy was sealed in the annals of automotive history.
Future Implications
The DeLorean Motor Company and its cars remain iconic symbols of the automotive industry, and its closure still looms large in the collective memory of car fans and enthusiasts. Nevertheless, there is much to be learnt from John DeLorean’s unique journey, and his ultimate failure.
Today, DeLorean’s influence is still prominent, with a company in Texas restoring and modifying classic DeLorean DMC-12 cars. Moreover, numerous companies have attempted to recreate the car, embracing its design and applying it to the modern automotive industry.
Ultimately, the DeLorean Motor Company failed to create a successful sports car for the masses, but its contribution to automotive history and culture should not go forgotten. DeLorean’s legacy lives on in both form and spirit, and it will no doubt continue to influence the automobile industry for years to come.
