10 fascinating facts about DeLorean

The DeLorean DMC-12 is synonymous with the Back to the Future series, of course. But there’s much more to this classic car than a movie appearance or three.

Although the invention of some of the greatest minds in the motoring industry, the DeLorean was far from what you could call a commercial success. The car’s performance simply didn’t live up to the lofty price tag and this transferred into poor sales. In the first year of production (1981), just 3,000 of the 7,500 built were sold.

Even when the price was slashed in 1982, following the DeLorean Motor Company being placed into receivership, dealers really struggled to shift these futuristic looking cars out of the showroom.

Bruce McWilliams, DMC executive, said at the time: “The car could never be sold in the numbers [DMC’s owner] John DeLorean predicted.”

And that was pretty much that. But here we are, 40 years later, still talking about the car. DMC must’ve done something right – or is it all down to the Back to the Future factor?

Whatever the reason, the car has built up such a following, DMC is bringing the DeLorean back. In 2017, DMC announced plans to build "new" DMC-12 models from new and old stock. At the time of writing, we are yet to see roll off the production line, but a DMC executive has suggested that we will do sometime in 2021.

We’re not holding our breath, but it’s exciting news nonetheless. Plus, the announcement prompts articles like this one, where we look back on this cult car to understand it a bit better. So, with that, here are 10 fascinating facts about the DeLorean:

1. The DeLorean wouldn’t look out of place in a commercial kitchen…

It’s well known that the DeLorean has no paint, with its bodywork made from brushed stainless steel. But did you know the material is SS304, the most common stainless steel used around the world. It’s so popular thanks to its corrosion resistance, which sees it used for all sorts of purposes including for food stuff and in commercial kitchens.

If you were to go into pretty much any commercial kitchen, you’d find SS304 stainless steel being used for the counters and other pieces of equipment.

If you see a painted DeLorean on the road, chances are that it’s the work of the owner who has wanted to add a touch of colour to their classic car.

Before personalising your DeLorean with a bespoke paint job, it’s always worth checking with your classic car insurance provider first in case it will affect your policy. That’s true of any classic car, not just DeLoreans.

2. Petrol is the best way to clean the DeLorean’s stainless-steel bodywork

Keeping stainless steel free of fingerprints and smears is an impossible task – you only need to try to clean the kitchen to realise this, be it a stainless-steel kettle or oven splashback. So, how can you keep a DeLorean looking at its sparkling best?

Well, according to the owner’s manual, all it takes is a Scotch-Brite pad and some gasoline or paint thinner to spot-clean the car… It’s fair to say you won’t see this advice in any other owner’s manual! We think it’s best to stick to the good old fashioned low-sud car shampoo and remember to go with the grain of the panels rather than against it.

3. It was a designed by a legend of the motoring industry

As we said at the start of the article, the DeLorean was created by some of the best brains in the business. Legendary car designer Giorgetto Giugiaro was the man chosen by John DeLorean to bring his idea to life.

Giugiaro was known for his angular designs, culminating in the "folded paper" era of car design in the 1970s. The DeLorean was perhaps the car he became most famous for designing – however, he was also behind the Volkswagen Golf Mk1. In fact, he worked for just about every manufacturer during his long and illustrious career including Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, BMW, Fiat, Bugatti and Ferrari. Oh, and Maserati, Lancia and Lamborghini, too. That’s some CV!

4. The doors were problematic but mostly successful

A key design element of the DeLorean is the gull-wing doors, which open up and away from the body much like the classic Mercedes-Benz 300SL. The gull-wing doors immediately set apart the DeLorean from other cars, perhaps in an attempt to bring it into the same company as the Lamborghini Countach. However, the feature wasn’t without its problems, one of which was that the doors were very heavy.

Grumman Aerospace, a leading producer of US military and civilian aircraft at the time, were brought in to exert their engineering prowess, and added a torsion bar to the doors which helped with the lifting and lowering.

Although the doors were an engineering challenge, many would say they are worth the effort. What was brilliant about the design of the doors is that they didn’t require any additional side clearance compared to standard front-hinged doors – so no issues if you take your DeLorean to Tesco…

5. The “12” in DMC-12 was meant to be a reference to its price tag

During its development, the DeLorean was referred to as DMC-12. As the story goes, DMC had earmarked for a price tag of $12,000. However, when it went on sale, it was for more than double that: $25,000.

Many people believe it is this change of plan which led to the DeLorean being something of a commercial disaster. In today’s money, $25,000 is equivalent to around $75,000. Certainly not cheap – and the performance just didn’t live up to the price tag.

5. The DeLorean was built for safety… until it was actually tested

Before it was referred to as DMC-12, it was known as DSV-12, or DeLorean Safety Vehicle. To see if it could live up to its name, DMC provided two early prototypes to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for crash tests.

However, the results weren’t what you’d call encouraging for a vehicle built to be super-safe. As videos on YouTube show, the front of the car collapsed when crashing at 40mph. It was back to the drawing board for DMC.

6. John DeLorean built up a strong CV before going it alone

Mr DeLorean himself headed up Pontiac in the 1960s, where he was responsible for the birth of legendary cars like the GTO and Firebird, before moving over to Chevrolet in the early 1970s. He was the youngest division head in General Motors history, before leaving the DMC in 1973 – that’s right, eight years before the DeLorean eventually went on sale!

Things turned pretty dark for Mr DeLorean after DMC was wound up after failing to recoup its $175 million investment costs. In 1982, cocaine trafficking charges were brought against him after FBI informant James Hoffman solicited him as financier in a scheme to sell cocaine worth approximately $24 million.

After defending himself in court, the trial ended in a not guilty verdict, but his reputation as a businessman was irrevocably tarnished. And he knew it, too. Upon his acquittal, he was asked if he planned to resume his career in the auto industry, to which he said: "Would you buy a used car from me?”.

A year later, in 1985, he was indicted on charges he defrauded investors and committed tax evasion by diverting millions of dollars raised for the company to himself. However, he was once again acquitted of all charges.

7. There are few gold-plated DeLoreans in existence

While the standard DeLorean did not bear any paint, a couple of DeLoreans were made with 24k gold as part of a less-than-successful campaign with American Express. Both of the cars now reside in museums.

But that’s not where the gold-plated DeLoreans end. There are believed to be two more in existence, but exactly where they are is anyone’s guess.

8. The British government was DeLorean’s main investor

DMC was founded in Detroit, with people like Johnny Carson and Sammy Davis Jr investing money in the company. However, DMC’s main investor was the British government which handed over $120,000,000 on the grounds that the company built its factory in Northern Ireland.

DeLorean gladly took the money… and the British government got very little in return for its investment.

9. DMC thought the DeLorean would become a major hit

DMC always had big aspirations for its DeLorean. Believing the car would sell in big numbers, it built a factory which was designed to handle a rapid production pace. However, less than 10,000 DeLoreans were produced in total.

The sad reality was that the demand for the Delorean was high upon first release – but delays in the production process meant that buyers were let down and sought out an alternative in the meantime. DMC is the story of what could’ve been in many ways.

10. Right-hand drive DeLoreans are available… but in short supply

DMC only ever produced the DeLorean as left-hand-drive vehicle, but the company did have plans to manufacture a right-hand-drive version… unfortunately, it didn’t quite make it that far.

However, there are believed to be 16 examples of right-hand drive DeLoreans out there somewhere, having been created by a conversion company in Hampshire. In addition to right-hand drive, these modified DeLoreans also come with some adaptations in line with EU specifications including new seatbelts, new tail light housings, new turn signals, and a few modifications to help the DeLorean fit in on these shores.

The Back to the Future DeLorean

The DeLorean would probably have been forgotten about – for the large part – if it wasn’t for the Back to the Future franchise. However, its appearance in the movies was only due to a last-minute rethink from the writers.

In 1981, when Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale were first putting the film’s script together, they had written in a reconfigured refrigerator as their time-traveling device. Thankfully for audiences – and DMC – by the time they film went into production in 1984, the refrigerator was swapped out for a DeLorean.

For filming purposes, there were three specialised DeLoreans created for Back to the Future. All three enjoyed screen time, with the primary model used now on display in Los Angeles at the Petersen Automotive Museum.

The DeLorean's half-finished look in the movie was meant to evoke the car's shambling inventor, Gale has said.

"One of the things we insisted upon in creating the car was that it reflects Doc Brown's character," Gale said. "Doc built this thing in his garage. When you're an inventor you're in a hurry to find out if it works. The wires are all exposed, this thing looks like it could explode. That's one of the things that makes it cool." When Fox was first shown the car, Gale said, he marvelled, "'I get to drive this?'”.

Protect your investment with classic car insurance

If you manage to get your hands on a DeLorean – or any classic car for that matter – you’ll need the right classic car insurance to protect it. You’ll want to drive it as the makers intended, be that out on the road, on the track or paraded at classic car shows.

We are specialists at providing insurance for all manner of retro and historic vehicles including classic cars, campervans, and 4x4s. The majority of MG owners in the UK, for example, trust us with their insurance.

Certain classic car club members will be able to enjoy up to 25% discount on their premium as well as cover for static shows and historic rallies, so you can show off your classic around the country.

Policies can also include salvage retention and up to 90 days EU cover if you’re planning on travelling abroad. Limited mileage discounts are also available if your pride and joy only comes out on special occasions.

With a 24-hour claims helpline based in the UK, we’re here when you need us most.

Get a quote for classic car insurance today.