Contrary to the stereotype, the DMC-12 was not a messenger of the future - it was a real one, with a lot of real problems. In particular, it was terribly uncomfortable and very brittle, especially the first samples produced. Nevertheless, he remained an absolute icon - it is unlikely that in the entire history of motoring there will be more than two or three dozen equally recognizable cars.
Lost in time
We have already told our readers - after a series of high-profile scandals, bankruptcy and subsequent acquittal of DMC Motors founder John DeLorean, one of the most memorable cars in history, it would seem, has sunk into oblivion. Mr. DeLorean himself, having experienced a uniform nightmare with the collapse of his life's work (and, it seems, never fully recovered from it), passed away in 2005 at the age of 80.
Both before his death and after, references to the futuristic 1981 DMC-12 periodically surface in the media - most often this happens when reality gets to one of the dates indicated in the films that made the car so popular. And sometimes - when one of the surviving copies of the car.
1 / 8
2 / 8
3 / 8
4 / 8
5 / 8
6 / 8
7 / 8
8 / 8
But in addition to these rare and high-profile deals, Deloreans are also sold more prosaically - you can find many ads for the sale of these cars on the Web. And what is interesting is that cars are extremely rarely sold by private traders (DMC-12 is too iconic a car to leave private collections), mostly sales are carried out on behalf of a company called ... DeLorean motor company. But how is this possible? After all, the "authentic" DMC went bankrupt many years ago! Back to the Future?
Houston, we're in trouble
The same future that was told in Hollywood films of the 1980s turned out to be quite real in the present. In 1983, the assets of the Northern Ireland plant of the bankrupt DMC were bought by a US retailer (then Consolidated Stores Corporation, later Odd Lots, now Big Lots) headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. A couple of years later, based in Southern California, Liverpool mechanic Steve Wine began servicing DeLoreans in his workshop - many of the "constructor" components from which the DMC-12 was assembled, including the PRV engine and Renault transmission, were well known to him from other cars.
Both circumstances were very helpful, because they contributed to at least some solution to problems with spare parts and service, because about 9,000 copies of the car were produced, and its owners in such important issue, as a service (especially for the very capricious DMC-12), after the collapse of the company, they were left to their own devices.
In 1985, the two storylines converged: Wine founded the DMC-12 car owners' society called DeLorean One, bought out some of DeLorean's former property - namely, a vast component warehouse in Columbus - and established full-fledged car service and mail-order parts. In 1988, to meet the needs of a growing customer base, he opened a second office in Houston, Texas. Since then, the technical problems of DeLorean owners have been largely resolved.
Almost like in the movies
In 1995, the entrepreneurial mechanic went one step further and transformed DeLorean One into... the DeLorean Motor Company! According to the company's website, in 1997, Wine also acquired what was left of the tooling, drawings and other documents of the former company, as well as the rights to distribute products and the canonical "DMC" logo. What started as a fan club has turned into a branded service and, moreover, it has even made it possible to assemble new cars that completely repeat the original.
A DeLorean DMC-12 converted into a time machine is one of the main characters in the Back to the Future trilogy. In 2001-2002, the company built a new facility in northeast Houston to house a 40,000-square-foot (approximately 3,700 m²) parts warehouse, showroom, offices, service center, assembly yard, and storage area for 80 vehicles. There, on more than 60 road trains, all the contents of the old warehouse in Columbus were transported, which was closed, and the company began a new period of development.
Almost from the founding of the new DeLorean Motor Company, Wine acted in a very American and, in general, very logical way - he set up a merchandise trade, making the most of the legendary cinematic image of the car: books, posters, gift certificates, scale models DMC-branded cars, apparel, and shoes (with Nike) are now highly valued by enthusiasts, and car owners are offered exclusive floor mats, cleaning kits, car covers, and a range of accessories.
1 / 4
2 / 4
3 / 4
4 / 4
In 2014, the new DMC had a conflict with the widow of the founder of the brand - she claimed that trademark her late husband's company is still owned by the family, was never purchased by Wayne, and is used illegally. The widow's claim was settled out of court for a certain amount of money, which remained unknown to the general public. Now the right of the "new" DMC to use the original name, trademark and logo is beyond doubt.
1 / 4
2 / 4
3 / 4
4 / 4
Design and technology
Even in the US, where DMC is based, there is a misconception that parts for DeLoreans are either too expensive or not available at all. However, most of the company's Texas base is given over to warehouses, where there are about 1,982 parts, assemblies and entire units of the DMC-12, including body panels, interior elements, glass, engines and gearboxes.
About 90% of all components (over 2,800 small parts) are the so-called NOS-parts (New Original Parts), that is, produced under the old DMC, but in perfect condition. The rest are so-called OEM parts, that is, still manufactured by DMC suppliers - spark plugs, injection system components and much more. Production of about 250 items was restored in the late 1990s after the creation of a new company.
The design of the machine was fine-tuned many times to improve reliability, but most of the flaws of the early DeLoreans were due to the haste and carelessness of assembly, which is now quite possible to avoid. In general, the philosophy of the car has remained the same: an “eternal” steel frame coated with polymer resin, on which fiberglass panels reinforced with polyurethane foam are attached, and on top of them - external body parts, as before, completely devoid of any color, because they are made of polished stainless steel.
What about the motor? The original 130-horsepower V6 of the PRV series is the fruit joint work Peugeot, Renault and Volvo (hence the name). He stood under the hood of a mass of large french cars, as well as the Swedish "suitcases" of the 200th and 700th series. At first, when assembling new cars, only “stock” PRVs were used, but later on the revived DMC-12, Cadillac Norstar units with an “automatic” and various tuning options for both engines, both atmospheric and turbocharged, were also used. At the time of this writing, the "Engine, Suspension and Upgrade" section on the official website is empty - which is not too surprising, given that the average production volume of new Deloreans is very small, and the approach to each client, therefore, is strictly individual.
Time Travel Club
Once the famous scientist Stephen Hawking threw a party where he invited "guests from the future", but no one came to it. The DeLorean Owners Club is a slightly more populous community, but not by much. Today DMC has five branches: in Texas, Illinois, Washington, Florida and California.
The forces of these departments carry out service, sale of spare parts and accessories, as well as assembly and sale of new cars. Production capacity companies are far from serious production volumes - since the late 1990s they have allowed to produce an average of about 17 cars per year. And although about 20-30 cars have been made annually since the official start of small-scale assembly in 2008, only a little more than 250 DeLoreans have been produced during the entire existence of the “new” DMC.
The company sells both hand-assembled DMC-12s and inherited or repurchased from previous owners and meticulously restored. "Used" DeLoreans in good condition will cost from $ 25,000, and for those collected especially for you from scratch, they ask from $ 58,000 to $ 73,000. But with the help of Google Maps you can make absolutely free
The future automobile magnate was born on January 6, 1925 in Detroit in a family that, even with a big stretch, could not be called rich, happy, or even friendly. John's father, Zakharia DeLorean, the owner of a magnificent surname and a Romanian passport, was known as a man of little education and did not speak English well. But he liked to kiss the bottle and give free rein to his hands. Without knowing it, Zechariah taught his son a lesson for life. Already at an early age, John realized that he would have to achieve everything on his own.
And he began with the most important thing - his own education. It became a habit for the young DeLorean to study well. For excellent academic performance from an ordinary district school, he was admitted to the Lewis Cass Technical College, from where he opened the way to the Laurence Technical Institute, a prestigious private technical school. After serving three years in the army, John returned to finish his education and in 1948 received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. But his thirst for knowledge only gained momentum. After working briefly as an insurance salesman - in his own words, this was necessary for the development of communication and persuasion skills - John entered the Chrysler Engineering Institute, and also attended classes at the University of Michigan business school in the evenings.
Golden days. John DeLorean next to the first DMC-12 prototype. The concept car was noticeably different from serial version not only in size, but also in some details. Pay attention to the sliding side glass. On the serial version, it will be replaced by a mini-window
Probably, with his personal life at that time he had serious strains, but in the end it was worth it. Now it was not difficult for the master of mechanical engineering and bachelor of business administration to find a decent job.
Less than a year DeLorean worked in the Chrysler engineering team, after which he was called to Packard, and two years later, a young and incoming big hopes the engineer was spotted at GM. Then-VP of General Motors Oliver Kelly personally called DeLorean and offered him a job in any of the company's five divisions. John chose Pontiac and a $16,000 annual salary plus bonuses. However, soon he will receive more, much more.
Reaching for the sky
DeLorean's career at GM felt like a start spaceship. He walked up the career ladder, not stepping over, but jumping over the steps. Arriving at Pontiac in 1956 as department head promising developments, just two years later he was already the chief engineer, and in 1965, at the age of 40, he became the youngest division head in GM history. Moreover, DeLorean did not receive new positions for beautiful eyes- Pontiac experienced a real heyday. Created with his direct participation, the GTO model is officially considered the first "muscle car" in history, and the number of patents and rationalization proposals to which John had a hand is countless.
DeLorean knew how not only to make money, but also to spend it with taste. His long hair, sideburns and expensive, tailor-made suits shamelessly violated the strictest dress code adopted in the GM hierarchy. He loved European sports cars and carefully monitored his appearance, even resorting to the help of cosmetic surgeons, correcting the shape of the lower jaw. However, the already stately, fit and tall DeLorean - his height was 1 m 92 cm - was adored by women. And the glory of the rake did not bother John at all - he did not make secrets from relationships with models and fashion models half his age. But General Motors tolerated all these antics - after all, no one cuts the goose that lays the golden eggs.
In 1969, DeLorean became head of Chevrolet, the all-time leading "Jiem" brand, and here he achieved immediate success. His salary is already $ 650 thousand, and some tipped him for the next president of GM. Suddenly, in April 1973, at the zenith of his fame, John quits the company.
The true reasons for the unexpected resignation remain a mystery to this day. Some say that "voluntary departure" was not so voluntary. DeLorean himself would later write that he was tired of "the secrecy, suspicion and conservative relationship culture adopted at GM."
One way or another, the parties parted as friends. As a gift for years of service, the former vice president received a Cadillac dealership in Florida and a more than generous lifetime “pension” from General Motors. John could never work again, continuing to lead his usual luxurious lifestyle, fully providing for himself, his wife, fashion model Christina Ferraro, and two children - their own daughter and adopted son. But pretty soon he was tired of the well-fed and carefree everyday life of a millionaire. The creative nature seething with ideas demanded new achievements, and John decided to organize his own automobile company.
"Ethical Sports Car"
DeLorean was always breathing unevenly to fast cars. In his opinion, in the class of sports cars there was a very attractive, and most importantly, empty price niche - between Chevrolet Corvette and Porsche 911. So why not fill it with a model own production, quite prestigious and expensive, but at the same time relatively mass? In theory, everything looked easy and simple, but serious problems began even before the new project began to take on a real shape.
John had just started making inquiries at the major dealerships to see if there would be demand for future sports car and whether there are those who want to sell it, as General Motors immediately stopped pension contributions.
The design of Giugiaro's work still looks quite modern and stylish today. There are several DeLorean clubs in the US, many of whose members use the car in everyday operation. Oddly enough, according to the reviews of the owners "DMC-12 is unpretentious and requires minimal maintenance"
Leaving the company, DeLorean signed an agreement that he would no longer work in the auto industry. John naively thought that small-scale production of his own sports car was not classified as work for competitors, and he was mistaken. Enraged to the limit, he decided to take revenge. Soon the book “General Motors in its true light” was published, co-authored with Business week journalist Patrick Wright.
On the pages of this topical work, DeLorean did not spare colors, painting the corporate ethics and work methods of his former colleagues.
“...Since 1949, when cars received an automatic gearbox and power steering, no significant innovations have been introduced. Almost a quarter of a century of stagnation! Instead of technical improvement of products, the auto industry embarked on a marketing revelry, handing over old cars to the buyer under the guise of something new and useful. Year after year, we encouraged Americans to sell their old cars and buy new ones just because their design changed ... Although this is an accusation to myself as one of the leaders, it remains true that everything we offered to the consumer was a pre-cooked reheated dinner.
You will not say anything - accusatory and loud. The book immediately became a bestseller and was even published twice in the USSR. After that, DeLorean's relationship with the Detroit elite was ruined once and for all. But his "fight with the system" was just beginning. Without leaving a stone unturned in GM's corporate values, John wouldn't be himself if he didn't show the "sales binge" apologists how to actually build cars. Thus began the project of creating, as DeLorean himself proudly emphasized, an “ethical sports car” - catchy and fast, but at the same time economical, safe, compact.
Bill Collins, DeLorean's protege from the Pontiac era, became the chief engineer of the project, and the design was entrusted to the care of Giorgetto Giugiaro himself.
At first, the matter was controversial. The DeLorean Motor Company was founded on October 24, 1975, and just a year later, John was calling the press to showcase the concept of the future DMC-12 embodied in metal and plastic.
The machine built by Triad Manufacturing is more correctly called a prototype in the full sense of the concept. The chassis was borrowed from the FIAT-X1 / 9, the four-cylinder engine from the Citroen GS, and the front suspension from the Ford Pinto. But the exterior from Giugiaro turned out to be as close as possible to the serial version. What a car it was! With a wedge-shaped nose, a characteristic profile and gull-wing doors, which not only gave the car a futuristic look, but, according to DeLorean himself, were preferable in terms of passive safety. The high line of thresholds indeed better protected the driver in a side collision.
DMC-12 surprised in everything. On the one hand, there was no doubt about the sporting essence, obvious not only in appearance, but also in design - a mid-engine layout, a lightweight body with an estimated weight of about 1000 kg. At the same time, DeLorean promised on the serial version unique airbags for those times and elastic bumpers that withstand impact at speeds up to 16 km / h without consequences. The body itself seemed like a fantasy come to life - a supporting structure made of plastic, created using Elastic Reservoir Molding technology, and panels made of polished stainless steel sheets. The press went into ecstasy. There probably wasn't a car magazine in 1977 that didn't put a photo of the DMC-12 on the cover.
Carry your money
DeLorean promised to start production as early as the end of '78 for about $12,000, but there were still a lot of problems to be solved before that. The main one was, of course, money. It took about $90 million to organize the production of an ethical sports car. Only a tenth of the required amount was collected from the outstanding shares, and other options had to be sought.
After learning that the governments of many developing countries, in order to attract foreign capital and create jobs, promise investors favorable conditions for loans and tax breaks, John decided to act in this direction. After considering options in Spain, Portugal and Puerto Rico, he hit the best terms in Northern Ireland.
DeLorean is best known for its film trilogy Back to the Future. The time machine that "Doc" Emmett Brown created from the DMC-12 is arguably the most notable car role in cinematic history. John DeLorean himself wrote director Robert Zemeckis and screenwriter Bob Gale shortly after the film's premiere a letter expressing sincere gratitude. Very significant license fees from the sale of souvenirs turned out to be not superfluous.
The government of a republic torn apart by civil war and terrorist attacks, where young people almost from school were preparing to join the ranks of the Irish Republican Army, saw in the DeLorean project a chance for a brighter future. Creating jobs in one of the UK's most troubled areas seemed like a happy opportunity to reconcile Catholics and Protestants.
And in July 1978, the British government agreed to pay DeLorean Motor Company about $74 million in loans and grants, as well as another $34 million in exchange for a stake. The construction of the plant in the town of Dunmari began in October, but the development of the machine itself progressed extremely slowly. Time was running out, and DeLorean decided to seek outside technical assistance. Design bureaus Porsche and BMW asked for too much money to fine-tune the DMC-12, and the contract went to Colin Chapman and Lotus.
After reviewing the scope of work, the British engineers realized two simple things. Firstly, it will still not be possible to meet the allotted time, but the main thing: to create an “ethical car” in strict accordance with the original concept is hardly possible. Many technical solutions, like the same airbags or elastic bumpers, were too expensive for mass production. I had to abandon technology plastic body ERM, replacing it with fiberglass and reinforcing the structure with a steel frame along the way. Suspension, braking and steering elements were changed to Lotus Esprit components and assemblies. The progressive twin-rotor Wankel engine that DeLorean had dreamed of at first gave way to the unremarkable 2.9-liter V6 from Peugeot, Renault and Volvo. high power the unit did not differ - only 130 hp, but it was relatively inexpensive.
Despite the best efforts of Lotus engineers, the project was far behind schedule. The plant in Dunmary was commissioned at the beginning of the summer of 1980, but the first car rolled off the assembly line only on January 21 of the following year.
steep dive
In the States, the car is already waiting. Dick Brown, who built Mazda's sales network in the US from scratch, signed contracts with 340 dealers. And buyers, having read rave reviews about the DMC-12 prototype in the press, were willing to make deposits just to get the car early. Big mistake. DMC-12s from the pilot batches differed, to put it mildly, in poor build quality. The workers of the Northern Irish enterprise tried their best, but they clearly lacked experience. It was necessary to create "Quality Assurance Centers" (Quality Assurance Сenter) in a fire order, where cars freshly arrived from Europe were actually assembled again.
If only that were the end of the problem! Alas, the road habits of the DMC-12 obviously fell short of the futuristic appearance of the car. The claimed seconds of acceleration to hundreds - 8.8 s according to passport data - did not correspond to reality. Experts magazine Road and Track intended only 10 and a half seconds. Below the promised 200 km / h was the maximum speed. And this is in a car with "mechanics". The lethargic 3-speed "automatic" was completely depressing. Limped, especially in extreme conditions, and handling. The problem was aggravated by a much higher than originally planned mass of the car. The serial DMC-12 weighed as much as 1247 kg ...
The 6-cylinder PRV engine, whimsical, gluttonous and underpowered, was perhaps the main drawback of the DMC-12. By the way, the installation of a V-shaped “six” had serious technical consequences for the car. The motor meant the installation of gearboxes from Renault - a 5-speed "mechanics" and a 3-band "automatic". So the power unit had to be installed over rear axle. Whereas initially the DMC-12 was supposed to have a mid-engine layout
And the price was twice what DeLorean had hoped for. With a price tag of $25,000, the DMC-12 cost a little less than the Porsche 911, but a quarter more than the Chevrolet Сorvette and Porsche 924 Turbo, which, in terms of dynamics, left no chance for an ethical sports car.
Oddly enough, the first flurry of criticism did not bother John much. He dismissed complaints about unimportant handling, noting that only a few buyers of a sports coupe drive at the limit, and he recommended that those disappointed in dynamics wait for the debut of the turbo version of the DMC-12.
By then, however, the DeLorean Motor Company was heading downhill at full speed. Delays in the start of production, contractual obligations to Lotus, costs for additional assembly of cars in the United States, very sensitive warranty payments and not in last turn John's habit of living in a big way - his salary as president of the company was $ 500 thousand - burned all the cash of the company.
Problems grew like a snowball. Frustrated US buyers canceled orders, and the Dunmary plant, by contrast, was only gaining momentum. Very soon, the American branch of DMC stopped paying the assembly plant, which, in turn, had nothing to pay with suppliers and assembly line workers. By February 1982, the DeLorean Motor Company had accumulated $800,000 in outstanding interest payments alone, and on the 19th the company was declared financially insolvent, appointing Coopers & Lybrand, a consulting audit firm, as interim manager.
But DeLorean didn't give up. The most annoying thing is that just by that time, the Dunmary plant managed to improve the build quality, as well as fix the childhood sores of the DMC-12 itself, such as an insufficiently powerful generator. It seemed like a little more patience, and things would go well. It only needed to find $20 million to take back the management of the company...
The last payment date was set for October 20, 1982, but the money never arrived at Coppers & Lybrand. The day before, John DeLorean was arrested on charges of drug smuggling in a room at the Los Angeles Sheraton Plaza Hotel.
Enemy of the state
The persecution of the ex-president of the bankrupt company, which began in the American press and on television, was truly grandiose. Everything was remembered to him: from love affairs and inaccurately thrown statements to accusations of arrogance and connections with the mafia. Just a few years ago, the mass media were talking enthusiastically and excitedly about the amazing DMC-12 prototype - now everyone felt it was their duty to kick the fallen GM vice president. The system, against which DeLorean presented himself in the pages of his own book, struck back at the rebel. Dozens of books, hundreds of articles, comics, and even feature-length films concocted in Hollywood vied with each other to tell the true story of John DeLorean.
But the most amazing thing happened later. During the trial, it turned out that the case of smuggling 100 kg of cocaine with a total value of 100 million was fabricated, and not by anyone, but by the FBI. The jury acquitted John, but his reputation had already been destroyed by that time.
Taking the children, the wife left, and the first judgment was followed by a second, then a third, and so on. He was accused of fraud, fraud, tax evasion, but ... every time he was acquitted. From a successful rake, accustomed to living in a big way, there was not a trace left. Lawsuits and subpoenas will haunt him for the rest of his life.
On March 19, 2005, John DeLorean died of a stroke. Remaining a rebel and a nonconformist until his last breath, he bequeathed to be buried in jeans and a black leather jacket.
But his work lives on.
In just a year and a half, a little less than 9,000 cars were assembled at the Dunmary plant, and many of them are still on the move. I must say that the prices for used DMC-12s are relatively low. In the States - and most of the cars settled there - a well-preserved copy can be found for $ 15-25 thousand. For a car that, figuratively speaking, looks like a million, these are mere pennies. Highly popular with fans of the Back to the Future trilogy are replicas of Doc Brown's time machine. Moreover, DMC-12 in such Hollywood tuning are noticeably more expensive.
In addition, a couple of years ago, a group of businessmen from Texas acquired the rights to the DeLorean brand, promising to restart the production of an "ethical sports car". True, so far, the matter, alas, has not progressed beyond talk. But considering that DMC-12 ages like a fine wine, only gaining taste and value over the years, reincarnation can be postponed.
Danila Mikhailov
John DeLorean did an outstanding job, he was able to create a sports Gran Turismo from scratch. A naturally "modest" and very ambitious former vice president of General Motors, he founded DMC (DeLorean Motor Company) and, without too much boasting, named the first and only model after his beloved, "DeLorean". Thus began the story of the legend...
The star of the DeLorean DMC-12 instantly lit up in the automotive sky, but burned out in the rays of glory as quickly as it rose. 7 years, approximately 9.000 DMC-12 vehicles. Even at the time when the model first appeared, it became clear to some understanding people that this unit was not from this planet. And that someday, perhaps, he will become iconic car, with its unusual history of creation and non-standard performance. Unfortunately, only a few understood at that time, the majority missed such a bright event in the automotive world.
Start of production of the American Gran Tourismo in... Ireland
The first production models that just started to roll off the assembly line in Northern Ireland instilled a lot of optimism in specialists and journalists from the United States who liked the new sport car DeLorean, by its look, use and variety of new, unusual materials and production methods, and by the fact that the new automaker will be able to bring the then-needed US, fresh ideas to the country's market.
DeLorean promised he would build GT cars that were different, quirky, and fun to drive when he took on the task in 1974, and although it took longer than he expected, the talented engineer and car designer managed to do what he had planned. The professionally designed car was ready in many ways.
When Giorgio Giugiaro's design was first introduced, most critics found it exciting and eye-catching, with just the right blend of classic style and innovation. Over the years, the style has changed somewhat, but it was still beautiful and recognizable. Even such a “little thing” as the doors that were made here in the form of “gull wings” seemed different to most people, and they really differed, and also carried practical benefits, making it easier to get in / out of the car, which itself was quite low.
Stainless steel body panels that were mounted on fiberglass reinforced plastic (GRP) were something special, incredible and insanely expensive. Experts of that time unanimously assumed that the use of such technology DeLorean tried to unreasonably stand out, sacrificing practicality. But who said these cars have to be practical? Especially in the GT segment, the $25,000+ price tag in the early 80s is more than enough to put this car on a par with or. The silver color of the body panels was natural, there was no paint on the stainless steel. This was both a plus (original appearance) and a minus at the same time, because the body was easily scratched, and traces of dust and dirt remained on its rough surface, making the DeLorean look not the neatest.
A fairly high-quality assembly of car bodies was noted, although the fiberglass body made a lot of unpleasant creaking sounds, which could not but upset. Especially for such big money.
And even polyurethane tips were a good idea from a practical point of view, they performed useful feature, protecting headlights and bumpers from small impacts.
Inside the DeLorian DMC-12, the car of the future, from the past...
It was also difficult to compare the smell of leather inside the DeLorean with any other. Only natural materials were used in the upholstery of the cars, while the door panels were upholstered in vinyl. Driving the DMC-12 feels like being on an airplane, this is not surprising, the landing and surroundings were truly cockpit-like, making claustrophobic owners break out in cold sweats when they were inside the compartment behind closed doors. On the other hand, this compactness gave a sense of unity with the car.
The visibility of the only DMC model has been criticized more than once. Anyone who has driven this car at least once in their life was shocked by the ill-conceivedness and poor quality of the review.
The front of the car was hard to feel, and the very wide A-pillars and exterior mirrors blocked much of the visibility when cornering. However, rear quarter visibility was better than expected from a mid-engined car.
The location of the driver is quite comfortable, attended enough seat and steering wheel adjustments to suit most types of drivers. The seats themselves were poor in lateral support for the driver, if he went to the track, the seats could not hold him. But for normal driving they were quite comfortable. Better lateral support and a slightly longer seat cushion would be ideal according to some owners, from the point of view of other drivers, the seat ergonomics were well thought out and perfectly suited even to long trips. The steering wheel, despite having vertical adjustment, was located low, and its upper part blocked the visibility of the toolbar.
The location of the pedal assembly was functionally efficient, but some riders experienced discomfort when using the heel-toe shifting technique. Needless to say, this only happened when using the car for racing?
The center console was slightly higher than most drivers would like, completing the cockpit feel of the car.
Museum exhibit in motion...
However, controlling the DeLorean is fairly easy. Getting comfortable with the feel of the car in a fairly short amount of time.
Where could things be put in? The shelf behind the seats has a flexible mesh that will keep things from flying around the cabin. Behind driver's seat there is a small box for storing various valuable items.
The air conditioning and ventilation system is well thought out and worked efficiently when needed. And this arose with enviable regularity, given the dark interior and small vents in the side windows, in fact, the windows did not open.
With its breathtaking design and aerodynamic, despite its slightly angular shape, you naturally expect excellent performance from it. speed indicators. And in this you absolutely ... Wrong!
During acceleration in a straight line, DeLorean can hardly be called a sports car in the original sense. Born Renault, the 2.8 liter V6 only made 130 hp. at 5,500 rpm and 219 Nm of torque at 2,750 rpm. With such numbers, the car did not surprise even the public of the early 1980s. Considering that the weight of the car was average, 1.400 kg, the result of acceleration from 0-100 km/h corresponded to 10.5 seconds according to official data. The GT coupe covered the quarter mile in 17.9 seconds with a top speed of 123 km/h.
These aren't numbers for a GT car at this price point, but the flexibility of the engine made the lack of a lot of power bearable when using the DeLorean DMC-12 as a recreational car that could comfortably drive in the city and on a two-lane country highway. In terms of dynamics from 0-100 km / h, the DeLorean is similar to cars such as the Jaguar XJ6, the naturally aspirated Porsche 924 or the Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce.
Of the pros small engines DeLorean can be noted for easy cold start of the engine and excellent response, on a hot or cold engine. The V6 spins freely up to 5.500-6.000 rpm, but maximum speed were given to him with great difficulty. Another consolation for the owners, fuel economy, the car consumed an average of respectable for those times, 12 liters of gasoline. The biggest contributor to economy was the 5-speed gearbox (also purchased from Renault).
Gear shifting is acceptable but not inspiring. By by and large shifts will be predictable, but sometimes you can make a mistake, turn on 3rd instead of 1st gear, for example.
Robert Zemeckis' film trilogy "Back to the Future" not only gave popularity to the director and lead actor Michael J. Fox, but also made the creation of the American engineer John Zacharias DeLorean a cult creation - the DeLorean DMC-12 sports car, which "played" the role of a time machine in the film.
Immediately after the success of the picture, interest in this car sharply increased, although before the release of the film, John DeLorean and his company literally teetered on the brink - the company had huge debts, the owner himself was threatened with imprisonment, and almost all products remained in the warehouse unsold.
The DeLorean car was produced from 1981 to 1983 - even after the success of the film, production was not resumed, and already produced cars were tested and brought to the best technical condition, since exactly low quality components and assembly was the reason for low sales.
In 2008, the production of this sports car was resumed - DMC Texas announced that in addition to the production of components for already released sports cars, it intends to establish small-scale production of 20 cars per year, while 90% of the components will be completely modernized. The price of the new DeLorean DMC-12 is $90,000.
The main feature of this iconic car is its unusual and futuristic appearance, which looks quite modern even today. The car has a low silhouette with perfectly harmonizing angular shapes, reminiscent of a razor.
The frame of the sports car is made of composite materials - an advanced step at the time. The frame is topped with polished stainless steel cladding. DeLorean decided to follow Henry Ford's famous phrase about "You can order any color as long as it's black" - none of the mass-produced sports cars were painted. This made the car stand out and contributed to long term operation of the body, but any dent required a complete replacement of the body panel.
Another characteristic feature of the DeLorean DMS-12 is the gull-wing doors, like the modern Pagani Huayra hypercar. Such a door design was another hallmark of a sports car, but it also entailed certain inconveniences for the owner - the windows could not be lowered.
The rear part, where the motor was located, was closed by a hood and a decorative stainless steel grille in the form of blinds.
Salon
For a car originally from the 1980s, the interior looked quite stylish - a voluminous dashboard with three instrument scales, a wide center console with an armrest, and deep and comfortable bucket-shaped seats.
The toggle switches of some systems were located on the armrest, giving the cabin a resemblance to the cockpit of a starship. Plastic was used as finishing materials, only the seats and the steering wheel were covered with genuine leather.
Power unit and transmission DeLorean DMC-12
Initially, DeLorean, who served as vice director of GMC, planned to install on his car powerful motor volume of 5.7 liters, which was installed on the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. But his departure from GMC was too "loud", so the concern's management refused to cooperate.
In view of the beginning of the global oil crisis, the engineer turned his attention to the products European manufacturers, more specifically, the 2849 cm3 V6 engine developed jointly by Volvo, Peugeot and Renault. This motor developed a power of 170 hp. - a lot in those days.
For comparison, the 5.7-liter unit from the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray produced 260 horses. But due to new requirements, the motor had to be derated from 170 to 130 hp, which naturally affected the dynamics of a car weighing 1200 kg.
The transmission was either a 5-speed manual or a 3-speed automatic transmission gears. By the way, both the motor and the mechanical transmission were the reason frequent breakdowns, but the 3-speed automatic, long used in the automotive industry, worked flawlessly.
The dynamic characteristics of the DeLorean DMC-12 even at that time left much to be desired - maximum speed did not exceed 175 km / h, and the car accelerated to hundreds in 10.5 s. Most sports cars of the time had much better dynamic characteristics and were cheaper.
Chassis
Like the power unit, John DeLorean planned to borrow the suspension of the car from the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. After GMC refused to cooperate with DeLorean, he turned to his good friend Colin Chapman, the founder of Lotus.
Chapman's company received an order to develop independent suspension for the DeLorean DMC-12 and Lotus engineers partially used elements from the Lotus Esprit car and the Lotus Essex Turbo concept. By the way, it was Champen who proposed another salient feature"car of the future" - presenters rear wheels had a larger diameter than the front ones.
current realities
Currently DeLorean company Motor Company Texas will assemble a restyled version of the car. The body and platform will be used unchanged - moreover, while it is planned to make do with already produced stocks of body parts stored in warehouses in excellent condition.
But the power unit and transmission will be installed completely new. In particular, it is planned to install modern engine V6, capable of developing power from 300 to 400 hp, as well as a 6-speed manual transmission and a 6-band automatic.
The salon is planned to be equipped with modern electronic systems, install a power steering and a number of technical additions, but without fundamental change design.
Video
For dessert - a video review of this legendary car.
In 2020, engineers will create a time machine, and not just one, but at least 300,000 pieces per year. More specifically, the DeLorean DMC-12 will be recreated by American automakers in 2020. In general, the author's design by Giorgetto Giugiaro will remain the same only with modifications. The DeLorean will also be equipped with gullwing doors, the engine will also be located at the rear, and the body has been given the same decision - polished stainless steel without painting. (Great option for straightening).
History and specifications of Delorean
Let's dive into the history of the car. In essence, this is a sports car, the production of which was launched in the North of Ireland, and the owner of the production was the Texas-based DeLorean Motor Company. DMS-12 was the only car company, but what! The body was made of durable composite alloys, the outside had a lining of millimeter stainless steel sheets. The upward opening doors gave the car a futuristic design, thanks to which the car was used in the movie "Back to the Future" as a time machine. The Delorean DMC-12 was produced from 1981 to 1983, during which time a slight restyling was carried out, during which the changes affected the interior of the car, hood and wheels. "Time Machine" DeLorean was equipped with 6 cylinder engine, with a volume of 2.8 liters, which produced 150 hp. Manual transmission for 5 steps, or automatic transmission for 3 - this was the choice of transmission.
Specifications Delorean DMC-12 in 2020-2021
Delorean DMC-12 sales start announced in 2020. The car will not be delivered to Russia yet, but it will definitely be possible to get it in the USA, because it is there that the DeLorean Motor Company will start producing the legend. The revival of the car and the start of production became known from DeLorean director Stephen Wynn. The price of the 2020 DeLorean DMC-12 will be around $100,000, more details to come.
DMS-12 will be equipped with a new power unit, whose power will reach up to 300-400 hp, it will also be possible to buy a car with different motors. Wheels will be increased to 17-18 inches, and the old 14-15 will remain in the past. The number of cars that will be produced in a year is negligible - only 325 units. However, the automaker's plans may be adjusted. It became possible to re-release the Delorean thanks to a new law in the United States from 2016, which gives the right to companies to produce cars that do not meet safety standards, but only in a limited edition. So it is worth noting that the car will again be "Limited Edition"
