DeLorean DMC-12
1436547
226177551
2008-07-17T04:42:52Z
201.36.106.254
{{Infobox Automobile
| image=[[Image:Delorean dmc12 front.jpg|250px|1981 DeLorean DMC-12]]
| boxcolor=darkgreen
| name=DeLorean DMC-12
| manufacturer=[[DeLorean Motor Company]]
| production=1981-1982 <br> 2008-
| class=[[Sports car]]
| layout=[[RR layout]]
| body_style= 2-door [[coupe]]
| engine= 2.8 L (2849 cc) ''[[PRV engine|PRV]]'' [[V6]]
| transmission=5-speed manual<br />3-speed automatic
| wheelbase=95 in (2413 mm)
| length=166 in (4216 mm)
| width=73.1 in (1857 mm)
| weight=2712 lb (1230 kg)
| height=44.9 in (1140 mm) doors closed<br />77.2 in (1961 mm) doors open
| ftrack=62.6 in (1590 mm)
| rtrack=62.8 in (1595 mm)
| designer=[[Giorgetto Giugiaro]]
| similar = [[Alpine A310]]<br />[[Lotus Esprit]]<br />[[Porsche 911]]<br />[[Bricklin SV-1]]
}}
[[Image:IMG 9979.jpg|right|thumb|A DeLorean DMC-12 with the gull-wing doors closed.]]
[[Image:IMG 9992.jpg|right|thumb|A DeLorean DMC-12 from the front with the gull-wing doors open.]]
The '''DeLorean DMC-12''' was a [[sports car]] manufactured by the [[DeLorean Motor Company]] for the American market in 1981 and 1982 in [[Northern Ireland]]. It is most commonly known simply as the ''DeLorean'', as it was the only model <!--automobile was American usage, but this was a British company, albeit with an American owner--> ever produced by the company. The DMC-12 featured [[gull-wing door]]s with a fiberglass "underbody", to which non-structural brushed [[stainless steel]] panels were affixed. A DeLorean was featured as [[DeLorean time machine|a home-made time machine]] in the [[Back to the Future trilogy|''Back to the Future'' trilogy]].
The first prototype appeared in March 1976, and production officially began in 1981 (with the first DMC-12 rolling off the production line on [[January 21]]) at the DMC factory in [[Dunmurry]], [[Northern Ireland]]. During its production, several aspects of the car were changed, such as the hood (bonnet) style, wheels and interior. About nine thousand DMC-12s were made before production stopped in late 1982. Today, about 6,500 DeLorean Motor Cars are believed to still exist.<ref>[http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-garage28jul28,0,7786124.story?coll=la-home-center LA Times story- For the DeLorean, it's back to the present - retrieved 7/29/07]</ref>
==History==
In October 1976, the first prototype DeLorean DMC-12 was completed by William T. Collins chief engineer and designer (formerly chief engineer at [[Pontiac]]). Originally, the car's [[Rear-engine design|rear-mounted]] power plant was to be a [[Citroën]] [[Wankel engine|Wankel rotary engine]], but was replaced with a French-designed and produced [[PRV engine|PRV]] ([[Peugeot]]-[[Renault]]-[[Volvo]]) [[fuel injection|fuel injected]] V-6 because of the poor [[fuel efficiency|fuel economy]] of the rotary engine, an important issue at a time of world-wide fuel shortages. Collins and DeLorean envisioned a [[chassis]] produced from a new and untested manufacturing technology known as Elastic Reservoir Moulding (ERM), which would contribute to the light-weight characteristics of the car while presumably lowering its production costs. This new technology, for which DeLorean had purchased patent rights, would eventually be found to be unsuitable for mass production.
These and other changes to the original concept led to considerable schedule pressures. The entire car was deemed to require almost complete re-engineering, which was turned over to engineer [[Colin Chapman]], founder and owner of [[Lotus Cars|Lotus]]. Chapman replaced most of the unproven material and manufacturing techniques with those currently being employed by Lotus. The [[Backbone chassis]] is very similar to the [[Lotus Esprit]]. The original [[Giorgetto Giugiaro]] body design was left mostly intact, as were the distinctive [[stainless steel]] outer skin panels and [[gull-wing door]]s.
In an interview with James Espy of the resurrected DeLorean Motor Company in Texas, a drawing surfaced showing that the car was potentially to be called Z Tavio. John DeLorean's middle name and his son's first name were both Zachary while Tavio was his father's name and his son's middle name. Due to only sporadic documentation, there is little more that is currently known about the Z Tavio name and why it was ultimately rejected in favor of the DMC-12.<ref>[http://community.myride.com/kickapps/_DELOREAN-IS-BACK/video/248554/3898.html MyRide.com Interview with James Espy of DMCH]</ref>
The DMC-12 would eventually be built in a factory in [[Dunmurry]], [[Northern Ireland]], a neighborhood a few miles from [[Belfast]] city centre. Construction on the factory began in October 1978, and although production of the DMC-12 was scheduled to start in 1979, engineering issues and budget overruns delayed production until early 1981. By that time, the unemployment rate was high in Northern Ireland and local residents lined up to apply for jobs at the factory. The production personnel were largely inexperienced, but were paid premium wages and supplied with the best equipment available. Most quality issues were solved by 1982 and the cars were sold from dealers with a 12 month, {{convert|12000|mi|km|-2|sing=on}} warranty and an available five-year, 50,000-mile (80,000 km) service contract.
The DeLorean Motor Company went bankrupt in late 1982 following [[John DeLorean]]'s arrest in October of that year on drug trafficking charges. He was later found not guilty, but it was too late for the DMC-12. Approximately 100 partially assembled DMC's on the production line were completed by Consolidated International (now known as [[Big Lots]]). The remaining parts from the factory stock, the parts from the US Warranty Parts Center, as well as parts from the original suppliers that had not yet been delivered to the factory were all shipped to Columbus, Ohio in 1983–1984. A company called KAPAC sold these parts to retail and wholesale customers via mail order. In 1997, DeLorean Motor Company of Texas acquired this inventory.<ref>[http://www.delorean.com/q&a.asp#whereparts DeLorean Motor Company FAQ]</ref>
A total of about 9,200 DMC-12s were produced between January 1981 and December 1982.<ref>[http://www.dmcnews.com/faq/h_vins.htm DeLorean FAQ, Historic Information - DeLorean Production Numbers]</ref> Almost a fifth of these were produced in October 1981. About 1,000 1982 models were produced between February and May 1982, and all of these cars had the VIN's changed after purchase by Consolidated International to make them appear as 1983 models. There are the 15XXX, 16XXX, and 17XXX VINs which were originally 10XXX, 11XXX and 12XXX VINs. Only twelve 12XXXX VIN cars still exist. These are the Wooler-Hodec right-hand drive cars (see below)
==Right-hand drive models==
<ref>[http://www.deloreans.co.uk/features/eurospec/eurospec.html DeLorean Owners Club UK - Right Hand Drive and Euro Spec DeLoreans]</ref>
Despite being produced in Northern Ireland, DMC-12s were primarily intended for the American market. Therefore, all production models were [[left-hand drive]] (designed to be driven on the right side of the road). However, evidence survives from as early as April 1981 which indicates that the DeLorean Motor Company was aware of the need to produce a [[right-hand drive]] version to supply to world markets such as Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Britain and Japan, where traffic travels on the left. The first two markets outside of the US were to be the United Kingdom and Germany.
DeLorean knew that to sell DMC-12s in the United Kingdom would mean producing a right-hand drive configuration of the car. The company faced the choice of building right-hand drive models from scratch, or performing a post-production conversion exercise. Given the cost of new body moulds, tooling and a host of specific parts that a factory build right-hand drive configuration would require, the company opted to investigate the idea of a post-production conversion.
Only 16 right-hand drive factory authorised DeLoreans were ever produced. This handful of cars can be divided into two distinct groups:<br />
1. The first batch, known by enthusiasts as the “Wooler-Hodec cars”, were converted by a company in the UK called Wooler-Hodec. Evidence still exists in the form of a DMC factory memo which orders 20 cars to be converted to right-hand drive. Due to the factory’s closure, this order was never completed and today a total of 13 cars survive, carrying the VIN numbers: 510, 12171–12181 & 12199. VIN# 510 is understood to be the first of this batch of cars converted and was later sold at the factory auction in 1984. The other twelve cars were auctioned off by the receivers in early 1983. As a result, several of these cars were registered at the same time and have the Northern Irish registration (licence) number "SIJ xxxx". All of this first batch of cars had a black interior and all had manual transmission except VIN# 12175. This car is the world’s only right-hand drive black interior automatic car and is owned by a former Editor of the UK DeLorean Owners Club.
2. The second batch were registered and used by the factory in Northern Ireland, with registration numbers (license plates), AXI 1697, AXI 1698, AXI 1699 and are referred to by enthusiasts as the “AXI cars”. These three cars (VINs 5565, 5592 and 5638) differ from the Wooler-Hodec cars in several ways. These three cars all had roof mounted radio aerials, very small round front side marker lights, no rear side marker lights, white forward-facing door lights, fog-light switch, and textured body rubstrips on the stainless steel panels. No catalytic converters or Lambda equipment were fitted as British legislation did not require them. The car with the registration number AXI 1697 was reputedly a fully UK homologated example which would have been shown at the British motor show at Birmingham, UK in October 1982.
Recent research has revealed that VINs 752 and 758, once thought to be factory authorised right-hand drive cars, are post-factory conversions carried out by private individuals. Some of the right-hand drive cars have speedometers reading to {{convert|140|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}, instead of the US-specification {{convert|85|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}.
==Construction==
The DMC-12 features a number of unusual construction details, including gull-wing doors, unpainted stainless-steel body panels, and a rear-mounted engine.
===Body===
The body design of the DMC-12 was a product of [[Giorgetto Giugiaro]] of [[Italdesign Giugiaro|Ital Design]] and is expressed in brushed [[AISI_steel_grades#Stainless_steel|SS304]] [[stainless steel]]. Except for three cars plated in 24-karat [[gold]], all DMC-12s left the factory uncovered by paint or clearcoat.<ref>[http://www.dmcnews.com/faq/t_finish.htm DeLorean FAQ - Body Finish and Composition from Owners Manual]</ref> Painted DeLoreans do exist, although these were all painted after the cars were purchased from the factory. To train workers, several hundred DMCs were produced without stainless panels, and are referred to as "black cars" or "mules", in reference to their black fiberglass panels in lieu of stainless, though these were never marketed. Small scratches in the stainless steel body panels can be removed with a non-metallic scouring pad (since metal pads can leave iron particles embedded in the stainless steel which can give the appearance of the stainless "rusting"), or even sandpaper.<ref>[http://www.dmcnews.com/faq/c_body.htm DeLorean FAQ - Care & Feeding - Stainless Steel Body Maintenance]</ref> The stainless steel panels are fixed to a glass-reinforced plastic (GRP, fiberglass) [[monocoque]] underbody. The underbody is affixed to a double-Y frame chassis, derived from the [[Lotus Esprit]] platform.
The unpainted stainless body creates challenges during [[Automotive restoration|restoration]] of the cars. In traditional automotive body repair, the panel is repaired to be as original ("straight") as possible and imperfections are sculpted back to form with body filler like [[Bondo (putty)|Bondo]] or [[lead]] ([[solder|body solder]]). This poses no problem (aside from originality) with most cars, as the filler will be hidden by the car's paint (for example, most new cars have filler hiding the seam where the roof meets the [[quarter panel]]). With an unpainted stainless body, the stainless steel must be reworked to exactly the original shape, contour and grain - which is a tremendously difficult job on regular steel (a dented or bent panel is stretched and a shrinking hammer or other techniques must be used to unstretch the metal. Furthermore, it is exceedingly difficult to paint stainless steel due to adhesion issues. DeLorean envisioned that damaged panels would simply be replaced rather than repaired; each DeLorean service center today has at least one experienced body repair person on staff, and there are decades worth of new stainless panels still available in most instances.
Another novel feature of the DMC-12 is its [[gull-wing door]]s (an interesting fact about these doors is that the workers at the factory used to weld their names, or initials on the inside of the outer door panels on many of the vehicles produced if you were to remove the outer panel you could actually find out the name of at least one of the individuals who worked on the car. '''Account from original factory worker'''). The common problem of supporting the weight of gull-wing doors was solved by other manufacturers with lightweight doors in the [[Mercedes-Benz 300SL]] and an air pump in the [[Bricklin SV-1]], although these designs had structural or convenience issues. The DMC-12 features heavy doors supported by [[Cryogenics|cryogenically]] preset torsion bars and gas-charged [[strut]]s.<ref>{{US patent|4,378,658)}}</ref> These torsion bars were developed by [[Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation|Grumman Aerospace]] (and built by Unbrako in the UK, a division of SPS Technologies of Jenkintown, PA) to withstand the stresses of supporting the doors.<ref>[http://www.dmcnews.com/faq/t_tech1.htm DeLorean FAQ - Exotic Technology]</ref> A popular misconception of the DMC-12's gull-wing doors is that they require far more side clearance to open relative to ordinary side-hinge doors, such as when parked in a parking lot. In fact, the opposite is true: the DMC-12 requires far less clearance than side-hinge doors, and this can be physically demonstrated. This misconception of side clearance may stem from a misunderstood location of the hinge point of the doors by persons unfamiliar with DMC-12s. These doors, when opening, only require 11 inches (264 mm) clearance outside the line of the car, making opening and closing the doors in crowded parking lots relatively easy. Much like the doors fitted to the [[Lamborghini Countach]], the DMC-12 doors featured small cutout windows, because full-sized windows would not be fully retractable within the short door panels.<ref>[http://www.dmcnews.com/faq/t_dims.htm DeLorean FAQ - Vehicle Dimensions from Technical Manual, Workshop Manual]</ref><ref>[http://www.dmcnews.com/faq/h_doors.htm DeLorean FAQ - Historic Information - Door Design]</ref>
===Suspension===
The underbody and [[suspension (vehicle)|suspension]] of the DMC-12 were based largely on the [[Lotus Esprit]], with a four-wheel [[independent suspension]], [[coil spring]]s, and telescopic [[shock absorbers]]. The front suspension used [[Double_wishbone_suspension|double wishbones]], while the rear was a [[Multi-link_suspension|multi-link]] setup. In its original development stages, the car is said to have handled quite well. Considering that Lotus's reputation was built largely on the handling prowess of the cars the company produced, the DMC-12's smooth ride wasn't a surprise. Unfortunately, changing U.S. government bumper height regulations required modifications to the suspension system and an increase in the vehicle's factory ride height, both of which had adverse effects on the car's handling capabilities. Many owners have subsequently replaced or modified the front springs to return the front height to the original design specification.
Steering was [[rack and pinion]], with an overall [[steering ratio]] of 14.9:1, giving 2.65 turns lock-to-lock and a 35 ft (10.67 m) turning circle. DMC-12s were originally fitted with [[alloy|cast alloy]] wheels, measuring 14 in (356 mm) in diameter by 6 in (152 mm) wide on the front and 15 in (381 mm) in diameter by 8 in (203 mm) wide on the rear. These were fitted with [[Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company|Goodyear]] NCT steel-belted radial tires; because the engine is mounted in the very rear of the vehicle, the DMC-12 has a 35%/65% front/rear weight distribution.<ref>[http://www.dmcnews.com/faq/t_weight.htm DeLorean FAQ - Weight and Balance from Technical manual]</ref>
The DMC-12 features power-assisted [[disc brake]]s on all wheels, with 10 in (254 mm) rotors front and 10.5 in (267 mm) rear.
==Performance==
[[Image:Passenger1.JPG|thumbnail|The grey interior and manual transmission in a DMC-12.]]
John DeLorean had originally envisioned that the car would produce somewhere around {{convert|200|hp}}, but eventually settled on a {{convert|170|hp}} output for the engine. However, United States emissions regulations required that parts such as [[catalytic converter]]s be added to the vehicle before it could be sold there. This caused a {{convert|40|hp}} reduction to the vehicle's power output, a loss which seriously impeded the DMC-12's performance. When this combined with the suspension system changes, the US version was regarded as disappointing. DeLorean's comparison literature noted that the DMC-12 could achieve 0–60 mph (0–96 km/h) in 8.8 s, respectable for the early 1980s, but ''[[Road & Track]]'' magazine clocked the car at 10.5 s. It is possible that the factory performance numbers were achieved using a European-spec car with the {{convert|200|hp}} engine.<ref>[http://www.dmcnews.com/faq/img/docs/doc_11f.gif DeLorean Motor Company - Physical Characteristics of Competitive Cars]</ref>
==Pricing==
The car was named the DMC-12 because of its original price of $12,000. New DMC-12s had a suggested retail price of $25,000 ($650 more when equipped with an [[automatic transmission]]); this is equivalent to approximately $62,300 in 2007 dollars<ref>"[http://www.minneapolisfed.org/research/data/us/calc/ What is a dollar worth?]". The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved on [[May 09]], [[2008]].</ref> There were extensive waiting lists of people willing to pay up to $10,000 above the list price; however, after the collapse of the DeLorean Motor Company, unsold cars could be purchased for under the retail price.<ref>[http://www.dmcnews.com/faq/h_sales.htm DeLorean FAQ - Historic Information - Sales and Dealer Experiences]</ref>
The DMC-12 was only available with two factory options including a no-cost manual transmission or automatic transmission ($650) and the choice of a grey or black interior. Several dealer options were available, including a car cover ($117); floor mats ($84); black textured accent stripes ($87); grey scotch-cal accent stripes ($55); a luggage rack ($269) and a ski-rack adapter. The standard feature list included stainless steel body panels; gull-wing doors with cryogenically-treated torsion bars; leather seats/trim; [[air conditioning]]; an AM/FM cassette [[stereo system]]; [[power window]]s, [[power door locks|lock]]s and [[mirror]]s; a tilt and telescopic [[steering wheel]]; tinted glass; body side mouldings; windshield wipers; and an electric rear window defogger.<ref>[http://www.dmcnews.com/faq/d_broc2.htm DeLorean FAQ - Dealer Installed Accessories ([[20 June]] [[1981]])]</ref><ref>[http://www.delorean-owners.org/legend/specs.html DeLorean Owners Association - DeLorean specifications table]</ref>
Prices for DMC-12s vary widely and are dependent upon supply and demand. As of early 2007, a DeLorean in good to excellent condition can be had for around $20,000 to $29,000. Mint-condition cars can fetch up to $50,000. There are an estimated 6,500 surviving DMC-12s today. Some of the larger parts carry a steep price tag, such as the [[fiberglass]] underbody. Most parts are reasonably priced and readily available.
==Production changes==
Although there were no typical "yearly" updates to the DeLorean, several changes were made to the DeLorean during production. John DeLorean believed that model years were primarily a gimmick used by automobile companies to sell more cars. Instead of making massive changes at the end of the model year, he implemented changes mid-production. This resulted in no clear distinction between the 1981, 1982, and 1983 model years, but with subtle changes taking place almost continuously throughout the life of the DeLorean. The most visible of these changes related to the hood style.
===Hood styles===
The original [[hood (vehicle)|hood]] of the DeLorean had [[groove]]s running down both sides. It included a gas flap to simplify [[gas station|fuel filling]]. The gas flap was built so that the [[trunk (automobile)|trunk]] could be added to the total cargo area of the DeLorean. These cars typically had a locking gas cap to prevent siphoning. In 1981, the hood flap was removed from the hood of the cars (although the hood creases stayed). This style was retained well into 1982. Based on production numbers for all three years, this hood style is probably the most common. After the supply of locking gas caps was exhausted, the company switched to a non-locking version (resulting in at least 500 cars with no gas flap, but with locking gas caps). The final styling for the hood included the addition of a DeLorean logo and the removal of the grooves, resulting in a completely flat hood. All changes to the hood were made not to alter the look of the car, but for a much more practical reason: production of the grooveless design was faster and more reliable, as the stainless steel would often crack in the process of forming the grooves.
<gallery>
Image:Early 1981 De Lorean hood.jpg|Early 1981 Hood
Image:1983 De Lorean hood.jpg|1983 hood
</gallery>
===Other changes===
[[Image:De Lorean add-on Pull strap.jpg|thumb|right|Early pull strap]]
[[Image:Delorean dmc-12 later style side bolster.jpg|thumb|right|Later style one-piece bolster]]
[[Image:mid 1981 De Lorean silver wheel.JPG|thumb|right|Mid 1981 silver wheel]]
John De Lorean was 6'4" (193 cm) tall, and he designed the car to comfortably fit someone of his stature. For shorter people, the addition of a pull strap made closing the doors much easier from the inside. Pull straps were manufactured as an add-on for earlier vehicles in November 1981. These attach to the existing door handle. Late-model 1981 cars, and all cars from 1982 and 1983, have doors with integrated pull straps.
The side bolstering in the DeLorean was originally separate from the main interior pieces. There is a tendency to place pressure on this piece when entering and exiting the car. This will eventually cause the bolstering to become separated from the trim panel. To help fix this problem, cars built in and after late 1981 have one solid trim piece with the bolster permanently attached.
As an addition to later cars, a foot rest or "dead" pedal — in the form of an unusable [[pedal]] — was added to the cars to help prevent [[fatigue (physical)|fatigue]] while driving. This is one of the few changes that is directly tied to a model year. These were not built in to any 1981 vehicles, and were added to all cars starting with 1982 production.
Although the styling of the DeLorean's wheels remained unchanged, the wheels of early-model 1981 vehicles were painted grey. These wheels sported matching grey center caps with an embossed DMC logo. Early into the 1981 production run, these were changed to a polished silver look, with a contrasting black center cap. The embossed logo on the centre caps was painted silver to add contrast.
In 1981, the DeLorean came stocked with a Craig radio; this was a standard 1980s tape radio with dual knob controls. Since the Craig did not have a built-in clock, one was installed in front of the [[gear shift]]. DeLorean switched to an ASI stereo in the middle of the 1982 production run. Since the ASI radio featured an on-board clock, the standard DeLorean clock was removed at the same time.
The first 2,200 cars produced used a windshield-embedded [[antenna (radio)|antenna]]. This type of antenna proved to be inadequate for most motoring needs, so a standard whip antenna was added to the outside of the front right quarter panel. While improving radio reception, this resulted in a hole in the stainless steel, and an unsightly antenna. As a result, the antenna was again moved, this time to the rear of the car. Automatic antennas were installed under the grills behind the rear driver's-side window. While giving the reception quality of a whip antenna, these completely disappear from view when not in use.
The small [[visor|sun visors]] on the DeLorean have [[vinyl]] on one side, and headline [[Textile|fabric]] on the other side. Originally these were installed such that the headliner side would be on the bottom when not in use. Later on in 1981, they were reversed so that the vinyl side would be on the bottom.
The original Ducellier [[alternator]] supplied with the early production DMC-12s could not provide enough current to supply the car when all lights and electrical options were on; as a result, the [[battery (electricity)|battery]] would gradually discharge, leaving the driver stranded on the road. This happened to DeLorean owner [[Johnny Carson]] shortly after he was presented with the vehicle. Later cars were fitted from the factory with a higher output [[Motorola]] alternator which solved this problem. This also is believed to be the reason behind the improvement in the sound quality of the horn. Earlier models emitted a weak sound, not loud or strong enough to be effective in normal traffic.
==Special DMC-12s==
Several special-edition DMC-12 cars have been produced over the years, and the car is most notably featured as the time machine in the [[Back to the Future trilogy|''Back to the Future'' trilogy]]. The PRV engines of the cars were swapped out for more powerful Porsche engines. Four DeLorean chassis were used during the production (i.e. exterior scene, stripped down for interior scenes, one decked out with time travel equipment, and one that was "wrecked" by the train).
One of several DeLorean prototypes is still in existence, and is currently for sale after undergoing a complete restoration at DeLorean Motor Company of Florida (DMCFL). There have also been major finds in the last few years of "pilot cars". These cars, used for testing of the DeLorean, had been thought destroyed. The test car featured on the front cover of Autocar in 1981 announcing the DeLorean to the world was found in 2003 in a barn in Northern Ireland; it is currently undergoing restoration. Production of the DeLorean started at VIN 500. VINs 502 and 530 were used by Legend Industries as a proof of concept for a twin-turbo version of the standard DeLorean PRV-V6 engine. VIN 530 is undergoing a restoration at [http://www.pjgrady.com PJ Grady's] in New York. Vin 502 is owned by DMCFL and is going through a full Concours restoration at that location. Vin 502 has now (July 2007) been sold by DMCFL and has been exported to New Zealand. The car now resides in Wellington, and has been complied to run on New Zealand roads. Only one other twin-turbo engine is known to exist: it was purchased in the late 1990s by an individual owner. There is also another DeLorean that in its own right will soon join the ranks of becoming a Legend Car, VIN 570, which is now being converted to a full Legend(reproduction) Car by Chris Nicholson of [http://www.pjgrady.co.uk PJ Grady Europe]- the present owner of vin 00570.
VIN 500, notable for being the first production DeLorean to roll off the line in 1981, is on display in the [[Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum]] in [[Cleveland, Ohio|Cleveland]], [[Ohio]].<ref>[http://www.wrhs.org/cfm/auto/autoimage.cfm?auto_id=173 Crawford Auto Collection - 1981 DeLorean DMC-12 Coupe (first DeLorean produced)]</ref>
Only 16 factory authorised right-hand drive prototype models were made for use in the [[United Kingdom]]. As of 2008 these cars are valued in the region of £25,000 - £30,000.
[[Image:gold-D.jpg|left|thumb|A gold plated DeLorean in Reno, Nevada]]
For Christmas 1981, A DeLorean/[[American Express]] promotion planned to sell one hundred 24k gold-plated DMC-12s for $85,000 each to its gold card members, but only two were sold. One of these was purchased by Roger Mize, president of Snyder National Bank in [[Snyder, Texas|Snyder]], [[Texas]]. VIN #4301 sat in the bank lobby for over 20 years before being loaned to the [[Petersen Automotive Museum]] of Los Angeles. It has a black interior, and an automatic transmission.<ref>[http://www.bigtexas.com/dmc/ The 24-Karat Gold Plated DeLorean Car]</ref>
The second gold-plated American Express DMC-12 is located at the [[William F. Harrah]] Foundation/[[National Automobile Museum]] in [[Reno, Nevada|Reno]], [[Nevada]]. This car, VIN #4300, is the only one of the three existing gold-plated examples to be equipped with a manual transmission. This car has a tan interior. Like its golden siblings, it is a low-mileage vehicle with only 1,442 miles (2,307 km) on the [[odometer]].<ref>[http://www.automuseum.org/NAM_collections_delorean2.shtml National Automobile Museum - 1981 DeLorean LK Sport Coupe (gold plated)]</ref>
A third gold-plated car exists with 636 miles (1,018 km) clocked up; it carries the VIN plate for the last DeLorean, #20105, though final assembly was actually completed in Columbus, Ohio in 1983.<ref>[http://bigtexas.com/dmc/gold/ Gold DeLorean for sale in LaVale, Maryland]</ref> This car was assembled with spare parts that were required by American Express in case one of the other two that were built were damaged. All necessary gold-plated parts were on hand, with the exception of one door. The car was assembled after another door was gold-plated, though the added door does not precisely match the rest of the car in color and grain. The car was first acquired by the winner of a [[Big Lots]] store raffle. Consolidated International, which owned the department store, had purchased 1,374 DMC-12s during the DeLorean Company's financial troubles, acquiring the remaining stock after the company went into receivership. Now held by a private owner in [[La Vale, Maryland|La Vale]], [[Maryland]], the third and last gold-plated DeLorean is currently for sale at the price of $250,000. This car and the example in Reno have saddle-brown leather interiors, a color scheme which was intended to become an option on later production cars. However, these two cars were the only DeLoreans to be thus equipped from factory parts.
==Return to production==
DMC Houston announced on [[July 30]], [[2007]] that the car would be returning into very limited production (about 20 cars per year) in 2008. <ref>[http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-garage28jul28,1,6560463.story LA Times: For the DeLorean, it's back to the present]</ref> The newly produced cars will have a base price of $57,500 and have new stainless steel frames and lighter fiberglass underbodies, with optional extras such as GPS, an enhanced "Stage 2" engine, and possibly a new modern interior. The cars will be made with 80% old parts and the rest new.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,293814,00.html Fox News: Texas Entrepreneur Set to Start Building DeLorean Cars]</ref> Possibly, the addition of driver and passenger side [[airbags]] as well.
==DeLorean in popular culture==
{{fictionrefs}}
[[Image:DMC-NJ-2005.JPG|right|thumb|A DeLorean at a car show in 2005 with OUTATYM licence plate similar to the OUTATIME license plate in ''[[Back to the Future]]''.]]
When founding his company, John DeLorean negotiated with many celebrities to persuade them to back the new DeLorean car and the company. [[Johnny Carson]], talk show host/comedian, was given a DeLorean and also invested in DMC.
The DMC-12 was featured and mentioned in many films and on television, most notably as the [[DeLorean time machine|time machine]] designed by [[Doctor Emmett Brown|Dr. Emmett Brown]] in the [[Back to the Future trilogy|''Back to the Future'' trilogy]]. Brown's rationale for choosing the DeLorean was stated in the [[Back to the Future|first film]]: "The way I see it, if you're gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?" Brown also started to say that the car's stainless steel construction was apparently ideal for "flux dispersal", an aspect of time travel. Exactly why or how is unknown, because he was cut off by the arrival of the time machine, which he had sent a minute into the future as a test. The choice of the DeLorean was actually for the purpose of a gag in the film that occurs when the car arrives in the year [[1955]] and is mistaken for an [[alien spacecraft]] due to its gull-wing doors.<ref> {{cite video
| people = Gale, Bob
| title = Back to the Future, The Complete Trilogy - "The Making of the Trilogy, Part 1"
| medium = DVD
| publisher = Universal Home Video
| date = 2002 }}</ref>
Six DMC-12s were co-opted for use in the making of the films. For the second and third films, producers replaced the underpowered stock engines in their production cars with [[Porsche]] engines. The ''[[Back to the Future Part II]]'' DeLorean was seen as a prop that [[Amanda Bynes]]'s character rested on the hood and windshield of in the movie ''[[Big Fat Liar]]''.
In large part due to the popularity of ''Back to the Future'', the DeLorean has been seen in many other contexts as well, including ''[[The Simpsons]]'', ''[[The Wedding Singer]]'', ''[[Miami Vice]]'', ''[[The Fairly Oddparents]]'', ''[[Monster Garage]]'', ''[[Rocky 3]]'', ''[[Malibu Express]]'', ''[[Drawn Together]]'', ''[[Family Guy]]'', ''Haker'', ''[[Get a Life (TV series)|Get a Life]]'', ''[[Matlock (TV series)|Matlock]]'', ''[[Stargate Atlantis]]'', ''[[Eerie Indiana]]'', ''[[Donnie Darko]]'', ''[[Harvey Birdman]]'', ''[[Designing Women]]'', ''[[Just Shoot Me!]]'', ''[[Be Kind Rewind]]'' and also ''[[Minoriteam]]''. In most of these films and television shows, actors are seen driving a DMC-12 or mentioning the DeLorean in dialogue. As well, the DeLorean is referenced during a television spot on [[The Learning Channel]] as part of their life lesson ad campaign. It can also been seen in Stuntaman's Fly, where the car is used as a time machine. The theme of the video is easily recognized as Back to the Future. Additionally, in the film ''[[Knocked Up]]'', there is a dinner scene in which Back to the Future lines are quoted and the DeLorean is mentioned. Also, the two members of [[Gnarls Barkley]] pose (in Doc & Marty guises), with a DMC-12 in the 11/06 issue of "Spin" magazine.
The DMC-12 has also been featured in many [[computer game]]s, most notably in the [[Back to the Future Video Games|''Back to the Future'']] games; but also in ''[[Carmageddon|Carmageddon: Splat Pack]]'' (1997), ''[[Duke Nukem: Time to Kill]]'' (1998), ''[[South Park Rally]]'' (1998), ''[[Carmageddon 2|Carmageddon 2: Carpocalypse Now]]'' (1998), ''[[A2 Racer|M25 Racer]]'' (1999), ''[[Interstate '82]]'' (1999), ''[[Vigilante 8: Second Offense]]'' (1999), ''[[Resident Evil 2]]'' (1998), ''[[Resident Evil 3: Nemesis]]'' (1999), ''[[Wreckless: The Yakuza Missions]]'' (2002), ''[[Grand Theft Auto: Vice City]]'' (2002) (lookalike, without gull-wing doors, named "Deluxo"), ''R Racing Revolution'' (2004), ''[[Gran Turismo 4]]'' (2005), ''[[Enthusia Professional Racing]]'' (2005), ''[[FlatOut 2]]'' (2006), ''[[Redline (Ambrosia Software game)|Redline]]'' (2006), ''[[Scarface: The World is Yours]]'' (2006) (with [[scissor doors]] instead of gull-wing doors, named "Delphine") and ''[[Project Gotham Racing 4]](note: only version B)'' (2007), in which an achievement can be unlocked if it is driven at 88 miles per hour or more when lightning strikes, a reference to Back to the Future. It is also downloadable as an add-on car for ''[[Midtown Madness 2]]'' in both the original DMC design and the ''[[Back to the Future]]'' design. Two versions of the DMC-12 from the second ''Back to the Future'' movies (flying mode and ground mode), (and other back to the future props) are also downloadable for ''The Sims'' from a popular fan site. In most of these video games, the cars are lookalikes or clones of the DeLorean, though not actually named "DeLoreans" or featuring the DeLorean logo, to avoid [[trademark]] issues.
In the 17 October 2007 episode of [[The Chaser's War on Everything]] Craig Reucassel dressed as [[Doctor Emmett Brown]] ran after the [[Prime Minister of Australia]], [[John Howard]] with a DeLorean following. Reucassel suggested Howard could use the vehicle to travel back a year to retire from political life at a time of his choosing. The episode aired immediately following the announcement of the [[Australian federal election, 2007|Australian federal election]] in 2007, with Howard trailing Opposition Leader [[Kevin Rudd]] in [[opinion polls]]. Howard went on to lose the election.
[[Kanye West]] mentions hopping into a DeLorean in his song "Good Morning" from 2007 album [[Graduation]].
Appearance in Episode 2 Series 1 of BBC's [[Ashes to Ashes (TV series)|''Ashes to Ashes'' (TV series)]].
In the Cobra Starship music video for "Guilty Pleasure," the manager mentions that the band has spent their entire video budget on DeLoreans.
In a recent Nike showcase headlined by [[Kobe Bryant]] of the Air McFly sneaker worned by Micheal J. Fox's in the Back to the Future movie, the hoopster arrived in a DeLorean.
==See also==
* [[Bricklin SV-1]]
* [[DeLorean Motor Company]]
* [[John DeLorean]]
==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}
<!-- Dead note "production2": [http://www.dmcnews.com/faq/img/news/n_vinrat.pdf DMC-12 Estimated Production Volumes by Month] (PDF) by Knut Grimsrud -->
<!-- Dead note "production3": [http://www.delorean-owners.org/legend/index.html DMC - The legend - DeLorean: Stainless Style] -->
==References==
* John Z. DeLorean, Ted Schwarz, ''DeLorean'', Zondervan (September, 1985), ISBN 0-310-37940-7
* J Lamm, ''DeLorean Stainless Steel Illusion'', 2nd edition (2003), ISBN 0-9744141-0-7
* R. M. Clarke, ''DeLorean 1977–1995 Gold Portfolio'' ([[December 28]] [[1995]]), ISBN 1-85520-331-6
==External links==
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{{commonscat|DeLorean vehicles}}
* [http://www.delorean.com DeLorean Motor Company]
* [http://www.pjgrady.com PJ Grady DeLorean Sales, Parts, Service and Restoration]
* {{dmoz|Recreation/Autos/Makes_and_Models/DeLorean/|DeLorean DMC-12}}
* {{imcdb vehicle|make=De+Lorean|model=DMC+12|DeLorean DMC 12}}
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