The PRV V6 engine wasn’t really powerful enough, and when you consider the coupe wasn’t especially light, the performance was deemed a bit lukewarm by reviewers of the period. Even with a manual gearbox a number delorean mieten nrw of testers noted how sluggish the car felt, and things certainly didn’t improve with the three-speed automatic. Italdesign aren’t the only ones who’ve speculated about what a DMC-12 reboot could look like. Spanish car designer Ángel Guerra released concept images to coincide with the car’s 40th anniversary last year. His version of the vehicle held on to the original’s low-slung profile and stainless-steel exterior but added bigger wheels, a wider stance, and a smoother body that puts it more in line with today’s luxury cars than a cult-favorite relic. Approximately 9,000 cars were made between January 1981 and December 1982, although actual production figures are unclear and estimates differ.

 

The ‘c’ Car

 

In U.S. emissions compliant form, the V6 only produced 130 horsepower and 150 lb-ft of torque. This was bad news for the DMC-12, since it had a base price of just over $25,000 which was big chunk of change back in 1981. As a comparison the 1981 Chevrolet Corvette, one of the DMC-12’s main competitors, had a base price of only $15,248.

 

By early 1982, the British government denied DeLorean’s request for a bail out, and within in the month the company all but declared bankruptcy. The last hope evaporated on October 20, 1982, when the FBI arrested DeLorean with charges of possession of nearly 60 pounds of cocaine. The FBI said it was clear that “Mr. DeLorean’s involvement in the drug operation stemmed directly from the financial difficulties of DeLorean Motors.”

 

Keep The Self-lacing Shoes, We’ll Take The Car

 

The DeLorean Motor Company planned to produce a line of vehicles including a sedan, a Fiat-based 4×4, and even a bus, but the gull-wing DMC-12 sports car was the sole model produced before the company famously went bankrupt in 1982. As an addition to later cars, a foot rest — in the form of an unusable pedal — was added to the cars to help prevent fatigue while driving. These were not built in to any 1981 vehicles, and were added to all cars starting with 1982 production. The first prototype appeared in March 1977, 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. Around 8,583 DMC-12s were made before production fizzled in late 1982, with final production taking place in early 1983.

 

And the special Gold Edition DMC-12 is worth three times as much as a standard version. The 1982 DeLorean DMC-12 is a rear-engine, rear-wheel drive sports car by DeLorean. Let’s face it, this isn’t a classic for those that like to keep a low profile.

 

Well, we’ve got one of the largest databases of sold classic car prices in the world so we thought we ought to help and put that data to good use. To be clear though, this article is not intended to be a full tour of every nook and sill of the DMC-12, rather it’s meant to act as an introductory guide and overview of the market for this model. It is here to provide you guidance on how much you should and shouldn’t be paying for one based on the 318 we’ve seen previously. Click the button below to be taken to a the price guide for this model so you can see every single sale, price trend over time and lots more.

 

They not only looked fantastic when they were completely opened but they made it so easy to slide into the DMC-12’s interior. The door design didn’t allow for the full large side windows to retract inside them, so a smaller sub-window was added to both windows which could more easily retract into their respective doors. Although they required an unrivalled amount of space to open, they were, above all, too heavy. They were made of stainless steel and contained electric motors for the window regulators, which only opened a tiny gap in the window area, because the door was too rounded to sink the entire pane into it. With the magnetic switches of the central locking and the linkage of the door locking, the door mechanism was very difficult to adjust, which is why the wing doors often jammed or leaked after a while. Correctly adjusted doors with new gas springs however, they usually work properly.

 

Unfortunately, the portrayal of the DMC is more favourable, than the reality of the car. In this universe, it proved to be slow and unreliable, and arguably only rose in popularity due to the publicity from the film franchise. The Corvette C9 is a good value supercar, but there is a worthy mid-engined machine that costs almost half the price. The brainchild of John DeLorean (US), employing the engineering expertise of Colin Chapman (UK), powered by a consortium built engine (FR/SE) made the DMC-12 a truly global project. Infamous during the early 80s, DeLorean’s DMC-12 has now become a highly prized collector’s item, the car finally achieving a level of success its creator had hoped for. After years of rumors, one of the most iconic vehicles of the 1980s is officially coming back.

 

The DMC-12 was named with the goal of producing the car for $12,000 but once the long development process was complete it retailed at close to $28,000. The vehicle that Lotus ultimately presented could hardly be regarded as a sports car in the true sense of the word. With a weight of around 1.3 t and 97 kW (132 hp) in the catalytic converter version, it was far behind the performance of competitive models such as the Corvette or the Ferrari. For many potential customers, that was not enough for such an expensive vehicle. As early as 1975, John DeLorean decided to have the shape of his car designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro . It wasn’t a completely new design, as Giugiaro used a template intended for the Porsche 928 that Porsche had rejected.

 

One point that DeLorean authority Chris Nicholson from P J Grady Europe is keen to make is the issue of corrosion. It appears as pitting in the surface of panels, and while serious buffing can remove it in mild cases it can perforate the panel completely if left. Beneath the plastic side rubbing strips is a common trouble-spot but you’ll need to check the whole body. Barely two years after DeLorean opened their Dunmurry base, the dream was over. John DeLorean, facing prosecution for a host of charges — including drug trafficking and embezzlement — was forced to close the doors for the final time.

 

The cooperation with DeLorean Motor Company begins in 1974 when John Z. DeLorean, ex GM vice president, and William Collins, DMC president, create a program for a two seats car with rear engine. The most ever paid for a DMC-12 was $541,000, which someone shelled out in 2011 for one of seven Back to the Future cars—one of three that survived. More recently, and much closer to reality, a 1981 DMC-12 sold for $23,100 at RM Sotheby’s Auburn Spring Auction in May. In addition to its headquarters in Humble, Texas, the company also has locations in California, Florida, and Illinois. Based on a 0–100 scale, the HVR takes into account the quantity of vehicles insured and quoted through Hagerty, as well as auction activity and private sales. A vehicle that is keeping pace with the overall market has an HVR of 50.