The Nostalgia of Forgotten Gods: DeLorean, UK, 1975-1982

DeLorean stands as a brand that has gone down in history mainly because of the appearance of the only model that was ever produced, the DMC-12, in the "Back to the Future" trilogy of films where it was modified into a time machine. The success of the film, however, did not translate into the anticipated commercial success for a brand that remains wrapped in mystery to this day because of the affairs that surrounded founder John DeLorean.

The DeLorean DMC-12 became famous as the star of the movie "Back to the Future" where it was converted into a time machine.

Born into a family of humble beginnings, John gained experience in the American automobile industry when he was hired by Packard to turn around the struggling company's fortunes in the early 1960s. General Motors noticed his abilities and decided to entrust him with the Pontiac brand, at that time equally struggling due to poor sales. DeLorean pulled off a miracle. Partly as a result of models such as the GTO and Firebird.

The road to success seemed set: In 1972 he was appointed Vice President of Chevrolet, but within the board many remained skeptical due to his lifestyle that was considered over the top for a senior official of the company. Thus, in 1975 he reached the decision not to change his way of life, but to leave GM and to establish his own sports car manufacturing company in England.

Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the DMC-12 underwent several changes in the design phase, slowing down its release into production.

Favorable conditions were in place: DeLorean obtained £54 million in funding from the British government for the purpose of creating a factory in Northern Ireland to revitalize the depressed areas south of Belfast and to combat unemployment. The styling of the car was entrusted to the most celebrated designer: Giorgetto Giugiaro, while Colin Chapman, the celebrated patron of Lotus, was engaged on the technical side.

Construction work at the production plant began in 1978, but the design of the car progressed slowly and was changed several times. It was decided to use a fuel-efficient engine due to the energy crisis and many doubts and second thoughts slowed down the project schedule. Not only that, the budget also got out of control and things got complicated.

Going into production in 1981, the DeLorean DMC-12 did not achieve sales results in line with expectations due to poor performance and reliability problems.

The DMC-12 finally went into production in 1981, but immediately turned out to be weak due to poor performance that could not stand a chance against the competition and deficiencies that resulted in poor reliability. As sales did not take off, the situation became serious. In addition: The FBI was tasked with figuring out how money from investors and the British government had been spent.

Transactions that were considered to be on the verge of illegality surfaced, including accusations of drug trafficking. This was enough for him to be soon acquitted, but by then also his reputation was compromised. The trouble also involved Colin Chapman, who was also accused of tax evasion. His sudden death erased those charges. Here you can find his story in the Roarington archives: https://roarington.com/media-house/stories/the-mystery-of-colin-chapmans-death-the-man-who-created-the-lotus.

The DeLorean company's bankruptcy came as early as 1982 and the resulting trials stripped its creator of all his wealth, effectively forever ending his dream of producing an affordable sports car. Only a little over 8500 units were sold against an estimate of nearly double that number. A bitter fate for a car that became iconic in the hearts of enthusiasts thanks to "Back to the Future".

The final straw for DeLorean's adventure as a manufacturer came with the FBI investigation that led to the company's bankruptcy in 1982.