What else can you say about the DeLorean that hasn’t been said already? It’s an automotive and a cultural icon, all rolled into one, and had it not been for the blockbuster hit movie ‘Back to the Future’, this car’s popularity would have likely never taken off.
The DeLorean, also sometimes referred to as the DMC-12 (a pre-production designation), was way ahead of its time in terms of styling. I mean, it literally just dawned on me that the way the sheet metal comes together on this car is nearly identical to what you get on the Tesla Cybertruck. It’s timeless and retro-futuristic.
In fact, the DeLorean and the Cybertruck might as well be stablemates, given how they share such a similar design philosophy (brushed stainless steel panels, angular lines everywhere).
Sales-wise, the DeLorean never did particularly well, but the ensuing cult following made it possible for over 6,000 cars to still be on our roads today, and I’ve got a feeling that the people who own these vehicles will take great care of them long term, before passing them on to their children or grandchildren. Others will, of course, choose to sell, but that’s perfectly alright since DeLorean buyers are quite passionate about what they’re getting.
Speaking of which, we just found a 1981 DeLorean getting auctioned off to the highest bidder, packing all the usual bells and whistles you’d expect to find, such as the gullwing doors, louvered engine cover, dual exhaust outlets, black side stripes and moldings, quad-headlights, plus a set of staggered 14” and 15” turbine-style wheels with Hankook tires.
The current owner made sure to replace the brake calipers, brake pads, master cylinder, brake booster, steering rack and the tie rods, which is good news.
Photo: Bring a Trailer
On the inside, you get black leather bucket seats, air conditioning, a cassette stereo, power windows, central locking, power adjustable side mirrors, a tilting and telescoping steering column, and a three-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel. It’s pure 80s, and pure Cyberpunk-ish. Gotta love it.
The only downside is that the vehicle is far from mint condition, so we’d mostly recommend this purchase as more of a passion project than anything else. Or you could simply drive the wheels off, and only then take it in for a full refurbishment.
Speaking of driving, you’ll be doing that with the help of a rear-mounted 2.85-liter V6 engine, courtesy of a joint venture between Peugeot, Renault and Volvo. Power was never its strong suit, as it was factory-rated at just 130 horsepower and 160 lb-ft of torque, with everything going to the rear wheels via a three-speed automatic gearbox – some DMC-12s had 5-speed manual transmissions, which may have made the driving experience more enjoyable.
We should also note the installation of an aftermarket fuel pump and new ignition components, as far as this car is concerned.
Sergiu got to experience both American and European car "scenes" at an early age (his father drove a Ford Fiesta XR2 supermini in the 80s). After spending over 15 years at local and international auto publications, he's starting to appreciate comfort behind the wheel more than raw power and acceleration. Full profile
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