Come next year, there will be another new DeLorean car on the market. Talk about nostalgia-fueled overcrowding: a mere couple of months after the official unveiling of the Alpha5 DMC-12 successor, another DeLorean is here. And it’s set on picking a fight.
That new DeLorean is called DeLorean Model JZD, and it will be built by DNG (DeLorean Next Generation) in Detroit as early as January 2023, with an official unveiling scheduled tentatively for later that year. No word yet on whether this one will have an electric powertrain or not, but one thing is clear: it’s out to take no prisoners because it’s already positioned itself as the “true” DMC-12 successor.
That the original DeLorean DMC-12 is one of the most iconic automobiles of all times is hardly news for anyone. It might not have been an instant commercial success, but John DeLorean’s car has reached cult status in recent years because of its (and its maker’s) colorful history, its decisively ‘80s styling, and due to its involvement in the Back to the Future series.
A DeLorean DMC adapted for modern times is a long time coming, at least as fans are concerned, but getting it made repeatedly proved tricky business. But everybody loves a good comeback and no one else more than whoever is behind it. Earlier this year, DeLorean Motor Company (DMC) announced the Alpha5 successor, which is now scheduled for late 2022 production and 2023 initial deliveries.
Photo: DNG
This Texas-based DMC is not the DMC that DeLorean founded. It started out as a DMC parts and services outlet and acquired the DMC patents and trademarks, as well as all the remaining inventory later on. As far as the DeLorean family is concerned, the current DMC is not what the late DeLorean imagined, so, by extension, their Alpha5 is not the car he would have created as the successor for the original DMC-12.
Enter Model JZD. Designed by Angel Guerra and Allan Portilho as a study on how the iconic car would look if transported into present times, it’s now the flagship model of DNG, a new car company whose name stands for DeLorean Next Generation. Unlike the three-wheel DeLoreans that were built in the UK by the alleged illegitimate son of DeLorean, this one is legit: DNG was founded by Kat DeLorean, John’s daughter.
In DNG’s latest announcement, Model JZD is hailed as the DMC-12’s true successor. The company tells Fox Auto that the concept is designed around an electric powertrain, but they’re still considering options. The teaser video posted by Kat last August includes the roar of an ICE engine, so a decision has clearly not been made yet.
But what has been decided is that Model JZD will honor DeLorean’s legacy in terms of safety, affordability, and quality and will create an entire ecosystem that will benefit the community. On her social media, Kat is adamant about two things: number one, that she resents DMC’s Alpha5, and number two, that she’s not doing this for profit but rather to change the world for the better, one person at a time.
Starting a business, let alone a car business, with the goal of not making a profit might sound strange, but Kat insists that this is what DeLorean ultimately wanted. “DeLorean Next Generation Motors is a revolutionary new approach to a mobility company that seeks not to build automobiles, but rather to build education, opportunity and employment through the manufacture of automobiles,” the company says.
Photo: Instagram / Kat DeLorean
Details on the Model JZD have not been revealed yet, because the focus so far has been on outlining the company’s goals and immediate steps. Kat will be involved in the build of that first car, which will be introduced next year, and then in every step of the process that will see it reach mass production. She says the build will be documented on social media, too, because she wants the process to be transparent.
“Let’s help bring back jobs, education and opportunity in the automotive industry the likes of which we haven’t seen since the Glory Days of the GTO,” she says.
Model JZD is shown in renders in the gallery above. DNG supporters highlight that it’s a better successor to the original DMC-12 from a visual standpoint, but even the most enthusiastic of them admit that moderating expectations is a must: getting to this part of announcing a new car through renders is the easiest part. Getting it into production is an entirely different thing – the kind of different that can kill even the noblest dreams.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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