Tesla Motors has just unveiled their all-electric SUV, the Model X. One of its stunning features are the gull-wing doors. Impressive as they are, the design goes a long way back, with the famous DeLorean time machine from Back to the Future being one of the models that made it famous. This particular breed has more than just two cool doors, however, as it has been upgraded into of a flame-spitting racing machine you may grow fond of.
Its formal name may be DeLorean DMC-12, but considering the Dunmurry, Northern Ireland-based factory never made other models than this one, we’ll simply call it the DeLorean. The 2-door coupe was designed as a revolutionizing sportscar, yet it was very close to remaining just another obscure vehicle. The car did become widely known and iconic for its appearance, customized into a time machine, in the film mentioned above.
The famous car was powered by a Peugeot-Renault-Volvo 2.85-liter V6, which the DMC Company would handle under special contract. Also known as PRV engines, they were a development of the 2.7 liter V6 in the Renault 30 and were built in the PRV Factory in Douvrin, Northern France.
The gearbox handling also was designed in France, at the Renault facility near Caen in Normandy. All these translate into an alleged 0 to 60 mph acceleration time of 8.8 seconds when equipped with a manual transmission. For the automatic transmission model, the acceleration from a standstill would take slightly longer, around 10.5 seconds.
Folks over at the Putsch Racing auto shop clearly wanted more from the time machine than the stock performance, so they turned it into a little beast. Besides a roll cage, the car had its stock engine fitted with Weber carbs and race exhaust producing around 210 horsepower.
According to supercar spotter DrRockstar1, when the racing PRV engine will be ready, this particular breed should be producing somewhere around 260-280 hp. It may not be enough to go back in time, but it should offer some racing excitement.
Google News