DeLorean DMC-12 | American Dream at Haynes Motor Museum

Key Stats

Year Built: 1981
Place Built: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Top Speed: 130mph
Engine: V6, 2,850cc
Horsepower: 130bhp
0-60: 9.6 seconds

The story of the DeLorean is endlessly fascinating. How could a car created by the brightest minds of the day be a spectacular sales flop yet go on to become one of the most iconic vehicles in the world?

The story begins with John DeLorean convincing Margaret Thatcher's Government to invest around £70 million into his dream, with an additional £100 million from the Northern Ireland Development Fund. DeLorean then hired legendary designer Giorgetto Giugiaro and chassis genius Colin Chapman.

Rushed development of both the car and the new Belfast factory proved disastrous. Early production cars suffered from poor build quality, while many reviewers criticised the DMC-12's handling and performance, which fell short of rivals such as the Chevrolet Corvette and Porsche 911 in the American market. Production ended after just two years, by which time around 9,000 DeLorean DMC-12s had been built.

Enter film director Robert Zemeckis, searching for the perfect time machine. After deciding that his original idea – a refrigerator – wasn't practical, he chose the DeLorean DMC-12 instead. The rest is history. Thanks to its starring role in the Back to the Future trilogy, the DMC-12 became one of the most recognisable cars in the world, transforming a commercial disappointment into a true motoring icon. Today, the DMC-12 continues to enjoy a devoted following, with an estimated 6,500 cars still on the road.

The DeLorean DMC-12 is displayed in The American Dream Exhibition at Haynes Motor Museum.

The Design of the DMC-12

The upper and lower halves of the car were moulded separately and then bonded together to form the body shell, which was then covered with brushed stainless steel panels that are virtually corrosion-free.

The iconic 'gull-wing' doors are heavy and are supported by cryogenically pre-set torsion bars and nitrogen-charged struts.

As the DMC-12 was primarily intended for the American market, all production models were left-hand drive. Subsequently, 13 cars were converted to right-hand drive by Wooler-Hodec in Andover, Hampshire, and three factory-authorised right-hand-drive cars were produced in Northern Ireland for use by the factory.
The DMC-12 in Popular Culture

Though its production was short-lived, the DMC-12 became widely known when it was featured as the Time Machine in the Back to the Future films. The distinctive gull-wing doors and futuristic stainless steel body made the DMC-12 the perfect cinematic time machine.