DeLorean shares first look at its gull-winged electric sedan

[Shawn Knight]

In brief: DeLorean Motor Company has revealed its vision for the Alpha 5, the company's first electric vehicle. The four-seater sedan borrows the gull-wing doors from the DMC-12 made famous in the Back to the Future film series but that is about all it shares with the original.

The base performance model will feature a 100+kWh battery with a range of over 300 miles and an electronically limited top speed of 155 MPH. DeLorean claims a 0-60 MPH time of 2.99 seconds while a sprint to 88 MPH will take 4.35 seconds. No word yet on additional performance tiers or pricing at this stage.

"The Alpha 5 is a representation of the past 40 years of DeLorean," said Troy Beetz, chief marketing officer of DeLorean Motor Company. "There was this enormous responsibility to make sure we honored the history of the DeLorean brand, but an even greater responsibility in curating its future... I think we did both with the Alpha 5."

What are your thoughts on the overall styling? I was initially getting heavy Audi TT Quattro vibes but the more I look at it, the more I'm warming up to it. The rear and aerial view are especially pleasing and the interior isn't too bad either. The gull-wing doors are a little gimmicky but as a throwback to the past, it makes sense.

To be clear, this isn't the exact same DMC that produced the original DMC-12. That company went out of business in the early 80s. A separate company formed in the mid-90s eventually acquired DMC's remaining parts inventory and naming rights. DMC Texas, as it is often called, is the one working on the new EV.

DeLorean will debut a launch edition at the Pebble Beach Concours d' Elegance auto event on August 21. Interested parties can sign up to receive the latest updates over on DeLorean's website.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/94771-delorean-shares-first-look-gull-winged-electric-sedan.html

 

[psycros]

"DeLorean claims a 0-60 MPH time of 2.99 seconds while a sprint to 88 MPH will take 4.35 seconds."

They just had to put that second one in there.

 

[p51d007]

And, 99.9% of the public will never be able to afford one.
Here's an idea, pulled from HENRY FORD. Build cars of quality that even my EMPLOYEES
can afford to own.

 

[sreams]

And, 99.9% of the public will never be able to afford one.
Here's an idea, pulled from HENRY FORD. Build cars of quality that even my EMPLOYEES
can afford to own.

There are cars like that. This one is not one of them, and was never intended to be... just like the original DeLorean.

 

[8600M GT]

Not a fan of the interior based on that picture. It's way too rounded all the way around. It looks almost continuous, which is weird. Less stylistically, I'm also a fan of knobs and buttons, which means I'll probably buy a Honda, Toyota, Ford, or Volkswagen. All these new companies are too minimalist for me.

Exterior, looks good from the back. Gull-wing is a must-have if it's going to be called a DeLorean. It also needs to have a brushed-steel exterior option. I'm 50:50 on whether it needs sharper edges, or if the greater degree of rounded edges since the original is okay. The "DeLorean" instead of "DMC" on the front grille is probably okay.

Basically, the point of buying a DeLorean is the distinctive appearance and doors, so it has to hew close enough to that. They clearly realize that on the doors, might need higher-res pictures to see if they do for the rest.

 

[captaincranky]

To be clear, this isn't the exact same DMC that produced the original DMC-12. That company went out of business in the early 80s.

OK, how about if we get some accurate reporting? This should read, "the original company went up John DeLorean's nose in the 80's

How about some mood music?

I didn't think the fed would stoop this low.

DeLorean acquitted of federal charges in 1984 | Legal Blog

In 1984, John DeLorean was acquitted by a federal jury, finding that he was entrapped by the government into a drug trafficking scheme.

legal.thomsonreuters.com

But, while two wrongs don't make a right, they are grounds for acquittal.

 

[Avro Arrow]

I never thought I'd see the day... DeLorean???

Funnily enough, I get a real 80s vibe from the first pic:

It looks like something from the original TRON movie with the red accents:

 

[scavengerspc]

I hear 88 will be built. Can't wait to see what these things will cost.

 

[wiyosaya]

I never thought I'd see the day... DeLorean???

Funnily enough, I get a real 80s vibe from the first pic:

Well, Back to the Future!

I hear 88 will be built. Can't wait to see what these things will cost.

They will be out of my price range. Besides, with the 0-60 and 0-88 hype, I do not represent the target market.

 

[ZedRM]

It looks like something from the original TRON movie with the red accents

That's not a bad thing..

 

[captaincranky]

They will be out of my price range. Besides, with the 0-60 and 0-88 hype, I do not represent the target market.

This reminds me of Sunday morning drives with my father. (Satan rest his drunken soul). He would go 25, in a 35 mph zone, and I would be asking, "daddy, why are all those cars following us"?

 

[WhoCaresAnymore]

My brother was a mechanic at a dealership that sold the original DeLorean. It was a real POS in the reliability department, everything from leaky doors to mechanical.

Love the look, wouldn't own one.

 

[adamada72]

The original is cooler looking.

 

[Zordon]

Where we're going, we don't need roads

 

[McRuff]

Did they give the specifications of the flux capacitor?

 

[captaincranky]

My brother was a mechanic at a dealership that sold the original DeLorean. It was a real POS in the reliability department, everything from leaky doors to mechanical.

All those things would have been forgiven, if they'd only put a Chevy 327 in it

 

[scavengerspc]

Not a fan of the interior based on that picture. It's way too rounded all the way around. It looks almost continuous, which is weird.

I was thinking the same thing. It looks like a giant diaphragm.
But what I do like is there is no giant screen in the middle of the dash.

 

[envirovore]

I want one.
Good looking machine there.
I like that the lights follow the door trim as well. Totally unnecessary, but damn does that look cool.

 

[WhoCaresAnymore]

All those things would have been forgiven, if they'd only put a Chevy 327 in it

For reliability, the engine GM used, the 3800 Series II was excellent and great gas mileage. It was discontinued because the EPA didn't like it. lol. For muscle the 327 would have been nice as well.

 

[captaincranky]

For reliability, the engine GM used, the 3800 Series II was excellent and great gas mileage. It was discontinued because the EPA didn't like it. lol. For muscle the 327 would have been nice as well.

Well, for reference sake, I was nostalgically referring to the 327's which were built before the EPA's "great castration", of 1975. I. I owned a 1975 Pontiac w/350" V8. It was listed at 155 HP. The prior year, the very same engine made 270 HP..!.

As for the "GM 3800", it began its life as a 232 cid "Buick V6". The original iterations were monumental pieces of sh!t. A friend owned a 60's something Buick "Skylark", which he dubbed. "the Vibrolark", which wouldn't go much over 65 mph without the need to take Dramamine.and use the seat belts, (if it had them ?).

I had a '79 Firebird with said 232" V6. When it got to 6 oil fouling adapters in one cylinder, (not counting the dozen or so in the other cylinders), I figured it was time for a change.

So, I bought an exchange block, and installed it. I tried starting it for about 15 minutes, at which point I said to myself, "WTF". As it turned out this was a later engine with an entirely different firing order. I rewired the distributor, and it fired on the first flip.(**)

AFAIK, the only way to change the firing order, is to change the angles of the crankshaft journals. Which goes back to possibly the reason why my friend's Skylark acted like it did.

Anyway, a stock 327" Chevy made 300 Hp on a single 4 bbl carb. John DeLorean could only have had the EPA look the other way on the older Chevy motor, and his car would have been a legend, instead of a footnote.

(**) If you're wondering,I did mark the wire positions on the old motor's cap, and U do know now to get an engine up on #1 compression stroke, so this was not my screw up

 

[Avro Arrow]

My brother was a mechanic at a dealership that sold the original DeLorean. It was a real POS in the reliability department, everything from leaky doors to mechanical.

Love the look, wouldn't own one.

Well, they're not the same car now. The DeLorean back then used a discontinued Volvo V6 engine that they got for cheap. I got driven around in one for a day and it was absolutely glorious to see what it really looked like inside. It had a definite 80's-type hexagonal themed dashboard.

The car today is the same in name only (well, that and the gull-wing doors). When I saw the headline I thought to myself "Are you fracking KIDDING ME?".

 

[WhoCaresAnymore]

Well, for reference sake, I was nostalgically referring to the 327's which were built before the EPA's "great castration", of 1975. I. I owned a 1975 Pontiac w/350" V8. It was listed at 155 HP. The prior year, the very same engine made 270 HP..!.

As for the "GM 3800", it began its life as a 232 cid "Buick V6". The original iterations were monumental pieces of sh!t. A friend owned a 60's something Buick "Skylark", which he dubbed. "the Vibrolark", which wouldn't go much over 65 mph without the need to take Dramamine.and use the seat belts, (if it had them ?).

I had a '79 Firebird with said 232" V6. When it got to 6 oil fouling adapters in one cylinder, (not counting the dozen or so in the other cylinders), I figured it was time for a change.

So, I bought an exchange block, and installed it. I tried starting it for about 15 minutes, at which point I said to myself, "WTF". As it turned out this was a later engine with an entirely different firing order. I rewired the distributor, and it fired on the first flip.(**)

AFAIK, the only way to change the firing order, is to change the angles of the crankshaft journals. Which goes back to possibly the reason why my friend's Skylark acted like it did.

Anyway, a stock 327" Chevy made 300 Hp on a single 4 bbl carb. John DeLorean could only have had the EPA look the other way on the older Chevy motor, and his car would have been a legend, instead of a footnote.

(**) If you're wondering,I did mark the wire positions on the old motor's cap, and U do know now to get an engine up on #1 compression stroke, so this was not my screw up

Nice to see another gearhead on here

 

[kenny loris]

Wait a minute, Doc. Are you telling me you built a time machine...

 

[ZedRM]

Love the look, wouldn't own one.

That is an entirely subjective thing.
1. DeLorean was new car maker, there were bound to be minor problems during the first run vehicle, just like every other startup car maker.
2. The nonsense about the DMC12 being rubbish are GREATLY over-stated.
3. I've owned one. It was a joy to drive and own. During the nearly 10 years I owned it, it needed a windshield, 1 set of tires, a clutch, an alternator and two batteries.

 

[WhoCaresAnymore]

That is an entirely subjective thing.
1. DeLorean was new car maker, there were bound to be minor problems during the first run vehicle, just like every other startup car maker.
2. The nonsense about the DMC12 being rubbish are GREATLY over-stated.
3. I've owned one. It was a joy to drive and own. During the nearly 10 years I owned it, it needed a windshield, 1 set of tires, a clutch, an alternator and two batteries.

That's not bad at all, guess it wasn't built on Monday or Friday