You'll soon be able to buy a new DeLorean with modern amenities

[Shawn Knight]

One of the most recognizable vehicles in automotive history is making a comeback. The DeLorean Motor Company (DMC) has announced that it'll begin production of replica 1982 DeLoreans, the same car that Doc Brown built into a time machine in Back to the Future, in the not-too-distant future.

The stainless steel DeLorean may be a cultural icon to millions but as a vehicle, it was a total flop.

The DeLorean Motor Company was founded in 1973 by John DeLorean, an accomplished engineer and executive within the automotive industry known for designing several popular Pontiac models including the Firebird, Grand Prix and the GTO. Production delays pushed back the DeLorean MDC-12's release by roughly eight years and by the time it went on sale, the economy had more or less turned cold.

A lackluster reception by critics and the general public didn't help matters, nor did DeLorean's arrest in 1982 on charges of drug trafficking. He was ultimately found not guilty two years later but by that time, the company he founded nearly a decade earlier had gone under. The DeLorean Motor Company ultimately produced fewer than 9,000 vehicles, all of which were DMC-12s.

Today, DMC operates out of Humble, Texas, serving primarily as a restoration shop for DeLorean enthusiasts. Thanks to the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015, the company can now build up to 325 replica vehicles each year without having to adhere to modern safety standards. "New" vehicles are, however, still subject to EPA emissions standards which means the original motor, the Peugeot-Renault-Volvo V6, is no longer an option.

Despite sharing the same name, the modern DMC, run by British entrepreneur Stephen Wynne, has no ties to the original company founded by John DeLorean.

DMC plans to build replicas for the 2017 model year featuring a crate engine that puts out between 300 and 400 horsepower – far more than the 130 ponies the original was capable of. DMC, if you recall, created an electric-powered DeLorean a few years back. It's unclear if DMC is planning to offer new DeLoreans with electric motors although if there's enough demand among enthusiasts with deep pockets, I can't see why they wouldn't.

The new cars will also have larger wheels (fitting performance tires on the small original wheels isn't an option) but aside from that, it appears as though everything else will be period-specific... except for the price. Expect to pay between $80,000 and $100,000 for a new DeLorean when they roll off the assembly line early next year.

Car show image courtesy Jack Snell, Flickr

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/63625-youll-soon-able-buy-new-delorean-modern-amenities.html

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

A 100K for that hunk of junk???! Surely they jest.

 

[VitalyT]

DeLorean symbolized futuristic progress beyond our time, design-wise. In all other departments it was a terrible car.

If they don't even make it all-electrical, this nostalgic sentiment will backfire on them, as it should.

 

[Uncle Al]

I had a DeLorean back in 85. It actually was a good car and well made, but I suspect I had one of the early production models since the last ones were plagued with all sorts of problems. My only complaint was the underpowered engine. I fixed that with replacement using a small block Chevy V6 and it was finally the hot car it claimed to be. Due to the body style I don't think it will be a good candidate for an all electric vehicle, but if they come up with a model that has minimal interior enhancements and a good engine I can see people lining up to pay $50K for it. I do remember when I had it I had more girlfriends than I could ever manage. Now days, with not hair and a pot belly .... I can use all the help I can get!

 

[Adhmuz]

This isn't the first time this has been done, with this exact car, and ironically by the same company, just they got sued back in 2007 by John DeLorean's widow. Evidently that lawsuit has been settle and they got the rights to make these cars, if I'm not mistaken they're even using the old shells from the 80s that never came to be cars. Talk about recycling, too bad the price is too high for my taste, I'll keep trying to get my hands on one to convert it to electric.

My only complaint was the underpowered engine. I fixed that with replacement using a small block Chevy V6 and it was finally the hot car it claimed to be.

I've never herd anyone refer to a V6 as a small block Chevy, typo perhaps? I think I've herd even less accounts of people swapping in anything other than a V8.

 

[Uncle Al]

This isn't the first time this has been done, with this exact car, and ironically by the same company, just they got sued back in 2007 by John DeLorean's widow. Evidently that lawsuit has been settle and they got the rights to make these cars, if I'm not mistaken they're even using the old shells from the 80s that never came to be cars. Talk about recycling, too bad the price is too high for my taste, I'll keep trying to get my hands on one to convert it to electric.



I've never herd anyone refer to a V6 as a small block Chevy, typo perhaps? I think I've herd even less accounts of people swapping in anything other than a V8.

See the following for your information on Small Block Chevy V6

http://www.novak-adapt.com/knowledge/engines/about/chevy/chevy-small-block-v6

 

[Sniped_Ash]

It's not going to sound like the car from Back to the Future so who cares

 

[sewerpipedave]

Guess I'll wait for the Flux Capacitor option.

 

[captaincranky]

I think they should put Delorean back in charge and let him snort this company dry too.......for old times sake...::crankyholdsonenostrilshutwhilestaringintotheabyssofamirror: <Does anyone know if there's an emoji for that..?

See the following for your information on Small Block Chevy V6....[ ]...

The interesting thing is, the new Jeep models are V-6 268 bhp. (Of unspecified origin). They finally did away with the 3.0L inline 6.

I had a '79 Firebird which was a V-6. A that time, the 6 cyl. Camaro came with a an inline Chevy 230 ci 6. The Firebird's engine was one of those nasty Buick V-6's, the ones they used to stuff in the Skylark.

 

[cliffordcooley]

Does anyone know if there's an emoji for that..?

Your avatar will suffice, if you can't find an emote. *wink* *contemplating whether I should apologize for that*

 

[captaincranky]

Your avatar will suffice, if you can't find an emote. *wink* *contemplating whether I should apologize for that*

Yeah but I'd have to redraw it with a 20 dollar bill up its nose..:shrug: Too much of a PITA for just the one post....

I've been toying with the idea of using this as my avatar:

Although, I dunno if it would lose too much impact if it was shrunk to 96 x 96px..

 

[Uncle Al]

I think they should put Delorean back in charge and let him snort this company dry too.......for old times sake...::crankyholdsonenostrilshutwhilestaringintotheabyssofamirror: <Does anyone know if there's an emoji for that..?

The interesting thing is, the new Jeep models are V-6 268 bhp. (Of unspecified origin). They finally did away with the 3.0L inline 6.

I had a '79 Firebird which was a V-6. A that time, the 6 cyl. Camaro came with a an inline Chevy 230 ci 6. The Firebird's engine was one of those nasty Buick V-6's, the ones they used to stuff in the Skylark.

Well, the decision on motor type and size was based on a recommendation of my neighbor (true blue motorhead). While I helped, he did most of the retro-fitting and he did a heck of a good job. As he explained, we would have gone with a V8 but it was going to be a tighter fit that he thought was good and in as much as he had spent a number of years working for the Littrell Brothers building racing engines I surmised he had a lot more expertise than I did, which proved to be the obvious case. Not sure John DeLorean would be a good CEO since he's been dead since 2005 ... but then again, there had been more than a few deadbeat CEO's out there so it could be a perfect fit!

 

[captaincranky]

Well, the decision on motor type and size was based on a recommendation of my neighbor (true blue motorhead). While I helped, he did most of the retro-fitting and he did a heck of a good job. As he explained, we would have gone with a V8 but it was going to be a tighter fit that he thought was good and in as much as he had spent a number of years working for the Littrell Brothers building racing engines I surmised he had a lot more expertise than I did, which proved to be the obvious case. fit!

No, this is my point of reference for the Chevy V-6. "The 229 cid (3,751 cc) engine was first introduced for the 1980 model year. This engine replaced the 250 cid straight-six in full-size Chevrolets and Camaros as the new base V6.(from Wiki)" I am unfortunately, unaware of its applications before 1980, or in a conversion situation.

As I said previously , oddly, (IMHO), the Pontiac division elected to bypass any Chevy 6 option, (in 1979 anyway), and went with the Buick 6. The early versions had a firing order which made a car vibrate. A friend who fell heir to an early Buick "Skylark", re-dubbed it the "Vibro-Lark", for that very reason. I swapped the oil hungry, shot engine of my Firebird for what I thought was a direct replacement. But when it refused to start, I found the version I put in, had an entirely different firing order than the one I took out...