1981 Delorean DMC-12 Coupe

Description

Perhaps best known for its starring role in the Back to the Future feature films, the DeLorean DMC-12 had enough interesting features in its own right to be of interest to classic car collectors and enthusiasts. The brainchild of the infamous John DeLorean, the DMC-12's shape was designed by Giugiaro and featured gullwing doors. Under the skin was a fibreglass underbody to which non load-bearing stainless steel panelling was attached. Powered by a rear-mounted 2.8-litre 'PRV' (Peugeot-Renault-Volvo) V6 it was available with a five-speed manual or rare three-speed automatic, and in two states of tune- 150bhp for Europe, and 130bhp in North American emissions tune (its key target market). The cars were constructed in Northern Ireland, after the Northern Ireland Development Agency put up around 100 million pounds towards the factory's construction, in an effort to reduce soaring unemployment. While the initial prototypes were completed in 1976, delays in the building process meant production commenced in 1981- but by late 1982, with founder DeLorean in jail, the company went bankrupt after approximately 9200 were produced.