First of all, let me get this clear. There will be no Back to the Future jokes in this post regarding the DeLorean. None.
DeLorean Motor Company has announced an intention to start building a small amount of new DeLorean motor cars in 2017 after settling an out-of-court legal battle with John DeLorean’s widow, Sally, who claimed the Texas-based DeLorean Motor Company had been illegally using the DeLorean name.
The move expected to see the original DeLorean DMC-12 tooling and presses being used to build replicas of the infamous car but using off-the-shelf engines and transmission from another manufacturer to past strict US emission laws.
However, the 2017 target has been missed.
In a statement on its website, DMC said:
“A number of hurdles exist before production can begin, and we’re still early on in this process of determining the feasibility of moving forward.”
Changes in the law have allowed production to commence
DeLorean have been able to use a new section of US Law, the Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act, which DeLorean says “creates a reasonable regulatory structure allowing small companies to produce a limited number of completed replica motor vehicles that resemble the appearance of cars produced 25 years ago or more”.
DeLorean Will Buy Crated Engines From Another Manufacturer
The new cars would have to be fitted with a modern engine (motor if you’re American) to ensure that the cars would pass stringent emissions tests. It would simply cost too much for the manufacturer to design and build their own engines as they only intend to build around 300 cars a year. This means that the car is likely to get to 88mph much faster than the original DMC-12. [D’oh! I made a Back to the Future reference.]
What will a new DMC-12 cost?
The cars are expected to retail for between $80,000 and £100,000; around £62,000.
NO New Models
Despite the internet and social media suggesting that there have been concepts drawn up in plans for an all-new model of DeLorean the company has no current plans to launch a new model.
Businessman, camping enthusiast, Formula One fan and Real Ale drinker.
should be built… even if…. just sayn
Abso effin lootly
I have a Delorean. The Delorean above would be a nice change. Isn’t the Delorean a Lotus lookalike anyway
From Wikipedia: “The entire car was deemed to require almost complete re-engineering, which was turned over to engineer Colin Chapman, founder and owner of Lotus Cars. Chapman replaced most of the unproven material and manufacturing techniques with those then employed by Lotus, like the steel backbone chassis.” Colin Chapman – F1 legend. He pioneered the use of struts as a rear suspension device. Even today, struts used in the rear of a vehicle are known as Chapman struts, while virtually identical suspension struts for the front are known as MacPherson struts that were invented 10 years earlier in 1949.
BUT
“From 1978 until his death, Chapman was involved with the American tycoon, John DeLorean, in his development of a stainless steel sports car, to be built in a factory funded by the British government. Approximately £10 million of British taxpayers’ money, equivalent to £40 million in 2010, went missing. The original concept design was for a mid-engine sports car, however difficulty in securing the original Wankel engine rights and design complications led to the rear-engine mount design. This concept would later be sold to Toyota and go on to become the AW11 MR2.
Chapman died before the full deceit unravelled but, at the subsequent trial of Fred Bushell, the Lotus accountant, the judge insisted that, had Chapman himself been in the dock, he would have received a sentence “of at least 10 years”.
Thank you what a shame. Needs an update and the one above is very nice.