“If you’re gonna build a time machine into a car, why not do it with some style?”
The words of wacky Doc Brown in Back To The Future could describe the life of John DeLorean, the rebel General Motors executive who set out on his own to build a futuristic sports car that would unexpectedly star in a hit movie trilogy and cement a place in popular culture.
Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the DMC-12 of 1981 featured a glass-fibre underbody wrapped in brushed, stainless steel panels. Unpainted, the mid-engined gullwing looked sensational but it was John DeLorean’s dramatic downfall and the coupé’s leading role in blockbuster Back To The Future that has given the car almost mythical status.
Christopher Lloyd drives the DMC-12 in Back to the Future 2, 1989 – Alamy
DeLorean’s financial troubles are well documented – as well as the FBI sting operation employed to catch the maverick car-maker in a fake cocaine deal worth $24 million. Charged with tax evasion and defrauding investors, he was eventually acquitted in 1985 on all counts, using the defence of police entrapment.
By then his business reputation was in tatters and the DeLorean Motor Company (DMC) had entered liquidation. Some 2,500 workers were laid off at a state-of-the-art factory in Northern Ireland, while DeLorean himself was going through a third divorce. So how did the DMC-12 land a lead role in Back To The Future, alongside Michael J Fox as time-travelling Marty McFly?
Michael J Fox with the DMC-12 in Back to the Future, 1985 – Alamy
The scriptwriters had wanted to use a domestic fridge as the travel machine but director Robert Zemeckis thought otherwise, fearing children might imitate the film and trap themselves inside. Instead, he chose the futuristic DeLorean because its distinctive upward-opening “gullwing” doors mirrored a spaceship.
“It was the perfect choice but at the time I really hated that movie and the car,” said DeLorean’s eldest daughter, Kat.
“I was eight when the film came out. Dad was headline news everywhere – he had to wear a bulletproof vest to the office and was in all kinds of trouble. Kids at school would tease my brother and I mercilessly, it was very cruel. Later, when people asked me if I owned a DMC-12, I would reply: ‘If there was an iconic representation of your life falling apart, would you park it on the driveway?’”
The DeLorean was chosen as the time machine in Back to the Future due to its distinctive ‘gullwing’ doors mirroring a spaceship – Alamy
The ‘new DeLorean’ Model-JZD also features gullwing doors
Later, the daughter of actress and fashion model Cristina Ferrare started interacting with a dedicated following of DMC-12 fans and her attitude softened. “Dad was my best friend but you have to remember he didn’t like the vehicle himself because he didn’t engineer the car of his dreams. He had to make a lot of concessions in order to get it built.
“Dad died in 2005 but he once told me that he was distracted by his ego and admiring his name on the trunk of the car. He said he forgot what he was trying to accomplish, he let everybody in Northern Ireland down and he never actually forgave himself.”
Kat DeLorean, 47, now lives in New Hampshire, USA and is the CEO of a non-profit body called DeLorean Next Generation (DNG). The organisation will use profits from a new sports car to fund educational opportunities.
“Model-JZD will have the look and character of dad’s DMC-12,” she said. “Naturally, gullwing doors are integral to the design.”
Model-JZD shares some of the original car’s angular shape
Being DeLorean, there’s controversy, too. Kat DeLorean is unhappy with a US company using the family name on a new EV coupé. The Alpha5 gullwing was announced in 2022 but has yet to go on sale. Meanwhile, French brand DAB is launching an electric motorbike inspired by the Back To The Future time machine.
Chris Williams, secretary of the DeLorean Owners’ Club in the UK, said the DMC-12 still had appeal for classic car enthusiasts of all ages. “The film certainly helped, it brings a new, more youthful audience to us all the time.
The DeLorean sequel is being developed by a non-profit
“For me, the attraction was the futuristic design of a car that looks modern even today. Many of our members were influenced by Back To The Future but we all receive a lot of interest wherever we drive.
“The DMC-12 is still a showstopper.”
Five other gullwing greats
Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing (1954-1957)
The original Gullwing set the trend for doors that open upwards – Bettmann
Launched at the New York Auto Show in 1954, the 300SL was the supercar of the era. Based on a successful Mercedes racing car, lift-up doors were revolutionary 70 years ago and added to the car’s mystique. The Gullwing was an immediate success – especially in the US, where Mercedes’ official importer, Max Hoffman, originally suggested the idea of a roadgoing version of the racer. The six-cylinder coupé was also the fastest production car of its time, with a top speed of 163mph.
Aston Martin Bulldog (1979-1980)
The Bulldog was designed by Aston Martin in the late 1970s to reach 200 mph, which it eventually managed last year – Getty
In 1980, incoming Aston chairman Victor Gauntlett shelved plans to put William Towns’ radically-styled coupé into production to save on costs. However, one 237mph concept car had been built in 1979, with lofty claims of being the fastest road car in the world. The 5.3-litre V8 never managed more than 191mph in testing – until last year when Aston Martin finally broke the 200mph barrier with the Bulldog on an airfield in Scotland.
Bristol Fighter (2004-2011)
The Bristol Fighter is one of the ultimate rarities – Matthew Richardson/Alamy Stock Photo
Bristol Cars is due to return in 2026, according to chairman Jason Wharton. He invested in the company’s assets five years ago after the British marque fell into liquidation. The 80-year-old brand’s list of luxurious if quirky models include the Fighter, which had a centrally-mounted Chrysler 8.0-litre V10 and was capable of more than 200mph. Only 13 were built, costing about £230,000 in 2004. Current values now exceed £200,000.
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG (2010-2014)
The SLS AMG was in some ways the spiritual successor to the original 300SL
A modern-day homage to the original 300SL Gullwing, the 2010 SLS was the first standalone car AMG built. The corporate grille may not be to everybody’s taste but gullwing doors gave the £230,000 tourer superstar appeal. A development of the Mercedes-McLaren SLR, the SLS offered a thunderous soundtrack from a 6.2-litre, 563bhp V8 that fell just short of 200mph.
BMW i8 (2014-2020)
The distinctive BMW i8 is a future classic – olgun kordal
Although canned in 2020 after a modest six-year production run, the hybrid coupé has all the credentials of a future classic. Although it was built in low numbers, BMW poured huge amounts into the i8’s development to showcase the brand’s future direction using battery technology. Yes, it is powered by a 1.5-litre Mini engine and a small, 129bhp electric motor but the ground-breaking i8 looks as good today as it did at launch 10 years ago.
