DeLorean returns with the rebirth of the iconic DMC-12
The famous DeLorean DMC-12 – made iconic by the Back to The Future franchise – is to be recreated in a limited run of 300.
The American DeLorean Motor Company produced around 9,000 of the sports car in its short lifetime, prior to the company declaring bankruptcy in 1982. Only 6,500 are believed to still exist.
Love for the car made at least a partial comeback when, in 1995, British mechanic Stephen Wynne began refurbishing DMC-12’s in Texas and selling them on.
The car was notoriously mediocre to drive and own, and its charm appeared to lie entirely with its nostalgic value, but now Wynne – whose own company now bears the DeLorean Motor Company name – is manufacturing small numbers of the car.
Wynne intends to keep the design the same, but will alter how the car runs as and when relevant issues emerge. The first prototype is expected to be ready by early 2017, and the vehicles may cost as much as $100,000 depending on the choice of engine Wynne decides upon.
This venture has been made possible by the passing of The Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act of 2015, introduced in the US last summer, which allows small companies to produce and sell working replicas of classic cars without the need for expensive safety and emissions tests. Large vehicle manufacturers must follow such rules, but their prohibitive cost is no longer an issue for minor businesses thanks to the act.