Is the DeLorean DMC-12 returning to the market 30 years later?

If you are a fan of good 1980s science fiction cinema, you surely know which car we are talking about. The DeLorean DMC-12 was the one chosen by Doc Brown to turn it into a fantastic time machine that could also make those journeys through time in great style. Or so they believed in 1985, when the film premiered. The company that manufactured it could only produce a few units, and some of them were the ones that took part in the film, once it had already been withdrawn from the market.

Last year was considered “the year of Back to the Future“, since it was the year in which its protagonist, Marty McFly, arrived in his future, so all the news about the technological advances that were announced at the time was thoroughly reviewed. And one of the most talked-about news items was the return of the legendary vehicle he drives in the film saga. Will it really be true that this model is going to come back?

Apparently, yes. It will not be a model “per se“, but rather it will be considered a replica of the popular model. US law allows small manufacturers to release older models, over 30 years old, but in limited quantities. DeLorean Motor Company, which no longer has anything to do with the company that originally produced the model, could be considering the option of launching around 300 units of the model and offering a car designed not for everyday users, but for fans of the saga who want to get one.

Some clarifications. It will not be the “tuned” version as a time machine, but the car as it was originally designed. This presents a small (or not so small) handicap, since it is a 1980 model, with all the characteristics of a car from that era, so far removed from what is sought in a car today.

To overcome that obstacle, the company is expected to report whether it will apply any of the innovations that have been incorporated into cars over the last few years to update its specifications. The engine is another of the mysteries surrounding this car. Will it be an update of the 2.85-litre V6 engine it originally came with, or will they use a new block that has nothing to do with it?

The first reports speak of a 2.6-litre engine capable of producing 350 to 400 CV, but nothing is definitive. What is expected is that the parts will be original, since according to the company, there are millions of parts stored in its facilities, so they will not have to manufacture new ones. These parts have been used to create customised models and to restore some of those on the market, which, although few, are very popular.

The second handicap that DeLorean Motor Company will face will be the price. They expect to sell the new DMC-12 at a price of 100,000 dollars, double what one of the originals costs. There was an attempt to bring it back commercially in 2012, but with an electric motor, although the idea came to nothing. So, do you think this iconic movie car will finally be on the market?

Source | Autoexpress