From the Classifieds: 1981 DMC DeLorean
Whether you’re talking fantasy or reality, the DMC DeLorean coupe belongs in a place few other cars inhabit.The rear-engined, gullwing-doored and unpainted stainless steel-clad DMC DeLorean coupe was more hyperspace than hypercar. A physical presence between 1981 and 1983, it’s been an almost metaphysical presence ever since.
Though it was the star of the Back to the Future movie series beginning in 1985 and though it rode with the kerb-high other-worldliness of an Italian exotic, the two-seat coupe was, in the real world, little more than a cool-looking sports car.
Conceived and developed in America, assembled in Ireland and powered by a V6 engine co-developed by Peugeot Renault and Volvo, the DeLorean coupe was styled by Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiario and set up for the road by Lotus founder Colin Chapman.
For US film-maker Robert Zemeckis the DeLorean was a golden opportunity to showcase American car-building talents. Company founder John DeLorean probably wasn’t aware of it at the time, but those movies pretty much guaranteed the coupe’s immortality. Even people without any great interest in cars knew – and still know – about the heroic, time-travelling DeLorean.
That’s all very well. But, in the real world, the DeLorean was beset by the over-ambitious plans of the company’s founder and the fact that, despite looking the part, it was not a performance car at all. With less than 100kW on hand, the DeLorean’s 2.8-litre V6 was scorned by the more brutal European exotics with racetrack DNA in their blood. It talked the talk but hardly walked the walk.
But hey, it’s pretty certain John DeLorean never had thoughts about his love-child mixing it competitively with the likes of Ferrari or Porsche in the hard-bitten world of motorsport. Although a very quick turbo version was developed, there were never any Caroll Shelby-style aspirations at DeLorean.
The turbo DeLorean came too late anyway. On the back of over-ambitious sales expectations which saw an over-supply of cars being built, DeLorean went into bankruptcy in 1982 after making around 9000 vehicles.
In some ways all this makes it a surprise to discover that the DeLorean coupe was actually a living, breathing reality. And that it’s still possible to buy one, even in Australia.
Take for example this very neatly presented 1981 model that’s offered through carsales.com.au for $88,000.
If you were talking about a mid-engined V12 supercar, the price would sound a bargain. But of course with nothing more than a relatively low-powered 2.8-litre engine sitting within its shapely form, a supercar the DeLorean is not.
The car shown here, according to its owner who lives in Kurrajong, NSW, has an odometer reading of just 34,000km and is in such good condition that it could be mistaken “for a new car.” Encouragingly, its provenance is supported by the original sales receipt, books and workshop manuals.
Admit it: The DMC DeLorean may not have been a balls-out performance car with full Euro racetrack credibility, but who today wouldn’t mind a neat two-seat coupe that’s capable of transporting you into a century other than the one we’re living in right now?
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