DeLorean DMC-12
Stainless steel, gull-wing doors and a factory near Belfast.
The story
American car boss John DeLorean built his dream sports car in Northern Ireland with British government money. Lotus engineered the chassis. The car was slower than it looked, the company collapsed in 1982, and then Back to the Future made it immortal.
Inside
Grey or black leather, a high centre console and tiny toll-booth windows set into the big doors. American law at the time meant the speedometer stopped at 85 mph.
In period colours
Tap a colour to respray the drawing.
The body panels are unpainted brushed stainless steel. Every car left the factory the same colour.
On screen
Back to the Future Film, 1985
Doc Brown builds his time machine out of a DeLorean. It needs 88 mph and 1.21 gigawatts.
Meanwhile, in 1981
Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer, and the first London Marathon was run.
Best-selling single of 1981: Don't You Want Me by The Human League
Before you buy a 1980s car
- Check for rust in the usual places, though many cars from this decade were better protected.
- Electrical and fuel system faults are common, so test everything.
- Parts for mass-market cars are usually easy to find.
General notes, not specific to this model. Check the model's own history before buying.
Rivals of its day
Picked automatically: cars on sale at the same time with similar size, speed and price.
See the real thing
These open in a new tab: the car on Wikimedia Commons, the interior and the badge as Google image searches.