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The Rise and Fall of an American Icon: The DeLorean DMC-12

Steven Hayes

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Published in Power Failure: The Rise And Fall Of An American Icon

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Introduced at the 1981 New York Auto Show, the DeLorean DMC-12 was an instant sensation. With its sleek stainless steel body, gull-wing doors, and futuristic styling, it was unlike anything else on the road.

The DeLorean DMC-12 was the brainchild of John DeLorean, a former General Motors executive. DeLorean had a vision of creating a sports car that would be both stylish and affordable.

Power Failure: The Rise and Fall of an American Icon

by William D. Cohan

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Language	:	English
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To build his car, DeLorean founded the DeLorean Motor Company (DMC) in 1975. He chose Northern Ireland as the site for his factory, hoping to create jobs in an economically depressed region.

The DeLorean DMC-12 was a complex and expensive car to build. The stainless steel body was difficult to work with, and the gull-wing doors required a sophisticated engineering system.

Despite the challenges, DMC began production of the DeLorean DMC-12 in 1981. However, the company soon ran into financial problems. The car was more expensive than expected to produce, and sales were not as strong as hoped.

In 1982, DMC was forced to file for bankruptcy. John DeLorean was later arrested and charged with cocaine trafficking. The DeLorean DMC-12 factory was closed, and production of the car ceased.

Despite its short-lived production run, the DeLorean DMC-12 has become an iconic car. It has been featured in numerous movies and TV shows, including the popular Back to the Future trilogy.

Today, the DeLorean DMC-12 is a sought-after collector car. Values have been rising steadily in recent years, and some examples have sold for over $100,000.

The Rise of the DeLorean DMC-12

The DeLorean DMC-12 was the brainchild of John DeLorean, a former General Motors executive. DeLorean had a vision of creating a sports car that would be both stylish and affordable.

To build his car, DeLorean founded the DeLorean Motor Company (DMC) in 1975. He chose Northern Ireland as the site for his factory, hoping to create jobs in an economically depressed region.

The DeLorean DMC-12 was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, an Italian car designer who had previously worked on the Lotus Esprit and Ferrari 365 GTC4.

The car's most distinctive feature was its stainless steel body. Stainless steel is corrosion-resistant and does not require painting, which made it an ideal material for a sports car.

The DeLorean DMC-12 also had gull-wing doors, which were a popular feature on sports cars at the time. The doors were made of aluminum and were lightweight and easy to open.

Under the hood, the DeLorean DMC-12 was powered by a 2.8-liter V6 engine that produced 130 horsepower.

The DeLorean DMC-12 was introduced at the 1981 New York Auto Show, and it was an instant sensation. With its sleek styling and futuristic features, the car was unlike anything else on the road.

Sales of the DeLorean DMC-12 were strong at first, but they soon began to decline. The car was more expensive than expected to produce, and sales were not as strong as hoped.

The Fall of the DeLorean DMC-12

In 1982, DMC was forced to file for bankruptcy. John DeLorean was later arrested and charged with cocaine trafficking. The DeLorean DMC-12 factory was closed, and production of the car ceased.

There were a number of factors that contributed to the failure of the DeLorean DMC-12.

The car was more expensive than expected to produce.
Sales were not as strong as hoped.
DMC was poorly managed.
John DeLorean was arrested and charged with cocaine trafficking.

Despite its short-lived production run, the DeLorean DMC-12 has become an iconic car. It has been featured in numerous movies and TV shows, including the popular Back to the Future trilogy.

Today, the DeLorean DMC-12 is a sought-after collector car. Values have been rising steadily in recent years, and some examples have sold for over $100,000.

The DeLorean DMC-12 in Popular Culture

The DeLorean DMC-12 has been featured in numerous movies and TV shows, including the popular Back to the Future trilogy.

In Back to the Future, the DeLorean DMC-12 is a time machine that is used by Marty McFly and Dr. Emmett Brown to travel back to the past.

The DeLorean DMC-12 has also been featured in other movies and TV shows, such as Knight Rider, Miami Vice, and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.

The DeLorean DMC-12 has become an iconic car in popular culture. It is a symbol of the 1980s and is often associated with the Back to the Future movies.