Just because something seems like a good idea doesn’t necessarily mean it actually is. Take John DeLorean and the car bearing his name. It featured stunning styling penned by an industry legend, and a body clad in eye-catching material. Throw in a rear-engine drivetrain and gullwing doors, and it could have been a winner. However, DeLorean would have been wiser to keep his money in his wallet, because the project sent almost everyone involved bankrupt. We’ve seen a few of these classics at Barn Finds, but the fact that this car left the factory in 1983 makes it one of the last produced. It presents extremely well and has a genuine 41,000 miles on the clock. The seller has listed the DeLorean here on eBay in Kissimmee, Florida. Bidding sits below the seller’s reserve at $25,100, although there is a BIN of $85,000 for enthusiasts who view this car as a must-have classic.
The automotive world is filled with giants within their chosen field of expertise. Mention the name Giorgetto Giugiaro, and the thoughts of many turn to such exotics as the Lotus Esprit and the De Tomaso Mangusta. A legend in his field, Giugiaro also penned the design for what would become the DMC DeLorean. John DeLorean chose a left-field approach to his glorious creation, affixing stainless panels to a fiberglass underbody. This assembly was then bolted to an epoxy-coated backbone chassis, a modified version of the frame used in the Lotus Esprit. Considering that Colin Chapman was heavily involved in the development and engineering process, this is unsurprising. The history of this car is unclear, although its presentation appears to be first-rate. The brushed stainless steel is consistent across all panels, with no evidence of significant bumps or bruises. The urethane bumpers match much better than many similar examples that we have previously seen at Barn Finds. If the frame’s epoxy coating is intact, rust shouldn’t be a problem. The glass is clear, and the unique wheels are spotless.
Initially only available trimmed in Black leather, DeLorean introduced Gray interior trim in mid-1981. It proved popular because the darker shade made the interior appear quite oppressive. This car’s Gray leather is in excellent condition, with no significant wear or other problems. The carpet is clean, and there is no broken plastic. The DMC DeLorean was an expensive beast, but the company loaded the interior with air conditioning, power windows, power locks, power mirrors, a tilt/reach wheel, a rear defogger, and a power antenna to justify the sticker price. We’ve seen a fair number of these classics over the years, and this is one of only a handful that retains its DMC-branded radio/cassette player. However, the shifter poking through the leather-clad console confirms that this is also the least desirable version of the DeLorean.
Thousands, and possibly millions of words have been written about John DeLorean’s vision for his creation. He envisaged a mid-engined sports car powered by a Ford V6 or a Wankel rotary. However, his inability to secure supply contracts with those manufacturers led to the decision to source the PRV (Peugeot/Renault/Volvo) 2.8-liter V6. Colin Chapman knew that with no development or engineering budget available, compromises were the order of the day. Therefore, he rear-mounted the V6, sending the power to the road via a five-speed manual transaxle. One of the few options was a three-speed automatic, which this car’s first owner chose. With only 130hp with 153 ft/lbs of torque at the driver’s disposal, the 2,700 lb DeLorean was not a fast car in manual form, and was significantly slower with the self-shifter. The seller doesn’t mention evidence verifying this classic’s odometer reading, but the condition makes it plausible. They confirm that the car runs and drives well, making it a turnkey proposition.
The automotive world can be strange, and cars that seem to represent rock-solid investments when new sometimes fail to meet expectations. Likewise, the initially unloved can become keenly sought years later. Such is the case with this 1983 DMC DeLorean. The company only sold approximately 276 of these cars in 1983 before the financial axe fell. The overall production figure was well below John DeLorean’s expectations, with many factors contributing to the demise. This car demonstrates how times have changed, because it has already received thirty-one bids. The climbing Watch List figure suggests there is more to come, although I suspect the first owner’s choice of an automatic transmission means it won’t threaten the BIN figure. Do you agree?
41,000 miles for $85,000? Way too much. I understand that DeLoreans have escalated in price over the last few years, but this is too high mileage to warrant that type of asking price. Usually, it would be in the 20,000-mile range to successfully get a price like this. This is a $65,000 car…maximum.
The original plan was for the body to be made entirely of a plastic compound that John Z Delorean had bought the rights to produce and thought it would be perfect. It wasn’t.: Colin Chapman was brought into entirely re-engineer the body and suspension, an expensive and time-consuming delay.
My understanding was General Motors knew Wankel was the originally specified engine and the compact motor would have been mounted midship. When that motor was canceled, they wound up with the PVR six, hanging out back like a Corvair. I think we know what that does for handling.
The original plan was for the body to be made entirely of a plastic compound that John Z Delorean had bought the rights to make and thought it would be perfect. It wasn’t.: Colin Chapman was brought into entirely re-engineer the body and suspension, an expensive and time-consuming delay.
My understanding was General Motors new Wankel was the original plan and the compact motor would have been mounted midship. When that motor was canceled, they wound up with the PVR six, hanging out back like a Corvair. I think we know what that does for handling.
these are falling out of wherever they have been stored lately and selling for stupid money as well. not seeing the lure of them and was not a fan of the movie either but i guess those paying the high prices are. good for them.
Is this a project car?
AI Overviews says: “A Back to the Future clone or replica of a 1983 DMC DeLorean typically sells between $120,000 and $160,000.”
That’s a lot of head room to play with if you buy this one right. Where’s my torch?
Such a shame that these cars were so under-powered, they could have been so much more with 200+ hp. Can’t say it would matter to me whether it has a stick or an automatic transmission, it’s a dog either way.
DeLorean was a good idea car, same as Bricklin was, it just had some HorsePower missing, a lot of it
Whatever may be or may have been…my wife owns one: it turns heads and brings smiles all the time everywhere we drive. And it’s surprisingly comfortable. We just drove 2000 miles to join the brand’s 45th anniversary in Belfast: 120 DeLorean gathered there, and not just BTTF fans. The car has entered legend status…
Way too much for a automatic.