Many people dream of seeing their name on a car company, but few achieve that goal. Of those, only the lucky and astute achieve sales success. Others crash and burn, sometimes quietly, and others are spectacular failures. The DeLorean Motor Company falls into the latter category, with its story still causing some to shake their heads in disbelief over four decades after the last car left the factory. This 1981 DeLorean is an early example that presents well, and the seller is motivated to find it a new home. They have listed it here on eBay in Santa Ana, California. They set their No Reserve auction to open at $40,000, and while the listing statistics are impressive, they haven’t translated into a single bid.

John Zachary DeLorean was a charming individual and is often considered the father of the muscle car era following his time at Pontiac. A brash extrovert, he found the corporate environment at General Motors stifling. Therefore, he resigned his position as Vice President of cars and trucks in 1973, setting out to fulfill the dream of creating a marque bearing his name. The DMC DeLorean, a car penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro, finally hit the market in January 1981 after overcoming many hurdles during its development. To describe the car as striking would be a masterly understatement. It was impossible to ignore the stainless steel panels and the gullwing doors, two features that divided opinions. This early example appears to be in good condition, although the listing images graphically demonstrate a DeLorean weakness. The brushed stainless steel is challenging to keep clean, and there are plenty of handprints and smudges visible in the photos. These aren’t permanent issues, but it is easy to see why owners spend so many hours cleaning the exteriors of these classics. The panels are straight, and if the epoxy coating is intact, this dry-climate survivor should be rust-free. The doors appear to function as they should, and the glass is clear.

Unfortunately, the seller supplies no engine bay photos. However, an embedded video in their listing features the car’s 2.8-liter V6 running, and it sounds clean and crisp. Fortunately, the first owner resisted the temptation of the optional three-speed automatic transmission, which severely hampered the performance of a car delivering a mere 130hp. Instead, they selected the five-speed manual transmission, while power-assisted steering and brakes were standard DeLorean fare. Refreshingly, the seller doesn’t make outrageous mileage claims, confirming that this classic shows 80,000 miles on its odometer. How it drives is a mystery, but the indications are positive.

The DeLorean wasn’t cheap, and buyers expected creature comforts for their considerable outlay. The company delivered, equipping each car with air conditioning, power windows, power locks, power mirrors, a leather-wrapped tilt wheel, a rear defogger, and an AM/FM radio/cassette player with a power antenna. This car’s original sound system has been replaced by a modern stereo with rear-mounted speakers, but these appear to be the only aftermarket additions. The leather-upholstered surfaces are in great condition, with only slight wear on the right side of the steering column, where it has rubbed when raised and lowered. The wear-prone carpet is surprisingly clean for a DeLorean with 80,000 miles on the clock, and there are no signs of plastic issues or UV damage.

Had someone pitched the story of the DeLorean Motor Company as a movie script about a fictitious car company, most Hollywood studios would have deemed it completely implausible. After all, how many marques are founded on sky-high optimism, unrealistic expectations, dodgy business dealings, poor engineering, embezzlement, and criminal activities? The DeLorean story ticks those boxes, and had it not been for a 1980s movie franchise, this car may have quietly disappeared into the dusty pages of automotive history. However, the once unloved has become pretty desirable. The seller’s opening bid figure on this classic isn’t cheap, but it aligns with market expectations. It has generated considerable interest since hitting the market, but there has been no genuine auction action. With No Reserve in play, someone could become its new owner with a single bid. Is that thought enough to tempt you, or doesn’t a DeLorean tick the boxes for you?