The DeLorean Motor Company (DMC) is an American-Irish automobile manufacturer, responsible for the famous car in the “Back to the Future” trilogy, commonly known as the DeLorean (or DMC-12). The company enjoyed only brief success before going bankrupt in 1982, and its other models are not remembered for a long time… A brief history of the Irish car company, whose success was short-lived…
DeLorean Motor Company was founded on October 24, 1975 by John DeLorean, a wealthy businessman based in Michigan. He was soon looking for factories in which to produce his cars, and Ireland came to mind. At the time, Des O’Malley, Minister for Industry and Commerce, spoke out against the project and refused to allow DeLorean to set up in the Republic of Ireland…
Fortunately for the businessman, Northern Ireland took a different view of the situation, and the NIDA (Northern Ireland Development Agency) decided to make him an offer to set up his factories in Northern Ireland, thus creating numerous jobs in areas hard hit by unemployment.
Delighted, John DeLorean set up his factories in Dunmurry, not far from Belfast, and benefited from a hundred million dollars in state subsidies. Six buildings with a total surface area of 61,000m² have been constructed.
As early as 1978, the automaker designed the DMC-12, a car with innovative shapes, gullwing doors and a body made from stainless steel. Mass production was scheduled for 1979, but delays meant that the DMC-12 was not produced until 1981. The first cars suffered from the sometimes sloppy work of some inexperienced workers.
Nevertheless, by 1982, the model was improving, as was its quality, and buyers were flocking to the gates to buy the car…
Despite its success, the DMC-12 received a lukewarm reception: the car was criticized for its underpowered engine, as well as for its difficult-to-maintain stainless steel bodywork… What’s more, the DMC-12 costs more than $25,000
astronomical for customers…
Production of the DMC-12 model is perhaps too ambitious a project for the company… The company’s accounts soon ran out of steam, hampered by exorbitant production costs and low sales of the vehicle… While the company produces between 10,000 and 12,000 vehicles a year, only 6,000 are sold each year…
Faced with this critical situation, the company decided to restructure by creating a holding company: the DeLorean Motors Holding Company, bringing together the DeLorean Motor Company and its subsidiaries DeLorean Motor Cars Limited (manufacturer), DeLorean Motor Cars of America (US distributor) and DeLorean Research Partnership (research and development).
Unfortunately, nothing worked, and John DeLorean asked the British government for help, but was refused. And as misfortunes don’t come alone, John DeLorean is accused in October 1982 of being involved in a drug trafficking affair…
The FBI and DEA suspect him of having trafficked over $24 million worth of cocaine. These accusations are based on a videotape showing DeLorean discussing this merchandise with undercover FBI agents. Despite this, the businessman is acquitted, but suffers from a terrible reputation.
Unable to save its business, the DeLorean Motor Company went bankrupt at the end of 1982, laying off 2,500 employees and closing the factory. John DeLorean decided to leave Northern Ireland for New England, where he died on March 19, 2005 in New Jersey.
It wasn’t until 1985 that the DMC-12 model enjoyed a revival, appearing as the star car in the “Back to the Future” film trilogy (1985-1990). People are taking a keen interest in this atypical car, to say the least, and some classic car enthusiasts are forming a “community of enthusiasts”… Clubs are formed, and some collectors fight to acquire a DeLorean… Today, it is estimated that over 6000 DeLoreans are still on the road… As for their purchase price, it has skyrocketed to between 10,000 and 30,000 euros…
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