Automotive History Online

Delorean Motor Car LTD.

1975-1982

John Delorean started his auto career at Chrysler Corporation in 1952 after only a year he moved to the Packard Motor Company. His time at Packard was fruitful but the company was falling on hard times and just as Packard merged with Studebaker Corporation. John decided to take an offer to join General Motors, John accepted a position at Pontiac Motor Division, during his time at Pontiac he was responsible for many great cars such as the G.T.O the first muscle car. He also had a hand in the Firebird as well as the 1969 Grand Prix, In February 1969 he left Pontiac for Chevrolet Motor Division, He was to head Chevrolet for the next three years.  In 1972, Delorean was appointed to the position of vice president of car and truck production for the entire General Motors line. I appeared he was on his way to being President of General Motors but in April of 1973 John Delorean resigned from General Motors. He told the press I have things I want to do in the social area, I have to do them and unfortunately the nature of our business just didn’t permit me to do as much as I wanted. 1975 He formed the Delorean Motor Car LTD, he built his Delorean factory in Northern Ireland for the inexpensive labor. He started production of the DMC-12 in early 1981, but by  February of 1982 the company had fallen in receivership.  It had produced just under 10,000 cars before it was ordered shut down by the British government in November of 1982.  John DeLorean died at Overlook Hospital in Summit, New Jersey on March 19, 2005 from a stroke, He was 80 years old.

Below is a rare photo of the Delorean Safe Vehicle or DSV, it is the prototype of what would become the DMC-12

1981 Delorean DMC12

Even though the Delorean Motor Car Company only produced one model of car,  A company in Houston Texas has purchased nearly all of the remaining stock, they now sell refurbished DMC-12's and new OEM parts for them. Will there ever be a new  Delorean, it's not likely.  But here are a couple of Concept Cars  drawing's that make you wonder what the DMC would look like today if the company had made a go of it.

Concept  Drawing 2004 DMC

Concept Drawing 2005 Delorean

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