Delorean

The DMC DeLorean is a rear-engine two-passenger sports car manufactured and marketed by John DeLorean's DeLorean Motor Company (DMC) from 1981 until 1983. The design was by Giorgetto Giugiaro, it had gull-wing doors and brushed stainless-steel body panels. The engine originally planned for the car was a wankel engine but eventually the fuel-injected V6 PRV engine (Peugeot-Renault-Volvo) was selected. As a result, the engine location went from mid-engine to a rear-engine location in the production vehicle. The first production car was completed on January 21, 1981. The automotive press was generally complimentary, most American car magazines generally made positive remarks about the car, particularly its daily-driver qualities, like the comfortable seats on longer drives, unexpected ease of in- and egress in tight parking, and for such a low car, spacious trunk, pleasant smell of the standard leather seats in the cabin, and commendable fuel economy. However, they argued that the DeLorean was more a GT car, offering enjoyable handling and performance in real life traffic than a sports car given its disappointing performance in comparative testing. In order to train the workforce, a small number of pre-production DeLoreans were produced with fiberglass bodies. After several delays and cost overruns, production at the Dunmurry factory in Ireland, finally began in late 1980. DMC changed the name DMC-12 on its now $25,000 car in favor of the model name DeLorean. The DeLorean sports car, as it was described in advertisements, began production in December 1980 with the first production car rolling off the assembly line on January 21st , 1981, During production numerous minor revisions were implemented. Prior to the release of the DeLorean, there was a waiting list of eager buyers, many of whom paid over the advised selling price. However, production output soon far exceeded sales volume. October 1981 was the highest month of sales for DMC with 720 vehicles sold but by December, the US was falling into recession and interest rates were rising which further negatively impacted sales. Despite this, instead of reducing production, John DeLorean doubled production output, further adding to the inventory of unsold cars. By the end of 1981, DMC had produced 7,500 cars but had sold only 3,000. By this point, DMC was in a financial hardship having sold only 350 units in January 1982 and in February of that year, DMC was placed into receivership. In February 1982, unsold 1981 model year cars were "priced for immediate clearance" in hopes to make room for the more expensive 1982 model year cars. In March, telegrams were sent to all 343 dealerships requesting each buy six cars to help save the company; none of the dealers responded with a sales order. By this point, dealers were sitting on unsold inventory as were the quality assurance centers and hundreds more sitting on the docks in Long Beach, California. By the end of May 1982, production at the factory was shut down. The DeLorean Motor Company was placed into receivership in February 1982 and filed bankruptcy on October 26th of that year, just a few days after the arrest of its founder, John DeLorean, on drug-trafficking charges. Consolidated International purchased the unsold and partially completed DeLorean’s still on the production line and assembled approximately 100 cars which were completed by December 24th , 1982. The total production reached about 9,000 units Though its production was short-lived, the DeLorean became widely known after it was featured as the time machine in the Back to the Future films.

EZ Power Steering and DeLorean

You would think that such a modern car with standard A/C and electric windows would also have power steering but it was never offered from the factory, not even as an option. The standard steering is a manual rack and pinion with an overall steering ratio of 14.9:1, giving 2.65 turns lock-to-lock and a quite large 35-foot (11 m) turning circle. EZ Power Steering produces a new upper steering column with integrated electric power steering that replaces the original steering column. It transforms the useability of the Delorean, making the car so much more comfortable to steer at low speeds. That’s how you bring your Delorean back to the future!