DeLorean

Here Are 13 Fast Facts on the DeLorean DMC-12


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There's a solid chance that the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about the DeLorean DMC-12 is its central role as the time machine in the iconic '80s movie series Back to the Future. But the DMC-12 was an actual sports car produced by DeLorean Motor Company in the early '80s. In fact, the DMC-12 was the only model that DeLorean Motor Company produced, and despite the car's gull-wing doors and overall sleek and futuristic look, it was not a hit with consumers at the time.

Despite being a commercial failure, the DeLorean DMC-12 will have a legendary status for generations to come. Here are 13 facts about the DMC-12 that every car enthusiast should probably know.

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1. The DeLorean DMC-12 was only in production from 1981-1983 and was first produced in Northern Ireland.

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2. The "12" in DMC-12 was supposed to stand for the $12,000 that it was originally going to cost.

3. It ended up costing $25,000, which amounts to around $68,000 today.

4. The body of the DeLorean car is made from food-grade stainless steel, and you could actually pour gasoline on the body to clean exterior stains.

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5. Founder John Z. DeLorean personally thanked director Robert Zemeckis for immortalizing the car in the Back to the Future movies.

6. Over 12,000 DeLoreans would have been needed to produce the 1.21 Gigawatts of power needed in the movie.

7. Only 9,000 DeLorean DMC-12s were ever produced.

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8. Today, less than 6,500 DMC-12s still remain.

9. John DeLorean was originally the head of Pontiac and was responsible for such hits as the Pontiac GTO and the Pontiac Firebird.

10. In 1982, DeLorean was arrested with a briefcase full of cocaine. It was part of a $25 million drug deal he was trying to make in order to save his company.

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11. The DeLorean reportedly had a top speed of 130 MPH, but the speedometer only went to 85 MPH.

12. The speedometer in the Back to the Future DeLorean had to be specially made to read up to 95 MPH.

13. There was a gold-plated DeLorean option, but only three were ever sold.

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