Production Run

8,583 Cars In Total

Approximate figure, were manufactured, spanning three model years, 1981 to 1983, and two calendar years.

1981 : 6,539 cars

Several hundred fibre-glass 'black cars' without the Steel Panels bolted on were produced to train the workforce. These were not sold on to the public (rumoured to be numbered VIN 0 to 499).

• VIN 500 : First car manufactured
  Currently on display in the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.
• VIN 560-7199 : Production cars for which DMC recognized warranty service claims [DMC SC-06-7/82].
• VIN 4300-4301 : Two Gold plated American Express cars. The 1st car (VIN 4301, with Auto Trans.) was originally purchased by Roger Mize, president of Snyder National Bank in Snyder, the car sat in the bank lobby for 20 years but is now being loaned to the Petersen Automotive Museum of Los Angeles. The second car (VIN 4300, with Manual Trans.) is located at the William F. Harrah Foundation / National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada.

1982 : 1,126 cars (Approx.)

• VIN 10001-110xx Manufactured in late 81. Exact numbers uncertain, but over 1127 cars in series.
• VIN 110xx- Manufactured in early 82. Exact numbers uncertain. Most quality issues were solved by 1982 and the cars were sold with a five-year, 50,000-mile (80,000 km) warranty.

1983 : 918 cars (Approx.)

• VIN 15000 -
• VIN 16000 - Primarily handled by KAPAC (Consolidated) as middleman.
• VIN 17000 - Approximately 100 cars produced for Canadian market (SSI).
• VIN 20000 -20104 Cars assembled by plant managers after plant closed. Last car prduced 24/12/82 (SSI).
• VIN 20105 - Gold plated and the last car manufactured. This car was assembled with spare parts that were acquired by American Express. All necessary gold-plated parts were on hand, with the exception of one door. The car was assembled after another door was gold-plated, though the added door does not precisely match the rest of the car in color and grain. The car was first acquired by the winner of a department store raffle organised by Consolidated International (now KAPAC). Now held by a private owner in La Vale, Maryland, it is currently for sale at the price of $250,000. Both this car and the gold car in Reno (VIN 4300) are the only cars to have saddle-brown leather interiors, a color scheme which was intended to become an option on later production cars. Insurance costs for the gold vehicles were approximately $1,000 a month (in 1981 dollars) and a small dent in the car body could cost as much as $24,000 to repair.

Commentary

The first prototype was completed in 1978. Production began officially in 1981 at the DMC factory in Dunmurry, Northern Ireland. During its production, several aspects of the car were changed, such as the hood (bonnet) style, wheels and interior. About 8,583 DMC-12s were made before production ended in 1983, and as of 2006, 6,000 are estimated to be in existence. Despite being produced in Northern Ireland, DMC-12s were primarily intended for the American market. Only 23 right-hand drive models were made for use in the United Kingdom, and as of 2002 these are valued at £25,000 each.

Engine

• Type : Light-alloy 90deg V6, with overhead camshafts.
• Displacement : 2.849 liters (174 cubic inches)
• Bore & Stroke : 91x73mm
• Compression Ratio : 8.8:1
• Block Type : Light-alloy with cast iron cylinder liners.
• Cylinder Heads : Light-alloy, cross-flow, hemi-chambers.
• Cooling System : Water/Ethylene Glycol, radiator forward with twin thermostatically controlled fans
• Fuel system : C.I.S. Fuel-injection, Bosch K-Jetronic
• Ignition System : Breakerless, electronic/Bosch.
• Emission Control : Lambda Sond/catalytic, unleaded fuel.

Commentary

The car's rear-mounted engine was originally supposed to be a Citroën Wankel rotary engine, but was replaced for performance reasons. The PRV-6 engine, jointly developed by Peugeot, Renault, and Volvo, is derived from the Volvo B28F, fitted with a Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection system and modified to be mounted in reverse. The PRV is a 90-degree layout and displaces 2.849 L (91 mm bore, 73 mm stroke). The engine features single overhead camshafts driving two valves per cylinder. When new, this engine was rated for 97 kW (130 hp) at 5,500 rpm and 208 N·m (153 ft lbf) at 2750 rpm. Fuel efficiency was said to be 12 L/100 km (19 mpg US, 22.8 mpg Imperial) and unofficial tests largely support this figure. The engine in the DMC-12 is mounted behind the rear axle, much like the VW Beetle and Porsche 911. The transaxle stretches forward between the axles.

Drivetrain

• Engine location rear-mounted.
• Manual transmission 5 speed, fully synchronized or
  3 speed automatic.
• Final drive Trans-axle/dbl. univ. half-shafts, ratio 3.44:1.

Commentary

The manual transmission is a Renault 30 gearbox. Most cars were fitted with manual transmissions.

Body

• Construction : Structural-composite underbody with corrosion free outer body panels; 304 Stainless Steel.

Outer Skin

304 Stainless Steel Panels
8 Pieces
Polyurethane
Front & Rear Fascias
2 Pieces
ABS Plastic Rear Louvre
1 Piece

Under Body

Black Fibreglass
2 Pieces

Backbone Chassis

Steel With Rubberised
Weather Coating
3 Pieces

Commentary

The brushed SS304 stainless steel panels are fixed to a glass-reinforced plastic (GRP, fiberglass) monocoque underbody. The underbody is affixed to a double-Y frame chassis, derived from the Lotus Esprit platform. All throughout the design, prototype and final production process, the original Giorgetto Giugiaro body design was left mostly intact, as were the distinctive stainless steel outer skin and gull-wing doors. Giugiaro also designed the Lotus Esprit.

Chassis

• Construction : Corrosion protected steel backbone frame with fore and aft wishbones, supporting cross members and 4-wheel independent suspension; controlled impact crush.

Commentary

William T. Collins and DeLorean envisioned a chassis produced from a new and untested manufacturing technology known as Elastic Reservoir Moulding (ERM), which would contribute to the light-weight characteristics of the car while presumably lowering its production costs. This new technology, for which DeLorean had purchased patent rights, would eventually be found to be unsuitable for mass production.

Suspension

• Front : Compliant, unequal length wishbones and coil boxed spring, telescopic shock absorbers and anti-roll bar.
• Rear : Compliant, diagonal trailing radius arms with upper and lower links, coil spring with telescopic shock absorbers.

Commentary

The underbody and suspension of the DMC-12 were based largely on the Lotus Esprit, with a four-wheel independent suspension, coil springs, and telescopic shock absorbers. The front suspension used double wishbones, while the rear was a multi-link setup. In its original development stages, the car is said to have handled quite well. Considering that Lotus's reputation was built largely on the handling prowess of the cars the company produced, the DMC-12's smooth ride wasn't a surprise. Unfortunately, changing safety standards in the U.S. required modifications to the suspension system and an increase in the vehicle's factory ride height (in particular, the height of the front springs), both of which had adverse effects on the car's handling capabilities.

Steering

• Type : Rack and pinion
• Min. Turn : 5.334 meters (17.5 feet)
• Turning Circle : 10.67m, curb to curb (35 ft)
• Wheel Turns : 2.65 (lock to lock)

Commentary

Steering was rack and pinion, with an overall steering ratio of 14.9:1, giving 2.65 turns lock-to-lock and a 35 ft (10.67 m) turning circle.

Brakes

• Type : Power assisted discs, front and rear
• Disc Diameter Front : 254mm (10")
• Disc Diameter Rear : 267mm (10.5")
• Rear Disc Parking Brake : Mechanical, self adjusting

Commentary

The DMC-12 features power-assisted disc brakes on all wheels, with 10 in (254 mm) rotors front and 10.5 in (267 mm) rear.

Wheels & Tyres

• Wheels : Cast light alloy
  Front : 357mm x 152mm (14" x 6")
  Rear : 381mm x 203mm (15" x 8")
• Tyres : Goodyear NCT steel belted radial
  Front : 195/60HR-14
  Rear : 235/60HR-15

Commentary

Because the engine is mounted in the very rear of the vehicle, the DMC-12 has a 35% / 65% front/rear weight distribution.

Dimensions & Capacities

• Wheelbase 2408mm (94.8 inches)
• Track - Front 1590mm (62.6 inches)
• Track - Rear 1588mm (62.5 inches)
• Length overall 4267mm (168.0 inches)
• Width overall 1988mm (78.3 inches)
• Height 1140mm (44.88 inches)
• Weight 1233kg (2712 pounds) with full tank
• Fuel Capacity 51.6 liters (13.2 gallons)
• Luggage space 396 liters (14 cubic feet)

Commentary

People wishing to purchase DeLoreans, are often concerned about parking DeLoreans in modern UK garages, "...Will my car fit in OK ? and can I get out of it once I have driven in ?". Garages built these days tend to be narrower because architects have taken the view that people in the UK rarely use their garages for storing cars anymore.
If your garage opening is 2100mm wide, or greater (remember that DeLoreans are 1988mm mirror to mirror), and the wall to wall dimensions are 2300mm wide, or greater, then you won't have a problem. Plus, contary to popular belief, the doors only extend 11 inches (264 mm) outside the line of the car during opening and closing, making access to the car far easier than with a normal car, should someone box you in.

Helpful Tip For New Owners : Reversing slowly into a garage with the aid of those side mirrors is far easier than driving into a garage front first. The combination of the long front bonnet and the very low seated position, makes it impossible to see exactly where the two front corners of the car actually are. Also, after parking, always open your door very slowly as you won't always get it in there perfectly. A good idea is to line your garage wall with some old carpet, as nicely brushed stainless steel and brickwork do not go well together.

Standard Features

• Stainless steel body panels
• Counter-balanced gull-wing doors
• Leather seats and trim
• Air conditioning
• Multi-speaker, high output stereo / cassette
• Power windows
• Tilt and telescopic steering wheel
• Dual electric remote side mirrors
• Full instrumentation
• Central door locking system
• Tinted glass
• Body side moldings
• Intermittent windshield wipers
• Sylvania halogen headlamps
• Engine/luggage compartment lights
• Interior hood and engine compartment release
• Electric rear window defogger

Commentary

The common problem of supporting the weight of gull-wing doors was solved by other manufacturers with lightweight doors in the Mercedes-Benz 300SL and an air pump in the Bricklin SV-1, although these designs had structural or convenience issues. The DMC-12 features heavy doors supported by cryogenically preset torsion bars and gas-charged struts. These torsion bars were manufactured by Grumman Aerospace to withstand the stresses of supporting the doors. Much like the doors fitted to the Lamborghini Countach, the DMC-12 doors featured small cutout windows, because full-sized windows would not be fully retractable within the short door panels.

Production Changes

• The Original Hood : The original hood of the DeLorean had groves running down both sides. It also included a gas-flap. These cars also typically had a locking gas cap to prevent siphoning.
• Hood Mounted Gas Flap Removed : To improve the overall look of the car, sometime in 1981 the gas-flap was removed from the hood (although the hood creases stayed). This style was kept throughout the end of 1981 and well into 1982. Based on production numbers for all three years, this hood style is probably the most prevalent and is also the style used in the 'Back To The Future' Trilogy (Most BTTF scale models incorrectly include the gas-flap).
• Non-Locking Gas Cap : After the removal of the hood gas-flap, the supply of locking gas caps was exhausted and the company switched to a non-locking version.
• The Final Hood Style : This included the addition of a DeLorean logo and the removal of the groves, resulting in a completely flat hood. Various sources suggest that the groves were removed due to an unacceptable percentage of them splitting during the manufacturing / stamping process. The grooves aren't that deep, and there are more intricate indentations on the car that have never been reported as problematic, so this in probably just a myth. A few owners have added the 'DeLorean' logos to their "grooved-hood" cars.
• Side Bolster : There is nice bolstering (or whatever you call it) in the DeLorean. Not only does it give you a place to rest your arm while driving, but lives not just on the door, but also next to the seats. Unfortunately, in early models, this bolstering was bolted on and had a tendency to pull away from the rest of the interior. Later cars were changed such that the bolstering and the interior trim were now one piece.
• Foot Rest : As an addition to later cars, a foot rest (in the form of an unusable pedal) was added to the cars to help prevent fatigue while driving.
• Wheels : There was a change in the wheels on the DeLorean. The look stayed the same, but the coating color of the wheels changed (with these changes also came color changes to the wheel caps). Early cars had grey wheels with grey center caps, later cars had silver wheels with black center caps (the black center caps have the DMC logo in white).
• Side Mirrors : It has been reported by Stephen Wynne of the DeLorean Motor Company that production changes were made to the shape of the side mirrors.
• Radio / Cassette : The DeLorean came stocked in 1981 with a Craig Stereo. Since the Craig did not have a built in clock, there was one installed in front of the gear shift. Later DeLorean's switched to an ASI stereo, and due to the ASI Having a built in clock, the DMC clock was removed.

• Antenna : What good is an AM/FM radio without a good antenna. As many early DeLorean owners found out, not much. Early 81's had a windshield mounted antenna which wasn't much good. The next antenna was a front fender mounted antenna. Not bad for reception, but many people thought that it detracted from the DeLorean's beauty. Many people have retrofitted their early cars to the final antenna; a rear mounted power antenna. When retracted, you wouldn't even know it ever existed (unless you knew where to look).
• Sun Visor : At some point in the DeLorean's life, the sun visors were "flipped." Early car had the vinyl part next to the roof (when up). In later cars, they were reversed.
• Door Guides : The DeLorean doors usually close great (while the car is level), but had some problems early on when the car was parked on an incline. To help guide the doors down to the striker pins, Door latch guides were added as the result of a service bulletin. These are simply metal pieces with a wedge shaped groove in them to guide the door down into the proper position.

• Rand Hand Drive Cars & European Rear Lighting : The RHD conversions, rear lighting clusters and registration plate bezel were redesigned by the Andover firm, Wooler Hodec. Thankfully, only a handful of the rear lighting coversions were actually made as the lights were the same as those used on some UK double desker buses at the time !
• Rear 'Decking' : On a Right-Hand Drive DeLorean here in the UK, the two black fibre-glass 'decks' either side of the engine bay hatch, have a rough indented 'grid-like' pattern over the entire surface. On all the other DeLoreans I've seen, this has been a flat matte texture.