The motor vehicle company, DeLorean, is best-known for its iconic car that featured in the 1985 film, Back to the Future, starring Michael J. Fox. However, despite the success of the franchise, the motor company saw its sales tank and was unable to continue producing vehicles following bankruptcy.
However, in recent years, DeLoreans have taken on an almost legendary status. Enthusiasts see them as one of the highlights of motoring history, despite some of the serious limitations of the vehicles. Now there’s a desire for a return of the brand, featuring classic gull-wing doors and boxy looks.
DeLorean Reboot
DeLorean is listening to fans and is now teasing that it might unveil an electric vehicle at some point in the near future — possible in 2022. The automaker recently released a 15-second video showing the silhouette of a vehicle that looks eerily similar to the original DeLorean with the text, “the future was never promised. Reimagine today.” In a Tweet, DeLorean says that it was the “premiere” of the 2022 DeLorean, and was accompanied by various hashtags, suggesting that it would be an EV.
For those interested in sustainability, the announcement is great news. The previous vehicle was mid-engined and consumed a lot of fuel. If the car is electric, though, it could offer transportation for a fraction of the environmental cost.
Classic DeLoreans
The original DeLorean is one of the most celebrated classic cars in the world. Despite being from the 1980s — somewhat of a desert for classic vehicles — it’s garnered fans from across the world, thanks to its film appearance and unique looks.
Even today, the DeLorean is a futuristic-looking vehicle. It summed up the aspirations of humanity at the time. In the 1980s, many people believed that humanity’s technological future was bright, and DeLorean epitomised this.
Many people bought private plates for sale to put on their DeLoreans, celebrating the vehicles. A lot were sci-fi references.
When Will The New Vehicle Release?
The DeLorean motor company is being characteristically tight-lipped about the potential release date for the new vehicle. However, officials from the brand say that they are considering setting up a global headquarters in San Antonio, Texas, to oversee the development of the project.
If DeLorean is involved, the project is likely to be mind-blowing. Even in the 1980s, the company was willing to take risks. As long as it can keep production costs down and quality high, consumers are highly likely to want to purchase any new vehicles from the company.
In a statement, San Antonio Mayor, Ron Nirenburg, said that he welcomed DeLorean’s decision to move their global headquarters to San Antonia. He said that Texas was the ideal region for electric vehicle manufacturers, providing strategic preparation, human talent and adaptability. DeLorean announced that any move to San Antonio would depend on sufficient financial incentives. If it goes ahead, it will generate more than 450 jobs for the area.
The company has not commented any further on the potential upcoming DeLorean EV. It has not released any details or specifications about the vehicle itself. While the brand hasn’t released any new cars for a long time, it still offers services and maintenance for its existing cars on the road, thanks to their massive cult appeal.
The DeLorean maintains its novelty appeal. Only 9,000 units were ever made, with only a fraction of that number still surviving, the vast majority of which are in the US. The company struggled to become profitable for many years, before eventually going bankrupt in 1982.
Will It Be A Time Machine?
Fans are hoping that the 2022 DeLorean will be a bona fide time machine and, if the company has managed to pull that off, it will likely become the most valuable automaker in the world, rivalling Tesla. But that seems unlikely.
More likely is that DeLorean will use an existing EV platform and simply put its style and badge on the finished product. Given the brand’s status, we are likely to see some interesting features. The teaser posts of the new vehicle on social media appear to show a car with gullwing doors and windows built into the roof, similar to the original. The vehicle also looks reassuringly boxy — a tribute to its 1980s sci-fi roots.
Consumers may not have to wait too long for the new vehicle either. DeLorean is notoriously secretive about its developments, but many believe that the vehicle will debut at some point in 2022. Perhaps motorists can finally make Doc Brown’s dreams come true.
