LOT 104 Ω
1982 DeLorean DMC12 Design by Giorgetto Giugiaro VIN. SCEDT26T6CD010895
Sold for US$78,400 inc. premiumLot to be sold without reserve
Lot 104Ω
Fewer than 1,200 miles from new
1982 DeLorean DMC12
1982 DeLorean DMC12
1982 DeLorean DMC12
Design by Giorgetto Giugiaro
VIN. SCEDT26T6CD010895
Design by Giorgetto Giugiaro
VIN. SCEDT26T6CD010895
2,849cc SOHC V6 Engine
Electronic Fuel Injection
130bhp at 5,500rpm
5-Speed Manual Transaxle
4-Wheel Independent Suspension
4-Wheel Power-Assisted Disc Brakes
*Delivered new in the USA
*An incredible time capsule (pun intended) with under 1,200 miles
*Rare and desirable manual gearbox
*Retained by the DeLorean works for 36 years
*2018 refurbishment by Danny Botkin of DeLorean Motor Company
*Only two private owners from new
*Approximately $3,000 spent on maintenance in 2023
*Freshly serviced and ready to enjoy
*A fun, collectible cultural icon
THE DELOREAN DMC-12
'Throughout the history of the British Motor Industry, hope and enthusiasm have tended to overrule commercial common sense. The DeLorean episode was perhaps its clearest example in Government.' - Martin Adeney, The Motor Makers.
The brainchild of ex-General Motors executive John Zachary DeLorean, the DeLorean sports car project was touted around the world before finding a home in Northern Ireland thanks to generous grants from the British Government. Designed by ex-Pontiac engineer Bill Collins, the DMC12 was extensively reworked by Lotus prior to production, emerging with the latter's trademark steel backbone chassis and all-independent suspension, and powered by a rear-mounted Peugeot/Renault/Volvo 2.9-litre overhead-camshaft V6 engine. Apart from its larger-than-life creator, it was the car's stylish coupé body – penned by the maestro Giorgetto Giugiaro – that attracted most attention by virtue of its method of construction, comprising a combination of fiberglass inner panels and stainless-steel outer skin - and doors that opened gull-wing fashion à la Mercedes-Benz 300 SL.
The much-hyped DMC12 finally arrived in 1980 and immediately ran into quality control problems, a not altogether surprising occurrence considering the local workforce's unfamiliarity with automobile manufacture. No doubt the company would have sorted out the glitches given time, but sales never approached projected levels and DeLorean's 1982 indictment on drugs charges – from which he was subsequently acquitted – brought the project to its knees. By then some 9,200 DeLoreans had been built, of which approximately 6,500 survive today. They are now seen as highly collectible, thanks in no small part to the one that starred in the 1985 motion picture, 'Back to the Future' and its sequels – turning this otherwise sidebar sports car into a cultural icon.
THE CAR OFFERED
This DeLorean DMC-12 left the Dunmurry factory in December 1981 before being delivered to the United States, where it was reportedly retained by the DeLorean Motor Company and displayed in their showroom for approximately 36 years. In 2018, when the car had 669 miles on the clock, it was inspected in Huntington Beach by Danny Botkin of the DeLorean Motor Company. He was then entrusted with carefully recommissioning the car for the road, a project that consumed over $10,000 before it was imported to Europe in 2019 by a French collector.
Acquired by its current French owner in 2023, the DeLorean has undergone a range of work on its finishes to bring it closer to how it looked on leaving the factory. As such, parts were ordered directly from DeLorean Europe, while work was completed in France. Additionally, a comprehensive engine overhaul was thereby undertaken, as well as a check and corrections of the electrical circuitry and, lastly, the replacement of various seals on the doors, windows and bonnets.
Now, with fewer than 1,200 miles on the clock from new at the time of cataloguing, this DMC12 is a real space-time capsule. Thanks to the recent service work, it is ready to be driven, noteworthy for a car with such scant mileage!
As offered, this marvelous and highly collectible DeLorean will be delivered to its next owner with its French registration document, a user manual, and a collection of invoices.
Footnotes
Please note, due to California emissions laws, this vehicle may only be sold to an out-of-state resident for use outside the state of California or to a licensed automotive dealer.
Saleroom notices
Title in transit.
Additional information
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| Ω | Import Duty |
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