GULLWINGS & AWARDS
The gull-winged DeLorean DMC-12 I drove way back in 1997 left a lasting impression on me. Prior to that drive I’d read a number of rather mixed reviews on the car in both British and USA motoring magazines. However, after only a few kilometres in the DMC-12 I found myself liking the car, despite the fact that, performancewise, it would’ve had difficulty in pulling the skin off the proverbial rice pudding! In real life, Marty McFly would’ve probably needed a longer runway than a supermarket car park to get up to the magical 88mph (142km/h) required to travel back in time. No, it wasn’t the DeLorean’s performance – or, rather, lack thereof – that impressed me, it was the manner in which it cruised down the road.
Much smoother riding than I’d expected, the DMC-12 even conspired to show off its Lotus DNA while threading through a series of corners – even with that V6 engine dangling behind the rear axle, the DeLorean handled in a surprisingly neutral manner. What a shame the proposed twin-turbo version never became a production reality!
Apart from its on-road abilities, the DMC12 left another impression on me – this one being more personal and, as it turned out, permanent. When photographing the car’s cabin, I balanced my left arm on the door aperture as I took the shot and when I shifted position I felt a sharp jab of pain. Checking my arm, I was surprised to see blood and it was only then when I saw that the cutout around the door lock striker on the DeLorean’s iconic stainless steel sheathing had been rather inexpertly snipped out and I’d cut myself. I still have the scar!
By the time you read this, readers who subscribe to the Netflix streaming service will, no doubt, have watched the 2019 docu-drama, Framing John DeLorean. Although I haven’t seen it yet, reviews suggest that it presents a far from complete picture of John Z DeLorean, mixing fact with fiction – rather like the myths and legends surrounding the man himself.