The “Back to the Future” Car Makes a Comeback

Great Scott! Marty McFly’s time-hopping car is making a comeback after two decades of absence. As early as 2017, we may see brand new DMC-12s out on the streets once more.

A new legislation will allow small motor companies like the DeLorean Motor Company to produce a small number of replicas of production vehicles that are 25 years or older. The catch is that the vehicles should also meet the current emissions standards set by the Clean Air Act. The good news though is that the new law also allows DMC to source engines and other emissions related car parts from other manufacturers.

The new DeLorean DMC-12 will be updated not only to meet emissions standards but also road safety regulations. The company will update the car with modern electronics and drivetrain. The DMC-12 will still retain its original 1980’s styling including the iconic gull-wing doors.

What happened to the DeLorean Company?

The original DeLorean Motor Company produced around 9,000 units of the DMC-12 before filing for bankruptcy in 1982. The DeLorean Motor Company of Texas went on to become the successor of the original company and bought out the remaining parts and stock of its predecessor in 1997. They were mainly involved in the repair and rebuilding of the DMC-12s that were still in running condition.

The new law that enables the DeLorean Motor Company to make replicas of the original car has been a game changer. With this law, the company will be able to resurrect the much loved DMC-12. The plan would be to produce a small run of about 300 units starting 2017.

DMC has reportedly been looking at a few engine manufacturers to supply them with new engines. The favourite among the engines that would go into the new DMC-12 is a naturally aspirated V6 that can produce up to 400bhp. This would be a very good upgrade to the old 132bhp engine in the original car. Well, you only needed to reach 88mph to time travel.

The price of the new DMC-12 would be $100,000 US Dollars. It’s a bit pricey for a car that you can purchase for a fraction of the cost in a used car market. We do hope that for that sum of money they could at least include some of Doc Emmett Brown’s modifications in the new car.