DeLorean goes back to the future

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Demand for DeLorean cars is so high that it may go back into production, according to a US firm.

The last of the vehicles - made famous in the film Back To The Future - rolled off the production line near Belfast 25 years ago.

However, the number of enthusiasts seeking the car has meant a limited number may be built in the United States.

The company was based at Dunmurry. Almost £80m of public money was spent in the hope of creating 2,000 jobs.

More than £20m in legal fees was spent by the government in legal action against the auditors of the failed company, which collapsed in 1982.

Manufacture of the DeLorean DMC-12 car began at the Dunmurry plant in 1981, with fewer than 9,000 cars rolling off the production lines before its closure the following year.

Despite the firm's failure the car, with its unpainted stainless steel skin and gull-wing doors, gained a cult following.



'Market for the car'


The vice president of the Delorean Motor Company in Texas, James Espey, said the car had an enduring appeal.

"A lot of people are interested in the car because of the story behind the car," he said.

"A company started by John DeLorean - a guy who quit General Motors to start his own company to show them how to do it.

"Admittedly John has a much stronger reputation here in the (United) States... but he still created a fantastic car.

"You can't have any conversation about the car without talking about the impact of the whole series of Back To The Future movies."

Mr Espey added: "There are guys who were in their teens when they first saw the movie, who are now in their late 30s or early 40s, who are at that point in life when they can get the car they wanted when they were a kid.

"We feel quite confident that there is a market for between 20-25 hand-built made to order cars each year, without question. Right now, we have a nine-month waiting list for cars."

Presently, a reconditioned car costs from $42,500. In Europe, a DeLorean in good condition can cost £12,000.

About 8,600 cars rolled off the production line in Dunmurry, but only 6,500 remain in existence.

John DeLorean died in March 2005 aged 80.

Sourced BBCi: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/6925533.stm