Topic: Motoring Memories: John DeLorean, 1925-2005

[Autos_Editor]

John DeLorean's life "should have been the grand realization of the American Dream," says Bill Vance. His meteoric rise to group vice-president at General Motors was followed by his failed DeLorean sports car, his arrest for cocaine trafficking, and personal bankruptcy.

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[Whofan]

I was a student, I was saving money to buy a DeLorean, then the movie came out.....

[Shnak]

I was a student, I was saving money to buy a DeLorean, then the movie came out.....

I don't understand how the movie would make you NOT want a DeLorean? It was the coolest thing ever!!

[Erik]

Certainly an interesting character and a good car guy. A little more luck in his launch timing of his car and things could have been different. I remember awaiting production of the twin turbo version that was about to be launched. Would have been a heck of a car.

[TopGun]

Certainly an interesting character and a good car guy.
.....

Got that right...marched to his own drum beat...

DeLorean became bored with “paper shuffling” and his personal life and philosophy were out of sync with the conservative corporation. His dress and hair style, divorce, and consorting with glamorous movie stars clashed with GM’s staid management culture.

[Whofan]

I was a student, I was saving money to buy a DeLorean, then the movie came out.....

I don't understand how the movie would make you NOT want a DeLorean? It was the coolest thing ever!!

It wasn't because I didn't want it, it made the price jump and it was out of my student budget, at the time they weren't to popular, but after....

[Shnak]

I was a student, I was saving money to buy a DeLorean, then the movie came out.....

I don't understand how the movie would make you NOT want a DeLorean? It was the coolest thing ever!!

It wasn't because I didn't want it, it made the price jump and it was out of my student budget, at the time they weren't to popular, but after....

Ahh that makes sense.

[Observer]

He should be best-remembered for the early/mid-60's Pontiac succesess, notably the Goat. The guy was an all-star at GM. 

Instead, his anaemic s/s putt-putt will be his automotive epitaph. Pity...

[dirtyjeffer]

my best friend's dad had a Delorean for about 10 years...he offered me a test drive any time i wanted, but i never did...by friend drove it a couple of times...his words were something like "As cool as the car looks, it isn't really that fast, doesn't really handle that great (possibly due to weight), and is pretty basic in terms of its feel/technology".

[safristi]

....by now we all know it was a JOHN's DE_CON_REALLY................... ....snake OIL wasn't the HALF of IT..................

[dragonflyjack]

  Man..this guy had a fascinating life story....The deal with the coke possession...and how he was acquitted is a convoluted tale...Unfortunately, his late life straw clutching kinda turns that all around...Ah well....dragonfly

[stainless_steel_confusion]

He should be best-remembered for the early/mid-60's Pontiac succesess, notably the Goat. The guy was an all-star at GM. 

Instead, his anaemic s/s putt-putt will be his automotive epitaph. Pity...

Pity? Not really. Nothing against the Pontiac GTO, but every car show you go to there's a dozen, or more... Yawn! The Goat may have double the horsepower, but a DeLorean has twice as much character as any Pontiac. Had my choice, and I took the DeLorean. ANY car can have horsepower, but few cars have as a fascination story as mine. Know how to make a Pontiac GTO invisible? Park a DMC-12 next to it.

Again, nothing against GTOs, but as far as GTOs go, I prefer the ones with a "288" prefix.

[bikenut]

yes definately a nonconformist ,liked the fact the delorean was made of stainless steel - no paint booths required

back to the future is still on tv to this day , watched it recently on tv , again

so he will always have imortality in a way

[que]

This car had the flex capacitor, no other car to this day has that, and for that reason, this has to be the coolest car.  JD was on to something when he decided to place stainless steel body panels on the car.  He should have used Aluminum, in retrospective, still corrosion resistant and light at the same time.  Too bad, but a classic indeed.