One of America’s most iconic classic cars is about to come back to the future.
DeLorean, the famous name associated with the DMC-12 model famously portrayed as a time machine in the Back to the Future film franchise, is gearing up for the release of its Alpha5 later this year, a modern take on its famous gull-wing door automobile design.
“We will continue to apply our rebellious DNA to shape our vehicles and constantly push the boundaries of what’s possible,” reads a page devoted to the new Alpha5 on DeLorean’s website.
“We are writing our legacy in real-time,” it reads, “Instinctively adapting to the future with a heightened curated experience.”
“Rooted in counterculture we confidently embrace the unexpected.”
The original DeLoreans that made their way to the U.S. automobile market began arriving in 1981, with production of the vehicles ending the following year after the original DeLorean Motor Company filed for bankruptcy. Total production at that time had reached fewer than 9,600 vehicles.
Although it had a futuristic appearance, the driving experience offered by the DMC-12 was less attractive. Initial reviews of the DMC-12 were largely favorable, but opinions shifted over time, with the car later being listed by Time among its 50 worst cars of all time.
Nonetheless, the DeLorean DMC-12 was elevated to being one of the most iconic automobiles of the 1980s thanks in part to its selection to be retrofitted with a flux capacitor and other fictional accouterments enabling time travel by the eccentric Emmett Lathrop Brown, Ph.D., more commonly referred to simply as “Doc Brown” by his young companion Marty McFly, the protagonist in Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis’s Back to the Future trilogy.
The forthcoming Alpha5 retains a few elements from its classic counterpart, most obviously its gull-wing doors. However, the new vehicle is a separate enterprise from the original company, designed under the San Antonio-based DeLorean Motors Reimagined. The Alpha5 will be an all-wheel drive electric vehicle sold in red, white, and gray.
Unlike the poor performance ratings of its 1980s ancestor, the DeLorean Alpha5 will be capable of top speeds reaching 155 mph, accelerating to 60 miles per hour in just under 3 seconds, and a 100-kWh battery with an estimated range of 300 miles.
Despite the hype building around the Alpha5, the newly revamped company has seen a few setbacks in recent months. It was reported in December that the company’s CEO had stepped down, which led to questions about the company’s future after bringing in millions from customers who secured a vehicle in advance of the Alpha 5’s launch.
Currently, those hoping to take this new take on a classic design for a test drive will likely have to wait until late 2024, with the Alpha5 currently expected to be ready for the 2025 model year.
“We reimagine ourselves daily, and have a clear vision of our future, knowing it does not represent today,” reads a statement from DeLorean’s page featuring the Alpha5.
“Embrace the unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable,” the statement adds.
Presently, those interested in DeLorean’s new efforts can learn more about the Alpha5 at the Delorean Motor Company website and also see some of the latest imagery they have released of the Alpha5.
Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. He can be reached by email at micah@thedebrief.org. Follow his work at micahhanks.com and on X: @MicahHanks.