Thanks To A New Law The DeLorean DMC-12 Can Make A Glorious Comeback In 2017

For years now, there’s been talk of an unlikely resurrection for the DeLorean DMC-12. The remaining parts inventory was purchased in the mid 1990s by a new company taking the original DeLorean Motor Company name, and has since been maintaining surviving examples of the unconventional sports car in the USA. But the inventory is so large, it’s good for more than just keeping the existing ones alive - apparently there are enough bits to make as many as 300 cars.

It’s not been possible up until now, but the new ‘Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act’ passed in December 2015 looks to be just what the reincarnated DMC needs. In a statement, the company said that the new legislation allows, “small companies to produce a limited number of completed replica motor vehicles that resemble the appearance of cars produced 25 years ago or more.”

While it’ll be more of a modernised reproduction than a replica, if that ‘replica’ description means a new batch of DeLoreans is possible, that sounds good to us. The company went on to say:

“In anticipation of this legislation, DeLorean Motor Company has been working for some time to identify a supplier for engines and other parts that must be reproduced to facilitate this production for 2017. A number of hurdles exist before production can begin, and we’re still early on in this process of determining the feasibility of moving forward.”

Official details are limited, but Jalopnik managed to extract a few interesting bits of information from company VP James Espey, who mentioned that there are three potential engine suppliers, and the current favourite is naturally-aspirated and good for at least 300bhp. The wheels and brakes will be larger, and the suspension suitably beefed up.

The DeLorean Motor Company remains one of the most bizarre stories in the automotive world. The company eventually went bust thanks to poor sales of the unreliable and chronically underpowered DMC-12, with founder John DeLorean arrested (and later acquitted) for allegedly partaking in drug trafficking in an apparent attempt to keep the company alive.

The car’s appearance in the Back To The Future franchise made it a cultural icon, but as this news proves, clearly that wasn’t the last significant chapter in the curious DeLorean tale.