DeLorean, 1981, DMC-12

DeLorean "DMC-12", 1981

The DeLorean, on display at the Museo Nicolis, is much more than a car: it is an icon of style, technology and pop culture. This car, better known as the DeLorean DMC-12, represents one of the most fascinating and controversial stories in the automotive world. The car was born from the vision of John DeLorean, an American engineer and entrepreneur who, after a brilliant career at General Motors in Detroit, decided to found his own car company, the DeLorean Motor Company (DMC), in 1975. His goal was to create a revolutionary sports car, combining futuristic design and innovative materials. Designed by Italian Giorgetto Giugiaro, it was built between 1981 and 1983, with the following features: an unpainted stainless steel body, giving it a unique appearance, gull-wing doors, a dramatic detail that made it unmistakable, a 2.8-litre, 132 hp V6 PRV (Peugeot-Renault-Volvo) rear engine and a chassis inspired by that of the Lotus Esprit, designed with the help of Lotus owner Colin Chapman. Production took place in Northern Ireland, in a factory financed with aid from the British government. However, financial and management problems led DMC to bankruptcy in 1982, halting production after about 9,000 units. Despite its short production run, the DeLorean became immortal thanks to Robert Zemeckis' film “Back to the Future” (1985), in which it was transformed into a time machine by the brilliant Doc Brown. This iconic role guaranteed it a place in film history and made it one of the most recognisable cars in the world.

The Nicolis Museum's DeLorean DMC-12 paraded on the red carpet at the 75th Venice Film Festival for the world premiere of Nick Hamm's ‘DRIVEN’, a film inspired by the controversial friendship between John DeLorean and Jim Hoffman. He also appears in the video clip ‘Piccole Cose’ with J.Ax & Fedez ft. Alessandra Amoroso.

The DeLorean DMC-12 is sometimes considered a sustainable car. Although it was not born as an environmentally friendly car in the strictest sense, it has some features that make it greener than conventional cars of the time. The unpainted stainless steel bodywork reduces the use of paint and chemical solvents, avoiding emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) that are harmful to the environment. Stainless steel is also highly recyclable. Design and materials were designed to ensure a long service life, reducing the need for frequent replacements and thus the consumption of resources for the production of new vehicles. Thanks to its robust construction, many DeLoreans have been restored and kept in use for decades, promoting the concept of reuse rather than the production of new cars.

De Lorean Test Drive at Museo Nicolis: test drive 1  test drive 2 

2017 DeLorean nel Videoclip, J-Ax & Fedez ft. Alessandra Amoroso, "Piccole Cose".
2018 DeLorean, Shooting 3A Sport.
2018 DeLorean, Festival del Cinema di Venezia 2018
2022 Confindustria Vicenza, Back to the future
2025 Vicenza Classic Car Show