Plans for Revamped DeLorean Move Forward

DeLorean Motor Co. says it is on track to launch low-volume production early next year for replicas of the iconic 1980s-era DMC-12 sports car.

The Humble, Tex.-based company, which bought the rights to the DeLorean name in 1995, says it has been meeting with potential suppliers in recent months to make the vehicle’s chassis and various components. The list includes specialists for body panels, tires and wheels as well as the electrical, braking and powertrain systems.

While the base design will stay the same, several improvements are planned. For example, the new car’s chassis will be electro-coated to help prevent the corrosion problems that affected the original DeLorean, then powder coated to enhance its appearance.

A new wiring system also is in the works. DeLorean says it will completely replace the main harness with a more robust, multiplexed architecture with built-in diagnostics. The new design reduces the complexity and weight of the earlier design, while allowing for more add-on features.

DeLorean says it has narrowed the list of engine suppliers to two companies, with in-vehicle testing due to start this summer. The new engines promise to more than double the 130-hp output of the DMC-12’s original 2.8-liter V-6 engine while boosting its 153 lb-ft of torque by about two-thirds.

The original 5-speed manual transaxle will be upgraded to handle the increased power. More substantial brakes also are being developed that DeLorean says will benefit from the increased space allowed for by switching to larger 17- and 18-inch wheels.

DeLorean has been refurbishing old DMC-12 models and selling parts to owners for three decades. Relaunching the nameplate depends on a new law that will allow the production of as many as 325 replica vehicles per year without having to meet the latest safety requirements. The final version of the regulation is due by the end of the year.