DeLorean Manufacture
Back to 1980sIn 1975, John DeLorean founded the DeLorean Motor Company in Detroit.
His stated goal was to produce ‘ethical’ sports cars that would combine stylish automobile design with safety, reliability, and endurance—the gull-wing DMC-12 model was to be the realisation of that dream.
The DeLorean Company signed a deal so that DMC-12s would be built in Northern Ireland, and in 1978 a custom-built 550,000ft2 factory was constructed in Dunmurry just southwest of Belfast. At the height of operations, over 1600 men worked six- or seven-day weeks at the factory, with DeLorean pushing for more than 400 cars to be produced every week. However, once launched, the sports car fell short of its initial marketing hype. Although it retained a distinctive visual appeal, the DMC-12’s production suffered delays and became hampered by mismanagement within the company.
Due to mounting financial issues, the factory closed in late 1982 and, shortly after his company collapsed, DeLorean was arrested by the FBI.