Page 72 - Mar2023

Made in Ireland, continued from page 71

I reland?s auto industry had produced
more ballyhoo than actual cars and
disappointment was the currency most
associated with its many well-intentioned
attempts. Arguably, the worst and most
expensive failure had yet to come. This, too,
would be the product of the idea of an
American, the charismatic John DeLorean, as well
as a plan in England to boost the economy of
northern Ireland.

The proposal sounded good and it looked even
better on paper. Everyone, it seemed, wanted
to be part of the next Big Dream and were happy
to shovel money at getting the futuristic design
started.

(P.T. Barnum would have recognized what
happened next.)
The DeLorean, image by moisseyev for iStock.com

During the swinging '60s, DeLorean, an engineer, The DeLorean was originally scheduled to be
was the lead on the Pontiac GTO, a car that went on produced in another country where the people
to became an authentic icon. Riding high, in 1975 he were poor and the economy weak. It was
set up the DeLorean Motor Company. destined to be built in Puerto Rico.
His aim , he said in describing his dream car, would Enter the British government with a better idea.
be to build a car that would be ?fun to drive, safe to They offered DeLorean hefty financial incentives,
operate, and long lasting.? a 100 million pound investment, to build the
DMC-12 in Northern Ireland. And so the journey
The first DeLorean prototype, the DMC-12, made a
began.
splash in 1976. It was an international affair.
In 1978 construction of a 660,000 square foot, six
Styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro of Ital Design, Lotus
building plant in Dunmurry in Belfast got
provided both the frame and the suspension, while
underway. 2,000 employees would eventually
its surprisingly underpowered 2.85 liter, 6 cylinder
work at DeLorean Motor Cars Ltd; but, in what
engine came from Peugot/Renault/ Volvo. A five
can only be called a head-scratching decision
speed manual or three speed automatic gearbox
considering the complex design of the car, the
was manufactured in France. Engineering was
majority of the workers that were hired had no
provided by William T. Collins.
car manufacturing background.
Like an earlier Mercedes Benz classic, the DMC-12
The result was build quality was poor, the
had gull-wing doors. It was unique in that its ultra
assembly line was plagued by problems, and
modern body was left unpainted, with 304 panels in
parts had to be redesigned. Chaos added to cost.
brushed stainless steel setting the tone. This was
In fact, actual production was pushed back on
revolutionary for the time.
more than one occasion by both overspending
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