Most people know the DeLorean DMC-12 as Michael J. Fox’s time machine in the Back to the Future trilogy. It was cool with its gull-wing doors. It was different with its unpainted, stainless steel body panels. It left awesome flames wherever it went… and, by the sequel, it didn’t even need roads! The truth, however, is that the DMC-12 just couldn’t cut it in the real world.

The history of the original DeLorean Motor Company is checkered and short. Its founder, John DeLorean, worked for the Packard Motor Company before moving to General Motors, where he became the youngest general manager of the Pontiac division. DeLorean is credited as being the man behind the Pontiac GTO, America’s first “muscle” car. Eventually, DeLorean became the youngest man ever to head Chevrolet. Then, in the 1970s, he went out on his own to build his own company, and his sports car.

To receive financial incentives from the British government, the DeLorean Motor Company constructed a manufacturing plant in an economically depressed area of Northern Ireland. The Brits hoped that creating more jobs would reduce the sectarian violence between the area’s pro-Irish Catholics and pro-British Protestants. Unfortunately, because of engineering problems and budget issues, production of the DMC-12 started in early 1981, nearly 2 years after it was originally scheduled. Additionally, most of the Northern Irish workers were inexperienced or had never had a job before, leading to quality issues with early production vehicles. To remedy the situation, quality assurance centers were built in America to deal with problems before the cars were shipped out to dealerships… but, this further increased the final price of the car. (Fun fact: the 12 in the DMC-12 name was originally intended to refer to the car’s price of $12,000. However, because of the quality issues and inflation with the British pound, the cars ended up costing about $25,000!)

From 1981 to 1982, approximately 9,000 DMC-12 cars were made, including three 24-karat gold plated versions made especially for sale to American Express gold cardholders (only 2 of the 3 actually sold). And then that was it. The end of the DMC-12, and the end of the original DeLorean Motor Company.

Production costs and a lack of demand for the DMC-12 had led to severe financial troubles for the company. John DeLorean had always been known for having a jet-set lifestyle. And, on October 19, 1982, he was arrested in an FBI drug sting in Los Angeles. That same day, the DeLorean factory’s doors closed for good in Northern Ireland. Although eventually acquitted on all charges, it’s widely believed that DeLorean was trying to smuggle nearly $24 million worth of cocaine into the United States to raise money to save his company from bankruptcy. The scandal ruined DeLorean’s reputation, and he would never fully recover from it. He died in 2005, after reportedly spending years trying to resurrect the DeLorean brand with a DMC-2 that never actually materialized.

DeLorean’s dream didn’t exactly die with him, though. In the late 90s, a company in Humble, Texas purchased the rights to use the DeLorean Motor Company’s name. They also acquired the leftover parts from the original DeLorean factory. To this day, they sell those parts, and they provide restoration services for original DMC-12s. They also use NOS and OEM parts to assemble “new build” DMC-12 reproductions.

Many of the original DMC-12s are still on the road. Fans can pick up a used one in average condition for around $20,000. And, of course, DeLorean’s legacy will live on forever thanks to Steven Spielberg!