The 1980s: Sweat bands, big hair, long dance montages, Man Eater, the Cold War…it was good times in the 80s. While all of these relics of an era gone by will always be remembered in a warm light as precious elements of our collective retro memory time capsule, none of them will ever live up to the undisputed champion of the 80s, the bridge between past present and future, the joiner of comedy and quantum physics, of course I am speaking of the timeless classic Back to the Future.
When Robert Zemeckis directed Back to the Future in 1985 he knew that he had something special in his hands, but little did he know that his time travel film trilogy would spin off into a cult-subculture all its own. Whether you “make like a tree and get out of here!” or “make as much sense as a screen door on a battleship!” the film has infused and influenced American popular culture in a way that few films before or since have. Of course, from a visual and visceral perspective, the film will always be best remembered as the big screen combination debut and farewell for the short lived yet aesthetically ground breaking gull wing monster, the DeLorean DMC-12.
Though the name sake automotive manufacturer quickly foundered amid a heap of mess and circumstance, the DeLorean DMC-12 has long since been a sought after collector piece, almost entirely thanks to its on screen celebrity status. In recent years the DeLorean DMC-12 has enjoyed a resurgence as a popular choice for DIYers wishing to produce their own electric conversion vehicle. This makes sense given the DMC-12’s eternal connection to all things positive and futuristic. Of course, like most good things happening at a grassroots level, many an entrepreneur will take notice, and one or two may act upon a vision of expansion to the mass public.
In this case the entrepreneur is Stephen Wynne, a Texas based automotive enthusiasts and visionary who acquired the DeLorean brand and logo in the mid 90s, and has been producing a very limited number of vehicles (based largely on old inventory) since. This past week he announced that the DeLorean Motor Company would be producing an all new, and all electric, DMC-12 for purchase by the popular market. With 260 horse power and an electronically limited speed of 125 mph, the new electric vehicle will come in at around $90k. While certainly not a steal, for those who have the $90k to spend, this could be the purchase of a lifetime.
Phoenix Valley auto and tech enthusiasts should seriously consider taking a road trip out to Los Angeles in late November for the LA Auto Show, a popular platform for the worlds leaders in design, engineering, and electronics to debut their most cutting edge concepts and developments.
Phoenix Valley auto enthusiasts should also plan on attending the Phoenix Arizona International Auto Show to learn about the most recent concepts and innovations in the way of hybrid, electric, and alternative fuel technologies from small operations like DeLorean, as well as the rest of the auto industry, taking place at the Phoenix Arizona Convention center over Thanksgiving weekend.
