New DeLorean to go on sale next year

Marty McFly's car could be back. The DMC DeLorean, made famous in the Back to the Future trilogy, looks set to return to production for a short run of around 300 cars next year.

Although the company responsible for making the new batch of DMC-12s has the exact same name as the manufacturer responsible for introducing the car back in 1981, today's DeLorean Motor Company has no affiliation to the original. Instead, it was born in the 1990s, buying leftover spares from the first company's collapse in 1982.

The vast inventory of leftover parts, combined with new US legislation saying "low volume" manufacturers no longer have to meet the same guidelines as big volume car companies, means it is now possible for the second iteration of DMC to assemble around 300 new DeLoreans.

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To get the green light for production, the car must meet modern emissions standards. So far, the company hasn't confirmed what will be powering the new cars, but Jalopnik spoke to James Espey, the vice president of the company, who hinted it could be a V6 with up to 400bhp – a modern and more powerful upgrade from the 130bhp Peugeot-sourced V6 in the original.

There are challenges ahead, though. Car magazine says the company still has to source a transaxle, brakes, suspension and electronics, while any new tooling required to make the cars will cost the Texas-based company a considerable amount.

It's not the first time the car has been hyped for a comeback: DMC tried previously in 2008. The introduction of new legislation makes the comeback seem much more likely this time round.

Around 9,000 DeLoreans were produced during the car's production run in the early 1980s. Today, an original can cost around £30,000 - but the company expects to charge up to $100,000 (£70,000) for the "new" car.