The vehicle
In the 1970s, John DeLorean developed a vision for future automobiles that he was unable to realize at General Motors. As a result, the Pontiac GTO inventor founded his own company - the DeLorean Motor Company. The only vehicle sold was the 1,286 kg DMC-12, which was named after its planned list price of 12,000$.
Following DMC's insolvency and allegations of drug trafficking, production of the DMC-12 was discontinued. However, some special features, such as the omission of the paint finish due to the use of brushed SS304 austenitic stainless steel, are still relevant from a lightweight construction perspective.
The technology
Made from a fiberglass tub, the car housed a 132 hp 2.8 L six-cylinder V-engine developed by Peugeot, Renault and Volvo. The engine block was cast from aluminum and had an overhead camshaft that was driven by a chain. This engine, which had an unequal spark gap and therefore ran more roughly, weighed around 150 kg.
The economic failure of DMC prevented further improvements to the standard engine, so it was up to the tuning scene to further increase engine performance.
The lightweight aspect
With an almost unchanged vehicle weight, a vehicle derivative realized a drive power of approximately 1.21 GW, which made it possible to accelerate after reaching the 88 mph limit, which is highly regarded in America. In addition to an adapted cooling system, the temperature was also monitored. This engine temperature was displayed to the driver on a four-part scale from white at 500°F to red at 2,000°F, as the tuning caused additional thermal stress on the engine components.
Remark
With best regards from "Doc" Emmett L. Brown. This article was written for April first, 2022. For further adjustments we would have to jump into the past (or back into the future). ?
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