The DMC DeLorean is famed for its use in the “Back to the Future“ movie trilogy. With sharp body lines and a stainless steel body that predates the Tesla Cybertruck’s feeble attempt at stainless-steel glory, it’s difficult not to love them.
Seeing the iconic DeLorean DMC-12 casually cruising the streets isn’t all that common in the first place. However, you’ll see dozens of standard examples long before you’ll see one like this 24-karat gold-plated unit at the Petersen Automotive Museum. Believe it or not, it came golden clad from the factory. So, what’s the story behind this Midas-touched masterpiece?
History of the Gold DeLoreans
According to the DeLorean Museum, DMC partnered up with American Express to offer 100 gold-plated DeLorean DMC-12s for sale at an eye-watering $85,000 MSRP. The promotion was, quite frankly, a big failure. DMC only managed to sell two examples, and thus, it left them incredibly rare. The first car (VIN 4300) was optioned with a tan interior and a manual transmission. Sherwood Marshal, a former Royal Canadian Naval officer, originally purchased this car. He eventually donated it to the National Automobile Museum in Reno, NV. This is where the car currently resides. The other one (VIN 4301) got a black interior and an automatic transmission. This left the two cars as polar opposite brothers. Roger Mize, president of Snyder National Bank, purchased the car you see in the pictures (VIN 4301) and stored it in the lobby of the company’s Snyder, TX, location for over 20 years. Eventually, he chose to let The Petersen take over its care. Now, it sits happily in the iconic “Vault” among millions of dollars worth of rare and collectible cars.
American Express required DMC to make spare gold-plated panels in case one was involved in an accident. The story goes that no such event occurred. So, DMC took the panels and made a third car (VIN 20105). It received a tan interior and an automatic transmission. DMC gave it away in a collaborative giveaway with Big Lots in a store raffle. Currently, it resides in a private collection in Maryland per the DeLorean Museum’s reporting. Two other DeLorean owners commissioned theirs to be gold-plated; where they currently rest is unknown.
The Basics of the DMC DeLorean
DMC originally manufactured the DMC-12 from 1981 to 1983. The original MSRP was $25,000. However, the price continued to rise until its final model year’s MSRP reached $34,000. Today, everyone has become accustomed to having a handful of extra-cost options when buying a new car. Still, the DeLorean had only one from the factory: a three-speed automatic transmission for $650. The base transmission option was a five-speed manual. Like all DMC-12 models, it came with the abysmal 2.85L PRV V6 that put out 130 hp and 153 lb-ft of torque. However, European-delivered cars made 154 horsepower, given that they didn’t need to meet strict U.S. regulations of the time period.
Even with a short run as a manufacturer, the DeLorean DMC-12 is forever recognizable. It is a living legacy despite its punitive three-year production run. It’s always a fan favorite when one is spotted in public. However, if you are given the chance to visit one of the museums where these two vehicles are, we highly recommend doing so. Aside from these golden-clad pieces of weird automotive history, they’ve also got tons of other rare pieces of automotive history to gawk at.
Photos: Shane Harris