DMC Delorean (1981 - 1983)

The DeLorean DMC-12 is remembered for its stainless-steel body, gullwing doors and unmistakable wedge profile, but its story is also one of ambition, politics and collapse. Conceived by former General Motors executive John DeLorean, it was built in Northern Ireland with the goal of creating a new kind of exotic-looking sports car.

The car’s fame grew enormously through Back to the Future, turning a troubled commercial project into a pop-culture icon. Mechanically it was less dramatic than its looks suggested, but its design, production story and film legacy have made it one of the most recognisable cars of the 1980s.