DeLorean is officially back in the future with a new EV coupe called the Alpha5. Penned by renowned design company, Italdesign, the Alpha5 EV features hints of styling that are nods to the original DMC-12.
But while the design connection between the new Alpha5 and the original DMC-12 is currently being debated by the world, one person has a strong opinion about the new DeLorean vehicle: Kat DeLorean Seymour, the daughter of the late John Z. DeLorean.
In fact, DeLorean Seymour poured her frustration on Instagram, along with a rendering of a coupe that isn't the DeLorean Alpha5 EV.
The social media post reads:
@deloreanmotorcompany Is not John DeLorean’s Company. DMC is not 40 years old, and not associated with the DeLorean Family, or my father’s ongoing legacy. Please stop lying and stop speaking about John now, he despised you.
The rendering that came with the Instagram post was from a website called DeLorean Legacy. It was "an effort of Angel Guerra and Allan Portilho to create a tribute design to honor the timeless and gorgeous Delorean car with what it might look like if designed and built today."
DeLorean Seymour is involved with the project to "spread the powerful positive impact her father and his cars have had on this world what she feels is the true Delorean Legacy."
The current Delorean Motor Company isn't an official descendant of the company that John Z. DeLorean founded in the '70s. It is, however, a continuation of DeLorean One, a mail-order parts and full-service facility dedicated to the DeLorean automobiles, created by Stephen Wynne created in 1985 after John Z. DeLorean filed for bankruptcy in 1982. The company was renamed DeLorean Motor Company in 1995.
In the About Us section of Classic DMC website:
In 1997, Wynne and his DeLorean Motor Company acquired what remained of the Columbus, Ohio DeLorean parts inventory and the exclusive distribution rights, as well as the tooling, engineering drawings and company records.
Of note, a company from Columbus, Ohio acquired the "remaining inventory of parts, some tooling, a full set of engineering drawings, and other company documents" after the DeLorean factory in Northern Ireland was liquidated in 1983, according to the website.
Clearly, there's a dispute between John Z. DeLorean's kin and the current DeLorean Motor Company. It remains to be seen where this issue is heading but one thing's for sure – the company that made the new DeLorean Alpha5 is not connected to the DeLorean family.
We've contacted a DeLorean Motor Company representative for comment. We'll update this story once it becomes available.
