Still, the DeLorean is by no means all bad. Remember this was a car engineered by Lotus and that it came with double-wishbone suspension at the front, and a multi-link arrangement at the rear, a configuration preferred by most supercar manufacturers to this day. Its ride is outstanding and quite the best of any sporting car of its era, while its handling possesses none of the precarious traits offered by a 911 of similar age. It even steers pretty well, even if plenty of muscle is needed at parking speeds due to the lack of powered assistance.  Indeed, my sense when emerging from the DMC-12 was not that this was a bad car, but one that despite all the delays, was still not ready when sales began. In time there would have been a turbo version of the engine with up to 250bhp that would have transformed the car, but DeLorean was already long gone before it arrived.  DeLoreans are still easy to find and usually cost between £25,000 and £35,000, depending on condition (although right-hand-drive examples are rare and can go for more). They are mechanically simple, structurally sound and, I am told, have a secure parts supply. This is just as well, because if you damage one of the steel panels it’s almost certainly going to be better to replace than repair.  No, they’re not great cars and never were, but if you like the idea of an interesting and undemanding automotive curio which will still attract more attention than any passing Ferrari, there remains more to be said for the DeLorean than its reputation would ever suggest.
October 21 2015 is the date that Marty McFly visited in Back to the Future Part II. Andrew Frankel finds out how the film's automotive star has stood the test of time