Norfolk DeLorean car up for sale
Rebecca Gough One of the 20th century's most fabled motor cars, a DeLorean, will be sold at auction as part of this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Rebecca Gough
Fabled car expected to fetch thousands of pounds at auction
REBECCA GOUGH
One of the 20th century's most fabled motor cars will be sold at auction as part of this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The 1981 DeLorean DMC12 Coup� is currently owned by Miranda Guinness, Countess of Iveagh, whose family seat is Elveden Hall in Suffolk.
The car has been on long-term display at the Robert Guinness Steam Museum in Dublin and the Irish Museum of Transport and has attracted a pre-sale estimate of �15,000 to �20,000.
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Brainchild of ex-General Motors executive John Zachary DeLorean, the sports car project found a home in Northern Ireland following a grant from the British government.
Under the helm of ex-Pontiac designer, Bill Collins, the car attracted much attention for its stylish coup� body and doors that opened in a gull-wing fashion.
Head of the Guinness family and fourth Earl of Iveagh, Arthur Guinness, said: “It was hugely fun and I remember the gull doors were a particular feature and always turned heads and made a fantastic noise. It's a fabulous vehicle and great fun and many happy memories go with it.”
The highly anticipated DeLorean, which finally arrived in 1980, quickly ran into quality control problems however that were never recovered, in part due to the creator's indictment on drug charges in 1982.
A high point for the DeLorean car was its starring role in director Steven Spielberg's Back to the Future trilogy.
This left-hand drive example of the car has 19,400 miles on the odometer. The Countess of Iveagh has been the only owner of the car.
Group head of the Bonhams Motoring Department, Jamie Knight, said: “We are delighted to have been appointed by the Countess of Iveagh to handle the sale of her DeLorean.
“As a car, the DeLorean pretty much took on cult status from the day it was conceived, and of course further endorsed by the Back to the Future motion picture where it featured prominently.
“This example has covered minimal mileage and is sure to attract much interest.”
The car will go on sale at the Goodwood Festival in Goodwood, West Sussex, on July 2.
