Former GM Exec John DeLorean Dies

Perian · 03-20-2005, 01:25 PM

Source: Associated Press
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Car Developer John DeLorean Dies at 80
Sunday March 20, 1:15 pm ET
By Jeffrey Gold, Associated Press Writer
Former General Motors Executive and Developer of Futuristic Sports Car John DeLorean Dies at 80

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- John Z. DeLorean, the innovative automaker who left a promising career in Detroit to develop the stainless steel-skinned, gull-winged sports car bearing his name and was acquitted of charges he planned to sell $24 million worth of cocaine to support the venture, has died at the age of 80.

DeLorean died Saturday at Overlook Hospital in Summit, N.J., of complications from a recent stroke, said Paul Connell, an owner of A.J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Directors in Royal Oak, Mich., which was handling arrangements.

DeLorean, whose namesake car was turned into a time machine in the "Back to the Future" movies, was among just a handful of U.S. entrepreneurs who dared start a car company in the last 75 years.

DeLorean "broke the mold" of staid Midwestern auto executives by pushing General Motors Corp. to offer smaller models, auto historians said.

While at GM, he created what some consider the first "muscle car" in 1964 by cramming a V-8 engine into a Pontiac Tempest and calling it the GTO.

Although he was a rising if unconventional executive at GM, and was believed by many to be destined for its presidency, he quit in 1973 to launch the DeLorean Motor Car Co. in Northern Ireland.

Eight years later, the DeLorean DMC-12 hit the streets with its unpainted stainless steel skin and gull-wing doors.

Its angular design earned it a cult following, and the car was a time-traveling vehicle for Michael J. Fox in the "Back to the Future" films of the late 1980s.

However, the factory produced only about 8,900 cars in three years, estimated John Truscott, membership director of the DeLorean Owners Association.

DeLorean's company collapsed in 1983, a year after he was arrested in Los Angeles, accused in a sting of conspiring to sell $24 million of cocaine to salvage the company.

DeLorean used an entrapment defense to win acquittal on the drug charges in 1984, despite a surveillance videotape in which he was shown calling a suitcase full of cocaine "good as gold."

He was later cleared of defrauding his investors, but continuing legal entanglements kept him on the sidelines of the automotive world. He declared bankruptcy in 1999.

Perian · 03-20-2005, 01:28 PM

Who knows where GM would be today if Mr. DeLorean had stayed...

An amazing life - an amazing man.

**Rex Raider** · 03-20-2005, 01:39 PM

Back to the Future would not have been the same without him.
A whole bunch of cars just went up in value.

RIP.

spudglo08 · 03-20-2005, 01:56 PM

GM needs some guys like him.RIP

AndrewGS · 03-20-2005, 02:31 PM

****************, this sucks.

My condolences to his friends and family. He will be missed my many, and remembered by more.

powervette · 03-20-2005, 02:32 PM

we need such creative people at GM
good job Mr.DeLorean!
R.I.P

spudglo08 · 03-20-2005, 02:37 PM

He was comited to his company.Willing to break the law to save it.Maby Lutz and Wagoner need to start selling crack at a lemonade stand thing with a sign that says crack $20 a kilo.Please buy we need to save our company.The next night in jail wagoner says to Lutz."She shure didnt look like a cop to me"

Perian · 03-20-2005, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spudglo08

He was comited to his company.Willing to break the law to save it.Maby Lutz and Wagoner need to start selling crack at a lemonade stand thing with a sign that says crack $20 a kilo.Please buy we need to save our company.The next night in jail wagoner says to Lutz."She shure didnt look like a cop to me"

You may be on to something:

"Buy an Escalade, get a kilo" might be more of an incentive these days than 0% financing for 60 months...

dreadnaught1181 · 03-20-2005, 03:23 PM

Actually from their recent decisions, I'd say they need to lay off the crack.

Sorry to see another of the golden-age execs pass on into history. Loved the bit about him slipping 5,000 GTOs out the door without GM approval, that took balls. Shame the DMC-12 ended up the way it did.

SVT2888 · 03-20-2005, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perian

You may be on to something:

"Buy an Escalade, get a kilo" might be more of an incentive these days than 0% financing for 60 months...

I think many of the Escalade owners already have plenty of Kilos with them

jro4566 · 03-20-2005, 04:26 PM

R.I.P. you great man.

HOJIMAN2K3 · 03-20-2005, 04:40 PM

The 'sting operation' was total entrapment.

The auto industry has lost a pioneer and a legend, he always had his eye on the future with the cars he helped develop, masterminded- no- invented the factory MuscleCar and it is a darn shame of what he tried to bring to the auto industry and what everyone tried to do to keep him down. His visions for his own car is a joke compared to what Red Tape turned it into.

Thanks for the cars!
RIP

[Corporal Dan] · 03-20-2005, 05:23 PM

RIP.

Great guy who made great cars.

If only we'd seen what may have been.

Kar Krazie · 03-20-2005, 05:39 PM

My deepest sympathies to family and friends. May he rest in peace.

yoblues · 03-20-2005, 06:01 PM

Rest in peace John. This was the era when GM had people that new what the hell cars were all about. Ricky Waggyboy and the rest of the current GM suit punks could not shine this guys shoes.

03-20-2005, 01:25 PM	#1 (permalink)
Perian News Contributor Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New York Drives: 2008 Saab 9-5 Sedan Posts: 4,069	Former GM Exec John DeLorean Dies Source: Associated Press -------------------------------------------------------------------- Car Developer John DeLorean Dies at 80 Sunday March 20, 1:15 pm ET By Jeffrey Gold, Associated Press Writer Former General Motors Executive and Developer of Futuristic Sports Car John DeLorean Dies at 80 NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- John Z. DeLorean, the innovative automaker who left a promising career in Detroit to develop the stainless steel-skinned, gull-winged sports car bearing his name and was acquitted of charges he planned to sell $24 million worth of cocaine to support the venture, has died at the age of 80. DeLorean died Saturday at Overlook Hospital in Summit, N.J., of complications from a recent stroke, said Paul Connell, an owner of A.J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Directors in Royal Oak, Mich., which was handling arrangements. DeLorean, whose namesake car was turned into a time machine in the "Back to the Future" movies, was among just a handful of U.S. entrepreneurs who dared start a car company in the last 75 years. DeLorean "broke the mold" of staid Midwestern auto executives by pushing General Motors Corp. to offer smaller models, auto historians said. While at GM, he created what some consider the first "muscle car" in 1964 by cramming a V-8 engine into a Pontiac Tempest and calling it the GTO. Although he was a rising if unconventional executive at GM, and was believed by many to be destined for its presidency, he quit in 1973 to launch the DeLorean Motor Car Co. in Northern Ireland. Eight years later, the DeLorean DMC-12 hit the streets with its unpainted stainless steel skin and gull-wing doors. Its angular design earned it a cult following, and the car was a time-traveling vehicle for Michael J. Fox in the "Back to the Future" films of the late 1980s. However, the factory produced only about 8,900 cars in three years, estimated John Truscott, membership director of the DeLorean Owners Association. DeLorean's company collapsed in 1983, a year after he was arrested in Los Angeles, accused in a sting of conspiring to sell $24 million of cocaine to salvage the company. DeLorean used an entrapment defense to win acquittal on the drug charges in 1984, despite a surveillance videotape in which he was shown calling a suitcase full of cocaine "good as gold." He was later cleared of defrauding his investors, but continuing legal entanglements kept him on the sidelines of the automotive world. He declared bankruptcy in 1999.

03-20-2005, 01:28 PM	#2 (permalink)
Perian News Contributor Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New York Drives: 2008 Saab 9-5 Sedan Posts: 4,069	Re: Former GM Exec John DeLorean Dies Who knows where GM would be today if Mr. DeLorean had stayed... An amazing life - an amazing man. Last edited by Perian : 03-20-2005 at 01:43 PM.

03-20-2005, 01:39 PM	#3 (permalink)
Rex Raider Administrator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Drives: 2009 Camry Hybrid (company car) Posts: 11,787	Re: Former GM Exec John DeLorean Dies Back to the Future would not have been the same without him. A whole bunch of cars just went up in value. RIP. __________________ Sure, I drive a Toyota, but at least I don't have to pay for it.

03-20-2005, 01:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
spudglo08 3.8 Liter Supercharged V6 Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Battle Creek, Michigan Posts: 590	Re: Former GM Exec John DeLorean Dies GM needs some guys like him.RIP __________________

03-20-2005, 02:31 PM	#5 (permalink)
AndrewGS 7.0 Liter LS7 V8 Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Spring, TX, MX (Houston) Drives: 1986 Ford RS200 EVO Posts: 6,940	Re: Former GM Exec John DeLorean Dies **************, this sucks. My condolences to his friends and family. He will be missed my many, and remembered by more. __________________ Andrew - MySpace - KD5FHW 1995 Buick Roadmaster Limited - LT1, 4L60E, 2.93 Gears, 260HP, 4,200LBS, 15.4SEC 1/4-MI, 21MPG 2005 Chevrolet Silverado C1500 LS** - LM7, 4L60E, 3.73 Gears, 300HP, 4,200LBS, 15.0SEC 1/4-MI, 19.0MPG "Gas mileage is fine, but keep in mind, the first question any car buyer asks themselves is, 'Will this get me laid?'"

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03-20-2005, 02:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
powervette 4.4 Liter Supercharged Northstar Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Heart of Europe Posts: 2,208	Re: Former GM Exec John DeLorean Dies we need such creative people at GM good job Mr.DeLorean! R.I.P

03-20-2005, 02:37 PM	#7 (permalink)
spudglo08 3.8 Liter Supercharged V6 Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Battle Creek, Michigan Posts: 590	Re: Former GM Exec John DeLorean Dies He was comited to his company.Willing to break the law to save it.Maby Lutz and Wagoner need to start selling crack at a lemonade stand thing with a sign that says crack $20 a kilo.Please buy we need to save our company.The next night in jail wagoner says to Lutz."She shure didnt look like a cop to me" __________________

03-20-2005, 03:23 PM	#9 (permalink)
dreadnaught1181 3.9 Liter V6 Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Houston, TX Drives: 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser GT Posts: 903	Re: Former GM Exec John DeLorean Dies Actually from their recent decisions, I'd say they need to lay off the crack. Sorry to see another of the golden-age execs pass on into history. Loved the bit about him slipping 5,000 GTOs out the door without GM approval, that took balls. Shame the DMC-12 ended up the way it did.

03-20-2005, 04:26 PM	#11 (permalink)
jro4566 7.0 Liter LS7 V8 Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Dallas, Texas Drives: 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette 2003 Suzuki XL-7 2005 Posts: 5,050	Re: Former GM Exec John DeLorean Dies R.I.P. you great man. __________________ 2007 BMW 328i. Black sapphire metallic. Terra leather. Poplar wood. Automatic trans. Xenon adaptive headlights. BMW Assist. Bluetooth. Premium package. Heated seats. iDrive navigation system. Rear sonar. Comfort access. LOGIC7 surround sound. Sirius. 18" BMW wheels. Rear spoiler. 2006 Suzuki Grand Vitara Luxury. Black onyx pearl. Beige leather. 4WD. Chrome hood vents, mirror covers, exhaust. Silver grille, taillight trim. Brushed metal bumper protector. Running boards.

03-20-2005, 04:40 PM	#12 (permalink)
HOJIMAN2K3 3.5 Liter V6 Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: 35° 24' N 97° 36' W Drives: 1994 Toyota Celica on 17" OZ Superleggera wheels Posts: 228	Re: Former GM Exec John DeLorean Dies The 'sting operation' was total entrapment. The auto industry has lost a pioneer and a legend, he always had his eye on the future with the cars he helped develop, masterminded- no- invented the factory MuscleCar and it is a darn shame of what he tried to bring to the auto industry and what everyone tried to do to keep him down. His visions for his own car is a joke compared to what Red Tape turned it into. Thanks for the cars! RIP __________________ I drive a Toyota, but my name is not Yoda

03-20-2005, 05:23 PM	#13 (permalink)
[Corporal Dan] 3.8 Liter Supercharged V6 Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 627	Re: Former GM Exec John DeLorean Dies RIP. Great guy who made great cars. If only we'd seen what may have been. __________________ FWD is for sissies.

03-20-2005, 05:39 PM	#14 (permalink)
Kar Krazie 6.2 Liter Vortec V8 Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: The Hills above Santa Clarita, California Drives: 2003 Chevy Tahoe w/20's 2004 GMC Sierra SLT Posts: 2,537	Re: Former GM Exec John DeLorean Dies My deepest sympathies to family and friends. May he rest in peace. __________________ Buick Enclave

03-20-2005, 06:01 PM	#15 (permalink)
yoblues 5.3 Liter LS4 V8 Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 3,387	Re: Former GM Exec John DeLorean Dies Rest in peace John. This was the era when GM had people that new what the hell cars were all about. Ricky Waggyboy and the rest of the current GM suit punks could not shine this guys shoes.

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