The DeLorean Sports Car on This Day in History

This Day In History: The production of the iconic DeLorean sports car began in Northern Ireland on this day in 1981, and anyone who's watched Back to the Future knows what a Delorean is. If you've ever wondered why you never actually seen one on the streets at the time, it is because the car sucked. The car’s small engine only produced 130 horsepower, and the stainless steel paneling that gave it such a great look was heavy. The dye from the floor mats would rub off onto shoes and the famous gull-wing doors had a habit of becoming stuck. When Johnny Carson took one for a test drive around the block it broke down. Raising capital to build the car was troublesome as well. John Delorean was caught with $24 million worth of cocaine he wanted to use to fund his dream car. The legal troubles that ensued made him sell his 500-acre New Jersey estate to Donald Trump. John Delorean (the man who also gave us the Firebird and the GTO) died in 2005 in a one bedroom apartment.