Only 303 DeLoreans remain registered on UK roads as the iconic movie car faces potential disappearance four decades later.
Four decades after the Back to the Future franchise propelled the DeLorean DMC-12 into pop culture immortality, the stainless steel sports car may soon vanish from British roads. According to newly released Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) data, just 303 DeLoreans remain road-registered across the United Kingdom.
An additional 114 vehicles have been placed under Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN), meaning they are currently out of use and likely in private collections or garages awaiting restoration. The figures highlight a sharp decline in the number of operational DeLoreans in Britain, once home to thousands of the original vehicles built at the DeLorean Motor Company’s factory in Dunmurry, Northern Ireland.
First manufactured in 1981, the DMC-12’s futuristic gullwing doors and brushed stainless steel bodywork captured the public imagination, especially after the car became the fictional time machine in the 1985 blockbuster Back to the Future. Despite that fame, the automaker’s troubled financial footing led to the brand’s collapse in 1982, shortly before the film premiered.
Around 9,000 examples of the car were produced during its brief run. Many were exported, while others deteriorated from lack of parts or maintenance over the years. Now, with fewer than 420 surviving in any form in the UK, the DeLorean is as much a cultural relic as a collectible classic.
Rarity has also driven demand and value among enthusiasts. Restored DeLoreans in excellent condition can fetch six-figure prices, particularly those with ties to the film franchise.
As interest in classic movie vehicles continues to grow, preservationists warn that without active ownership and support, even icons like the DeLorean could disappear from public roads for good.
