DeLorean DMC-12

DeLorean DMC-12: Which Version Should You Choose?

The DeLorean DMC-12 catalogue contains four version records, all from the same generation and all built from 1981 to 1982 as a Coupe. The choice is therefore not between generations or body styles: it is between 2.9 MT and 2.9 AT, each listed with either 132 hp or 150 hp.

The DeLorean DMC-12 catalogue contains four version records, all from the same generation and all built from 1981 to 1982 as a Coupe. The choice is therefore not between generations or body styles: it is between 2.9 MT and 2.9 AT, each listed with either 132 hp or 150 hp. Every version uses a 2,849 cc Gasoline V-shaped 6-cylinder engine, produces 207 Nm at 2,750 rpm, has no boost, and drives the rear wheels. Based strictly on the available specifications, the 150 hp 2.9 MT is the strongest performance choice, while the 132 hp 2.9 MT offers the only other measured acceleration result and carries slightly more kerb weight.

DMC-12 generations and version differences

The DMC-12 has one generation in the catalogue: 1 generation, produced from 1981 to 1982. It was offered as a Coupe and contains four version records: 2.9 MT with 132 hp, 2.9 MT with 150 hp, 2.9 AT with 150 hp, and 2.9 AT with 132 hp. No separate restyling or later generation is present in the supplied data, so there are no generation-to-generation changes to compare.

All four records share the same 2,849 cc displacement, Gasoline fuel type, V-shaped 6-cylinder layout, 207 Nm output, RWD configuration, 51-litre fuel tank, and 140 mm ground clearance. The meaningful buying distinctions are power, transmission, measured performance, and—in the Manual versions—kerb weight.

DMC-12 engine and specs comparison

The 150 hp versions deliver 18 hp and 13 kW more than the 132 hp versions, an increase of about 13.6%. Torque does not change: every version is rated at 207 Nm at 2,750 rpm. Because displacement is also identical, the 150 hp engine records produce about 52.7 hp per litre, compared with approximately 46.3 hp per litre for the 132 hp records.

The engine data also lists an 8.8 compression ratio and a 91 × 73 bore and stroke for every version. The 150 hp 2.9 MT and 150 hp 2.9 AT specify 2 valves per cylinder; this figure is not measured for the two 132 hp records. All versions use central injection and fuel labelled 92 in the English data.

DMC-12 performance, top speed, and mpg

Among versions with measured acceleration, the 150 hp 2.9 MT reaches 100 km/h 1.7 seconds sooner than the 132 hp 2.9 MT. Both Manual records have the same 208 km/h top speed.

Both 2.9 AT records are rated at 174 km/h, which is 34 km/h below the top speed listed for either 2.9 MT. Automatic acceleration is not measured, so the data cannot support a direct 0–100 km/h comparison between the Manual and Automatic versions.

City, highway, and combined fuel consumption are not measured for any version. Consequently, no mpg advantage can be assigned to either gearbox or power output. CO₂ emissions and environmental class are also not measured across the range.

DMC-12 dimensions, weight, and running specifications

The dimensional data supplied for these versions is limited. Ground clearance is 140 mm and fuel-tank capacity is 51 litres for every DMC-12 record. Wheel sizes are not measured for any version. Gross weight is also not measured throughout the range.

Kerb weight is available only for the Manual cars. The 132 hp 2.9 MT weighs 1,244 kg, while the 150 hp 2.9 MT weighs 1,230 kg. The more powerful Manual is therefore 14 kg lighter as well as 18 hp stronger.

Those figures give the 132 hp 2.9 MT approximately 9.42 kg per horsepower. The 150 hp 2.9 MT improves that ratio to 8.20 kg per horsepower, a difference of about 1.22 kg per horsepower. Kerb weight is not measured for either 2.9 AT, so equivalent weight-to-power calculations cannot be made for the Automatic cars.

Every version has independent spring suspension at the front and rear, ventilated disc front brakes, and disc rear brakes. These shared specifications do not create a reason to prefer one power or transmission record over another.

Which DMC-12 version should you buy?

Choose the 150 hp 2.9 MT if the priority is the best documented performance. It combines the highest listed output of 150 hp with the quickest measured 0–100 km/h time of 8.8 seconds, the highest listed top speed of 208 km/h, and the lowest measured kerb weight of 1,230 kg. It also has the strongest calculable power-to-weight result at 8.20 kg per horsepower.

Choose the 132 hp 2.9 MT if that exact power specification is required and you still want fully documented acceleration and weight figures. It produces the same 207 Nm as the 150 hp Manual and reaches the same 208 km/h top speed, but its 10.5-second acceleration time is slower. At 1,244 kg, it is also 14 kg heavier.

Choose the 150 hp 2.9 AT when an Automatic gearbox is the deciding requirement and maximum listed engine power is preferred. It has 18 hp more than the 132 hp 2.9 AT, yet both Automatic records share 207 Nm and a 174 km/h top speed. Their acceleration, kerb weight, and fuel consumption are not measured, so no further performance or economy advantage can be established from the data.

Choose the 132 hp 2.9 AT only when the combination of Automatic transmission and the 132 hp specification is specifically desired. It offers no measured top-speed advantage over the 150 hp 2.9 AT, and the missing acceleration and economy figures prevent a broader numerical case for it.

For a numbers-led purchase, the 150 hp 2.9 MT is the clear selection. For buyers who require an Automatic, the 150 hp 2.9 AT provides the higher output without sacrificing any listed torque or top speed relative to the 132 hp Automatic. Reliability, problems, prices, and repair costs are not measured in the supplied data, so they cannot be used to rank these versions.