Delorean is trying to re-establish and reinvent itself as more than just a sci-fi one-hit wonder, and with its production Alpha5 electric performance coupe, it’s bringing an ultra-futuristic Omega concept to Pebble Beach. The Alpha5 is said to be a very beautiful machine that has enough electric power to accelerate to 100 km in under 3 seconds.
With a battery capacity of more than 100 kWh and an estimated drag coefficient of about 0.23, Delorean says it can travel more than 300 miles (483 km) on a charge.
Frankly, it looks nice enough but fairly ordinary – at least when the gullwing doors aren’t open. Realistically, that might also be an apt description of the 1980s DMC-12, before it was converted into the memorable 88 mph time machine from “Back to the Future.
Now Delorean has introduced a couple of new concepts for this year’s Pebble Beach competition, the first of which is a Plasmatail version of the Alpha5, which extends the coupe into a neat hunting type with some extra space on board for storage. The Plasmatail is reportedly scheduled to begin production in 2024. The Omega, on the other hand, is pure fun.
Rooted in the mysticism of Baja, Omega is Delorean’s idea of what could happen to its machines in just 18 years. In the world of 2040, it appears that drivers and passengers will be blindfolded and unable to look to the side – because the side windows have been eliminated. Perhaps this is a safety measure – a clever way to prevent drivers from being lured into a potentially deadly speed race at a stoplight.
The iconic slatted rear window is re-presented as a series of rising hexagons, while the front of the car has a strange ring-shaped body that seems to combine with a set of glass-cut headlights. The dunnage tires come from a universe in which textured rubber is desirable on the bare wheel edges and extends all the way to the hubs.
The suspension is flat, exposed and not obviously connected to the wheels. The rear end echoes the front end with wild finned glass taillights and a ring of thin rear bodywork that extends backward. The fenders and wheel arches have been eliminated.
Delorean thought the Omega 2040 concept was worth advancing to the 3D rendering stage, and it even actually built a roller and displayed it on Pebble Beach.
