Back to the Future fans around the world have long been waiting for the return of the iconic DeLorean car, which made its mark in history as a symbol of 80s nostalgia and innovation. Several years ago, we were promised that a new DeLorean would be unveiled for fans and automobile enthusiasts alike. So, where is this highly-anticipated creation?

To answer this question, we must first understand the history of the DeLorean Motor Company (DMC) and its initial demise. Founded by John DeLorean in 1976, DMC set out to create a distinct, eye-catching sports car that captivated the public’s attention. Production began in 1981 with over nine thousand vehicles produced by 1982. However, amidst financial struggles and controversies, DMC filed for bankruptcy in 1982, leading to the cessation of DeLorean’s production.

In 1995, businessman Stephen Wynne acquired the DeLorean trademark and remaining inventory. He launched a company named “DeLorean Motor Company of Texas,” which concentrated on restoring and servicing existing DeLoreans using original leftover parts.

The hope for a new DeLorean revived in 2015-2016 when news surfaced about a low-volume manufacturing act bill passed in Congress. The bill permitted small-scale manufacturers to produce limited numbers of replica vehicles without adhering to modern regulations while still abiding by emissions guidelines.

With this legal change, Wynne announced that his company would revive the iconic vehicle as a limited edition model using three hundred original chassis and spare parts salvaged from the old DMC inventory. This relaunched version was expected to hit the market by early 2017.

Fast forward to today – we still have not seen a new release of this retro treasure on our roads. The delays are due to regulatory difficulties faced by DMC Texas. Despite the bill passed in 2015, the bureaucratic process of applying the law took longer than expected. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was supposed to finalize these rules by December 2016, but this did not happen.

To complicate matters further, NHTSA has been slow in issuing the necessary guidelines to allow low-volume manufacturing of replica vehicles like the DeLorean. The last update provided by DMC Texas was that NHTSA’s final ruling still had not been released.

As a result, it remains uncertain when we can expect the arrival of the new DeLoreans. Enthusiasts and fans continue to wait for concrete news on this legendary automobile’s return. Although progress has been made, there is no specific timeline for when our dreams of owning or driving a revamped DeLorean will become a reality. For now, all we can do is keep our eyes on the horizon, hoping that our iconic time-machine-car will once again grace the streets.