Classic advert: DeLorean DMC-12

It says a lot about the power of Hollywood that most people remember the DeLorean only for its role in the Back to the Future films. Forget the scandal, the dashed hopes and the millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money lost by John Zachary DeLorean. The most important thing about the car was that – as far as cinema-goers were concerned – it could travel through time.

Despite John DeLorean’s big claims and bold ambition, just 8583 cars were built before the whole project came crashing down. In its core market of America, however, DeLorean’s advertising showed plenty of confidence, with this TV ad boasting about the DMC-12’s gullwing doors that 'rise effortlessly beckoning you inside', plus stainless steel bodywork that was “beautifully crafted for long life”.

The ad even claimed (rather clumsily) that the DeLorean was 'one of the most awaited automobiles in automotive history', as the camera followed a DMC-12 being driven at speed along a coastal road, while a clearly impressed seagull tracked its progress. Basically, it was a rather poor advert for a car that was perhaps doomed from the start. Ah well…