DeLorean DMC 12
Started by John Z. DeLorean in the late ’70s, DeLorean was briefly the next big thing in the sports car world. Its founder was a famous ex-GM executive and a market strategist who knew the car industry and all the key players. For a short time, it looked like America got a sports car brand that could rival Europe’s finest companies (via Britannica).
However, the production was late, and when the cars left the factory, they were slow, underpowered, and riddled with quality problems. After the excitement at first, buyers stayed away from the DMC 12, and DeLorean was in big financial problems. Although the DMC 12 looked like an exotic and super-fast car, it wasn’t. However, this model is very sought-after and highly valuable today.