Silverstone goes Back to the Future with DeLorean festival this summer

Made famous by the timeless Back to the Future film series, the DeLorean is celebrating its 40th anniversary at the Silverstone Classic.

The car that will forever be synonymous with 1980s cinema will be featured at the motor racing festival which runs from July 30 to August 1.

Event organisers are hoping to break attendance records at one of the nation's most famous racetracks, with the event coming after festival restrictions are due to be lifted on June 21.

Last year's festival was scheduled to be the 30th anniversary of the event, but Covid quashed those plans.

The event will pay tribute to the DMC 12 version of the vehicle which was immortalised on the big screen. Retro-fitted with a flux capacitor, Doc Brown’s plutonium-powered scene-stealer, captured imaginations and transformed the Northern Irish-built coupe into one of the most famous cars in the world.

With its timeless Giorgetto Giugiaro styling, revolutionary stainless-steel body and distinctive gull-wing doors, the DeLorean was born in 1981 with film star appeal.

In period, however, for all its good looks the show-stopper was comparatively underpowered and overpriced. Build quality was dubious, too, and within a couple of years the troubled company was filing for bankruptcy with its flamboyant founder John Z DeLorean charged with cocaine trafficking.

Four decades on and the silver machines have become highly desirable automotive icons among car collectors and enthusiasts as well as movie buffs.

More than two-thirds of the 9,000 cars produced have survived and, although the vast majority are in America, a few remain in the UK supported by the ever-enthusiastic DeLorean Owners Club UK.

Now, to mark the time-travelling pin-up’s 40th birthday as well as the Club’s own 25th birthday, a dazzling double celebration is planned at The Classic with a record turn-out at Silverstone of DMC-12s all revving up for an anniversary track parade on Sunday.

“We were absolutely delighted and honoured to be invited by The Classic to be a part of the event this year and we are looking forward to being a part of the show,” said Claire Wright, Club Treasurer. “We are hoping to have up to 20 cars from across the UK in attendance to mark these two important milestones. Here’s to a great weekend!”

“We, too, are honoured to be hosting a record turn-out of these remarkable movie star machines,” enthused Nick Wigley, CEO of The Classic’s promoter Goose Live Events. “We will, though, be limiting them to under the magical, time-travelling 88mph barrier on their parade lap!”

Alongside the motoracing will be live music from Scouting for Girls, The Brand New Heavies and ASWAD, driving and passenger ride experiences plus car club displays.

All tickets for The Classic must be purchased in advance with adult general admission starting at £47 and the price of a three-day weekend ticket is £125.

Free admission is offered to accompanied children aged 10 and under, while day tickets for those aged between 11 and 15 are priced from £6.

Subject to guidelines, all tickets will give access to both racing paddocks, open trackside grandstand seating, live music concerts on Friday and Saturday evenings and much of the family entertainment on offer including funfair rides, driving experiences and stunt shows.

All ticket-buyers will have the option to either transfer their ticket to the following year or receive a full refund, if coronavirus restrictions force a postponement.