Delorean Price: MSRP, Trims & Real-World Cost

The DeLorean DMC-12 has stainless steel body panels and gullwing doors. It was built for only a short time, and it is a recognizable car from the 1980s. Prices for it are not a single number. A new car in 1981 cost one amount, the final cars cost another, and used cars now sell across a wide range.

This guide lists the original prices that were reported, the option that is documented, and several recent individual auction sales. Where a price is described as "about," the source gave it that way.

Old Cars Weekly gives the retail price of a 1981 DMC-12 as about $25,000. By the final cars in 1983, it gives the price as about $34,000. Original MSRP means the manufacturer's suggested price. It leaves out taxes, registration, and any dealer charges.

The final cars were listed noticeably higher than the first ones. Both numbers are approximations, so treat them as a reference and not an exact sticker price for a particular car.

Options

The 1981 DMC-12 offered an automatic transmission as an option.

The automatic added about $650 in 1981. Auction titles usually say whether a car has the 5-speed manual, so check the transmission before you compare prices.

The DMC-12 now sells as a collector car. The results below are individual Bring a Trailer sales from 2026. Each is a single result for one car, not an average.

• A 1982 DMC-12 5-speed with 296 miles sold on August 5, 2026 for $75,500.
• A 1981 DMC-12 5-speed from a 37-year owner sold on August 28, 2026 for $57,925, with no reserve.
• An original-owner 1981 DMC-12 sold on September 15, 2026 for $55,500.
• A 1981 DMC-12 5-speed from a 34-year owner sold on August 31, 2026 for $30,000, also with no reserve.

What the spread tells you

The sales run from $30,000 to $75,500, and the range comes mostly from the cars themselves. The 296-mile car sold for the most. Very low mileage is rare on a car this old, and buyers who want a nearly untouched example tend to pay for it. The two long-owner 1981 cars sold for less, and the original-owner car came in between them.

Even the lowest result is above the roughly stated 1981 price, but these are four cars on four days. They do not show what every DeLorean will sell for, and prices can fall as readily as they rise.

• Mileage. Cars with only a few hundred miles are rare and sell for much more than driven examples.
• Ownership history. A long-term or original owner who kept records can reassure a buyer.
• Condition. Stainless steel panels do not rust the way painted steel does, but the frame, the electrical system, the interior, and the mechanical parts all wear with age.
• Originality. Parts that are original to the car matter to collectors. Restored or modified cars are priced by their own details.
• Transmission. Compare manual and automatic cars separately.
• Sale venue. Auction fees are added to the winning bid.

Ask for a vehicle history report and the service records. Have an independent specialist who works on DMC-12 cars perform a pre-purchase inspection. The specialist can check the frame and the underbody, the wiring, the engine and drivetrain, and the condition of the gullwing doors and their lifting hardware. Ask what work has been done and when.

Parts and service for a car this old can be harder to find than for an ordinary used vehicle. Ask the seller who has maintained the car, and ask a specialist what to expect. Get an insurance quote on the specific VIN before you commit, since collector-car coverage can differ from a standard policy.