In the popular time-travel film franchise Back to the Future, Doctor Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd) chose to transform his now-iconic DeLorean DMC-12 into a totally tubular time machine instead of the Ford Mustang which was far more popular at the time - but why? This might at first appear to be a rather strange choice of time-travel vehicle. But an 80s car like a DeLorean perfectly fits an 80s film like Back to the Future.

While a DeLorean DMC-12 might be synonymous with time-travel today, this wasn't always the case. As it turns out, the Ford Motor Company actually pitched the idea of changing the iconic DeLorean time machine to a Mustang. It seemed to be the right choice both financially and in terms of popularity. Before the Back to the Future films launched this car into stardom, the DeLorean DMC-12 was a bit of a joke among car enthusiasts. It wasn't particularly fast, it wasn't all that appealing to look at, early build models, in particular, suffered from poor construction quality, and the brand loyalty wasn't strong even among DeLorean owners. At least at first.

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The strange nature of the DeLorean is exactly why it was the perfect car for Doc Brown to drive in Back to the Future. The DeLorean was always a better choice than a Mustang because it's the kind of car that a shouting scientist like Doc Brown would actually drive. Doc wasn't keeping up with the latest styles, and he wasn't trying to impress anyone with his car, although some people still considered it impressive. According to The Movies That Made Us season 2 on Netflix, producer Neil Canton called the unconventional vehicle with its characteristic gullwing doors a "spaceship," a fitting mode of transportation for a scientist. The Movies That Made Us confirmed that the Ford Mustang was the original choice for Doc's time travelling vehicle, and they offered a substantial amount of money for that product placement.

Michael J Fox as Marty Mcfly in Back to the Future with the DeLorean

Although the Mustang had its particular characteristics, the DeLorean served the story better because it more closely matched the eccentric genius of old Doc Brown. While Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) sported stylish jackets and the latest kicks, Doc Brown would rather wear a wrinkly white jumpsuit to the mall. He wasn't even concerned with the consequences of  cheating Libyan terrorists out of stolen plutonium. It's safe to say that Doc was not "with it" and didn't care much about appearances, with his DeLorean being a reflection of these traits.

That said, DeLoreans were considered sports cars in their heyday, but unfortunately, they were overpriced and had virtually no demand. The recognizable DMC-12 model was out of production by the time Back to the Future was released. A strange car with an unfortunate reputation became the perfect match for an absent-minded, time-traveling scientist out of touch with the cultural trends of the time.

When asked by Marty why he used a DeLorean as his time machine, Doc Brown responds that if he's going to build a time machine, he's going to  “do it with style.” The irony was not lost on audiences who immediately realized that the DeLorean was never a stylish or desirable car - though this joke may now be lost on more modern audiences. In an inspiring twist that's only possible with the magic of Hollywood, the DeLorean is now one of the coolest and most recognizable vehicles in the world thanks to the Back to the Future films.

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