John DeLorean

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What is John DeLorean known for?

John Zachary DeLorean was an American automobile engineer and executive, best known for his work at General Motors and the founding of the DeLorean Motor Company. Born on January 6, 1925, in Detroit, Michigan, he passed away on March 19, 2005, in Summit, New Jersey.

Throughout his career, DeLorean managed the development of several notable vehicles, including the Pontiac GTO muscle car, the Pontiac Firebird, Pontiac Grand Prix, Chevrolet Cosworth Vega, and the iconic DMC DeLorean sports car. The latter gained even more popularity after being featured in the 1985 film "Back to the Future".

DeLorean's journey was not without its hurdles. In 1982, he was charged with cocaine trafficking, a charge he was later able to successfully dispute under the procedural defense of police entrapment. This trial ended in a not guilty verdict in August 1984. By this time, the DeLorean Motor Company had declared bankruptcy and ceased operations.

On a personal note, DeLorean was the eldest of four sons of Zachary and Kathryn DeLorean. His father, a Romanian immigrant, was a mill worker, while his mother was a Hungarian citizen of Hungarian origin and was employed at the Carboloy Products Division of General Electric throughout most of DeLorean's early life. After his parents divorced in 1942, his father became estranged and DeLorean subsequently saw little of him.

In addition to his achievements in the automobile sector, DeLorean was also known for his educational background. He held a Bachelor of Science degree from the Lawrence Institute of Technology, a Master's degree in Automotive Engineering from Chrysler Institute of Engineering, and an MBA from the University of Michigan.

For more about his life, visit his Wikipedia page, or learn about the city where he was born, Detroit, Michigan.