The first DeLorean car ever sold publicly in the United Kingdom is auctioned for £13,000.
On the instructions of Northern Ireland Carriers Limited, an auction of 12 DeLorean DMC sports cars is held at the Culloden Hotel in Belfast, County Down by Brian Morton and Company auctioneers estate agents and valuers.
The auction is an historic occasion as it is the first time any of the vehicles have been offered for sale publicly in the United Kingdom.
Prior to the auction the cars have been made available for viewing, giving people from all over Ireland a chance to see the Belfast manufactured cars.
The auction is attended by about 400 people and bidding is brisk. Auctioneer Eric Cairns sells the first of the De Lorean cars for £13,000. It is bought by brothers Albert and David Prentice, who own a car business in Belfast. They beat off bidders from Great Britain, the US and Germany for the car.
David Prentice expected the first car to go for more money than it did, so he is satisfied with the purchase,
We were quite happy to give whatever it made and we thought it was reasonable.
Although the sense of occasion may have raised the price of the cars, Albert Prentice is not concerned,
There's a bit of history to the cars as well, it was nice to buy the first car.
The brothers went on to buy a further two DeLorean cars at the auction. All 12 cars were sold within 30 minutes for a grand total of £140,050.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 14 September 1982. The reporter is Fintan Drury.
