Originally Posted by
DMCVegas
John Zachary De Lorean is dead. He has no say in anything. Be it building new cars, or even for idiot owners out there who continue to listen to sub-par scratchy radio in their cars because they're trying to "preserve" their cars because it's how JZD built the car. Let alone the fact that he wished Houston better luck with his own brand than he had. But it doesn't matter because he isn't here.
Ignoring the entire argument about the pedigrees of cars which was essentially destroyed by badge engineering and fully eliminated by captive imports, it doesn't matter anymore. Hell, even General Motors doesn't exist any more if you want to get technical about it. They went bankrupt, and a new company with a similar name took their former resources. Legally, they aren't the same. But no, you never hear anyone else complaining that their Silverado or Corvette isn't a "real" Chevrolet.
You honestly want to know what I think? I think that if you could somehow ask JZD, be it across the void of the Great Beyond, or if you could meet him in the past, he'd probably be perfectly fine with what is going on. Sure, the only exception he'd have would most likely be that he wouldn't be around to see some personal income since he'd be long dead by this time. But he'd love every minute of it. Why you ask?
No one remembers the big CEOs like Ed Cole, and even people like Lee Iacocca are a fast fading memory. Most people don't even know how many Ford family members there are, let alone can tell them apart. Only hardcore Corvette guys know who Zora Arkus-Duntov is, and other designers like Larry Shinoda who pioneered not just muscle cars from the 60's but the echoes from his design studio can still be seen in the Jeep brand today are all but anonymous now. But John Z. De Lorean won. He's the one that everyone will remember. His name, his image, his legend will continue on. Just like Obwaandi'eyaag.
Now I'm sure you've no idea who Obwaandi'eyaag is. So I'll save you a search. He was an indigenous war chief from the Detroit area who fought against settlers and was considered by some a hero, and a villain by others. You probably know him better by his more common name, Pontiac.
156 years after his death, his name, and occasionally (interpreted) likeness was emblazoned upon automobiles that had not even been invented in his lifetime. Eventually his name, thanks to a young engineer named John Z. De Lorean who would ultimately head the company division, would command great respect on the road and among the people. And just like what De Lorean did for Pontiac, the same shall be done for De Lorean. JZD has become the new Pontiac. What the automotive world did for Pontiac, it will now in an interesting twist of fate, do the same for De Lorean.
So yes, he'd be happy because he won. His name has become not simply famous, but it is now legend beyond what any of his peers could achieve.