Yeah, 2040 is a long way off, but if you’re a DeLorean automobile designer, you need to stretch the possibilities. And you need to break away from designing SUVs and hatchbacks. That’s where something like the 2040 DeLorean Omega comes in. It is a potential future stretch at where electrification, technology, and off-roading collide. 

So, is this attainable? Maybe so, but probably not. There are a lot of liberties taken, with the presumption of a personal off-roader forging through rough terrain or jungles. But we love the exuberance. And especially, how compelling it is. 

Would you drive the DeLorean Omega off-roader?

Admit it, you would love to bang this through some rocky terrain on the way to some isolated bar you can only get to with something competent going off the beaten path. Sure, a lot of what your see wouldn’t work. Those fragile taillights and similar parking lights would get torn off on the first ride. 

And having side vision blocked doesn’t seem practical. Or is that one-way paint? The Omega “was designed with roots in Baja-themed off-road racing” and is a “departure from traditional automotive design,” says DeLorean. Well, yes and no. 

Audi has done a somewhat similar concept off-roader

We’ve seen a more realistic concept going down the Omega’s direction from Audi. Its Ai: Trail foresees an off-road buggy with high style. With a coupe-style roof like the Omega, the silhouettes would be very similar. They are different designs for sure but have a similar vibe. 

No, the Audi concept doesn’t have the swoopy gullwing doors. But aren’t those usually the first thing that goes into the concept, and the first thing to go once production is considered? But we’re not here to discuss the Ai: Trail.

There is plenty of ground clearance for any environment. Designers have integrated the tires and wheels. We love exposing the suspension. And with all of that room, we wouldn’t mind seeing more. After all, this is a machine.

Is this a real running prototype?

What you see is a mix of renderings and a 1:1 mockup pusher. There is no drivetrain and no interior. So you could call it a design exercise as much as a concept. 

Will this ever see production? DeLorean hasn’t produced anything, let alone an off-road vehicle. But it does point to a couple of things. There is enough of a budget to allow for something like this, shown with the more realistic 2024 Alpha5 Plasmatail wagon concept. And it also shows it is using concepts to excite potential investors and shows it has plans far beyond its recently revealed Alpha5 coupe/sedan. 

Rather than charging large, heavy Hummers through the desert, or into the woods, doesn’t something like the Omega make more sense? Small, lightweight, and fun-looking. We assume that driving it would be fun as well. We can only hope that we see these plying highways and backroads before 2040.