It’s interesting the things that turn up on Google Maps. From phantom locations and mysterious shapes to abandoned structures and even abandoned cars. In most cases, those cars are run-of-the-mill sedans, trucks, and SUVs that were discarded for various reasons. But occasionally, something unusual pops up, like this DeLorean DMC-12.
Located in Mozart, West Virginia, an unincorporated community near Wheeling, the DeLorean turned up on Fishers Lane. It sits parked off the side of the road, near a utility pole and just up the street from an abandoned house. The way it sits, it’s like someone parked the Delorean and never came back for it.
The date on the street view image is November 2021. Judging from the state of the gullwing sports car, it’s been parked longer than that. Leaves partially fill the louvered rear hatch area. The small window cutout appears to be open, exposing the interior to the outside air and all four seasons of West Virginia. However, the stainless steel body of the DeLorean looks to be in good shape and just needs a good detailing to make it look new.
Since the street image is going on two years old, it would seem unlikely the Delorean would still be there today. And yet, as of 2023, it’s still viewable on a satellite image. Zoom in on the spot where Fishers Lane meets Hercules Lane and Cerra Drive, and the silhouette of the car is still there.
It seems like an unlikely place to abandon a DeLorean. The same satellite view reveals that Fishers Lane deadends about 500 feet north of the car. The road is barely wide enough for two cars and is lined with modest houses. Mozart is a collection of such houses and roads, with a smattering of small businesses and a volunteer fire department.
Yet it’s not the strangest place to abandon a vehicle, and the DeLorean is not the strangest vehicle abandoned. Over the years, we’ve seen a Lamborghini Huracan abandoned outside Las Vegas and a Ferrari Testarossa left in Puerto Rico. There are also abandoned car dealerships, including an AMC dealership in North Carolina and a Saab dealership in France. But perhaps the strangest thing abandoned was a truck and trailer carrying a house in Louisana after it damaged trees, mailboxes, and powerlines.
