Bold red “MOTOR TREND” lettering dominates the May 1981 cover, framing a dramatic studio-style composition built around the stainless-steel wedge of the DMC DeLorean. The car is presented in two angles—one head-on with the flat, squared nose and another three-quarter rear view that highlights the louvered back glass and blocky tail lamps—turning a single vehicle into a poster-like event. Even without turning a page, the design sells speed, modernity, and the early‑’80s faith that sharp lines and new materials could define the next era of American motoring.
Across the top, the cover’s teasers read like a snapshot of the market anxieties and rivalries of the day: “Chevy vs. Toyota: Cavalier/Corolla Comparo,” plus tests involving an Audi 4000 5+5 vs. BMW 320i, a Datsun diesel King Cab, and a “Countrywide Test” of the Peugeot 505S turbodiesel. Those blurbs place the DeLorean feature in context, reminding readers that 1981 was as much about practicality, fuel economy, and import competition as it was about dream cars. The headline “De Lorean First Drive!” anchors the issue’s sense of urgency—an invitation to see whether the futuristic newcomer could deliver more than just striking looks.
For collectors and enthusiasts, this is vintage automotive magazine cover art at its most evocative, preserving the editorial priorities and graphic style of an influential car magazine in the early 1980s. It’s a ready-made piece of wall-worthy nostalgia for anyone who searches for Motor Trend May 1981, DeLorean first drive coverage, or period comparisons like Cavalier vs Corolla. As a historical artifact, the cover doubles as a time capsule of what drivers were promised: new technology, new contenders, and the thrill of the test drive distilled into one iconic front page.