Due to the success of the Back to the Future films, the DeLorean DMC-12 has become an automotive and cultural icon — a steel-bodied, gull-winged misfit that could very well go down as the coolest movie car ever. Its flash-in-the-pan production run meant that very few people actually got to drive it, though, but if you live in New York, you may just get another chance.
This Wednesday, Verizon and Lyft are partnering up to give NYC customers a unique chance to ride in a DeLorean for free, simply by using “McFly Mode” on the Lyft app. If you’re based in Manhattan, simply request a ride and a time machine will be with you shortly. The event comes as part of Verizon’s #WhyNotWednesday campaign, which features weekly news and contests about the latest in music, sports, fashion, entertainment, and technology.
October 21 is a very important date for the Back to the Future saga. Not only is 2015 the 30th anniversary of the first film, but October 21 is the date that Marty McFly and Doc Brown arrived in our timeline in Back to the Future II. We’re still waiting on that cookie-sized dehydrated pizza though. Yum.
Verizon and Lyft aren’t the only companies celebrating Back to the Future’s 30th. Toyota has teamed up with Universal Pictures to promote two new vehicles — the Mirai FCV and a mystery truck — both of which will be highlighted in a new film dropping on October 21. Not to be outdone, Ford is offering a fake flux capacitor upgrade for the 2016 Focus and Fiesta from October 21 to Oct 26, and students from Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland will unveil their all-electric DeLorean on October 21 as well. Finally, California startup Hendo is set to unveil its second-generation hoverboard on Wednesday, just in time for McFly’s highly-anticipated arrival.
Note: The video above was produced and edited by blend in collaboration with R/GA.
