John DeLorean, famous for his gull-wing sports car named after him, has died.

DeLorean passed away on Saturday after complications from a recent stroke.

"John DeLorean was one of Detroit's larger-than-life figures who secured a noteworthy place in our industry's history," GM chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner said in a statement.

"He made a name for himself through his talent, creativity, innovation and daring."

DeLorean left a career at General Motors to create his own car company in Belfast.

The Government at the time backed the company with £77m in public money.

But, after building only a few thousand of the unpainted, stainless steel cars, the company collapsed in 1983.

Before the collapse, he was acquitted of charges in the US of conspiring to sell $24m (£12.6m) of cocaine to save the firm.