'Dumb' thieves steal £2m sports car

Police launched an investigation yesterday into the audacious theft of the prototype of a high-performance sports car worth £2m.

The British-built Delfino Feroce, which has a maximum speed of 150mph, was stolen from Fulham, west London, on Friday after it was driven from an audition at a film studio.

Allard Marx, the chairman of the company testing the car, had stopped at a friend's flat. He emerged 45 minutes later to discover the unique vehicle, which can accelerate to 60mph in 3.8 seconds, had gone.

Mr Marx said: "We have spent two years working on this prototype and it is worth a lot of money. It beggars belief that anyone could be dumb enough to steal a unique car. It's not exactly going to be difficult to recognise. It seems that someone with immaculate taste also has no sense."

He added: "It's such a throaty machine I can't understand why I didn't hear it being driven off. It embodies many thousands of pounds and hours of investment. I pray that we get it back."

The Delfino Feroce – Italian for "fierce dolphin" – can reach 100mph in 10 seconds.

When it goes into production next year, the vehicle will cost an estimated £55,000 and is destined to be the second fastest car on the road, according to its creators.

The prototype is a jet-black convertible with four-wheel drive and a personalised number plate, M1 NMD.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Kensington Crime Desk, telephone 020 8246 0816.