German Polices On The Hunt For Stolen Ferrari 288 GTO

Test driving a car before purchasing is nothing out of the ordinary, and something we would insist upon if you’re about to buy. Even high-performance cars are requested to be driven before someone, be it an enthusiast or collector, decides to place a sizable deposit. However, someone decided to take advantage, with German police on the hunt for a man who has stollen a rare Ferrari 288 GTO while on a test drive.

It appears to be a classic case of deception when the individual requested a test drive of the legendary Prancing Horse from the seller on the pretense of buying the car. The Ferrari’s owner drove initially, only for the seller to be left at the side of the road when it came time to swap drivers. The 288 GTO roared off into the distance and has not been seen since.

The incident took place in Dusseldorf with local police now looking for clues as to where the 1985 Italian supercar might be — 24 hours after the incident, law enforcement are none the wiser. While a bright red Ferrari is hard to miss, the rarity of the car was likely known to the criminal who may have made plans for it to be exported rapidly.

The Ferrari 288 GTO in question is valued at $2.2 million and was wearing the registration plate ‘D-06073’ at the time. This incident took place at 14:15 local time on the main B9 road in the direction of Dormagen. Anyone with information is urged to contact Kriminalkommissariat 33 using the telephone number +49 0211 8700.

The Ferrari 288 GTO is a rare homologation special produced by Ferrari from 1984 - 1987. It’s powered by a 395hp twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V8 engine, with the power unit being mounted longitudinally. It is one of the most iconic Ferraris of all time, and a prized possession among collectors.

We hope the owner and his Ferrari are reunited very soon.

Source: Police Düsseldorf