If all goes according to plan, more than 1m Americans will soon be gripped by the mystery of the missing car. The hunt for a stolen Audi A3 a sporty hatchback that will hit US showrooms in May will begin next week with a launch party in New York.

At the event, the thriller's first scenes will be shot, with pictures and clues about the theft then distributed on the internet. From there, participants in the chase will use interactive tools to choose alternative plot endings.