A father's gift to his son was destroyed by fire early yesterday morning.

The gift -- a 12-year-old, fire engine red, fully customised Volkswagon Scirocco worth approximately $25,000 -- was one of four vehicles hit by fire as they sat parked behind the Miracle Temple New Testament Church of God on North Shore Road in Devonshire.

Arson has yet to be ruled out by Bermuda Fire Services officers investigating the blaze.

Five vehicles and 16 personnel responded to a report of four vehicles burning at the car park at 2.10 a.m..

By the time they had put the fire out, two of the cars were gutted, one was heavily damaged and the fourth was slightly damaged.

The other car which was destroyed was a blue Nissan four-door which is understood to belong to a bartender who was working at the Clayhouse Inn on Boxing Day night.

The fire is understood to have started in this car and then swept on to the Scirocco.

Last night divisional officer Melvin Outerbridge said: "At this point in time I have not been able to rule out arson as I have been unable to get in contact with the owner of the car despite several phone calls to his residence.'' Parked on the other side of the Scirocco was a white Mazda four door which suffered fire and smoke damage and a red Subaru hatchback which was damaged by the heat.

David Moniz had given his Scirocco to his 21-year-old son Matice on Christmas Eve after he and his wife had decided to buy a station wagon because they needed a larger car.

The plan, said Mr. Moniz, was to pass the car down through his children -- he has two more sons aged 18 and 13 -- so they could concentrate on their education and not have to worry about a car.

Matice took his girlfriend and her friend in it to a Boxing Day party at the Clayhouse Inn on North Shore at about 10.30 p.m.

He decided to play it safe and parked the car up the road from the night club at the church's car park.

When he left the club later, he was shocked to find fire fighters working to extinguish the blaze.

David Moniz said the car's insurance value was only about $12,000 through depreciation by age but it was `totally customised'' with a leather interior and top of the range stereo system.

He said Matice was "devastated -- he's like a zombie today''.

"He can't believe it. I can't believe it. He took all the safety precautions and parked out of the way.''