These Are The Celebrities Who Can’t Buy A Ferrari

They're Banned For Life

You don't want to get on the wrong side of Ferrari. The company has a long and proud history dating back to the late 1940s when Enzo Ferrari began crafting race cars. The 125 S was Ferrari's first-ever car. Nearly 80 years later, Ferrari's legacy is cemented—and they care a lot about brand image. Let's go over some of the most famous people who used to own Ferraris until they were banned for life by the company.

What's In Ferrari's Purchasing Contract?

While we don't have a copy of the contract on hand, millionaire Robert Herjavec is something of a Ferrari enthusiast and shared his Ferrari-buying experience with wired.com in 2014. To put it simply, "You don't choose a Ferrari. Ferrari chooses you".

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There's An Extensive Background Check

While most dealerships will perform a criminal history check and a credit check, Ferrari's background checks are incredibly thorough. Because no matter how much money you have, handing over the keys to one of their prized machines isn't something they do for anyone—as you're about to find out.

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You Can't Sell Without Notifying Ferrari

Not only can you not sell your Ferrari within the first year of owning, as Ferrari would rather buy it back from you than have you make a profit on it, you also can't sell it at all without notifying Ferrari. This will land you in hot Ferrari water.

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Don't Mess With It

You're not allowed to make any modifications at all to the engine. You're not allowed to paint it ridiculous colors and you're not allowed to make any body modifications that cover the Prancing Horse marque. Any repairs must be done by an accredited Ferrari dealership. If you try to make any of these modifications yourself, you'll void the warranty. 

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Sorry, No Lamborghinis

For a rivalry that began in the 1960s, Ferrari and Lamborghini are still bitter rivals, despite both their head honchos (with whom the rivalry started) passing away decades ago. If you want to own a Ferrari, you can't also own a Lamborghini.

Abdulwahab Alawadhi, Pexels

Don't Badmouth Ferrari

Everyone is entitled to their opinion on Ferraris, but if you own one and have a problem with it, you're expected to approach Ferrari to deal with it. Don't put your troubles on social media, or write about them in your motoring blog. Don't badmouth the company in public. That's one way to ensure you'll never own a Ferrari to talk badly about again.

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The Ferrari Blacklist

Now we come to those few celebrities who have committed one or more of the above cardinal sins of Ferrari ownership and found themselves on the blacklist. You may think these reasons petty, but Ferrari takes its brand image very seriously. 

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Justin Bieber

While the Biebs' car collection is impressive, his first supercar was the Ferrari F430, an excellent model that Bieber purchased back in 2009. But that wasn't the one that got him into trouble with the Prancing Horse's PR division. Bieber purchased a 458 Italia in 2011, left it in a parking lot for three weeks, and then took it to West Coast Customs to be fitted with a body kit and a blue teal wrap. "Non va bene", said Ferrari and Bieber was on the blacklist. 

Jakub Janecki, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Justin Bieber's 458 Italia

Bieber's 458 Italia was the car that got him the chop from Ferrari, but it's still a fine vehicle for, well, anyone else. Bieber also tried to auction the car off with Barrett-Jackson auctions (another big no-no)—it worked, and he sold the teal-wrapped 458 in 2011, bringing someone else the joy of 562 hp pulsing from a 4.5L V8. 

Manderson, Justin Biebers Ferrari 458 Italia

Tyga

Back in 2016, rapper Tyga leased a Ferrari 458 and a Rolls-Royce Ghost. He ran into money troubles and stopped paying Ferrari for the car. Owing about $45,000 on the Ferrari, the car was repossessed and he was sued by Ferrari for their money (plus interest) and subsequent legal fees. They won. He lost the car—and the privilege of ever owning one again.

Frank Schwichtenberg, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Tyga's Ferrari 458 Spider

Kylie Jenner's then-boyfriend, Tyga bought the star a white Ferrari 458 Spider for her birthday in 2015. Costing an eye-watering $263,000 back then, the 458 Spider was powered by a 4.5L V8 engine that produced 562 hp delivered through a seven-speed manual automatic transmission. It'll travel from 0 to 60 in three seconds and has a top speed of 202 mph. 

X17onlineVideo, Tyga And Kylie Jenner Loving The New Ferrari

Deadmau5

Another infamous case of Ferrari banishment came in the case of Canadian DJ, Deadmau5. Another Ferrari 458 owner that took things too far, his laundry list of customizations included: wrapping the car in a ridiculous sky blue vinyl with the internet meme "Nyan cat" on the side, customizing the badging and floor mats, painting the brake calipers pink, and calling it a "Purrari" on social media. Ferrari sent him a cease and desist letter, which he abided by and was never allowed to own a Ferrari again.

Deadmau5 :D, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Deadmau5's 458 Italia

What is it with celebrities ditching their 458 Italia? Deadmau5's 458 featured similar performance specs to Bieber and Tyga's, but Deadmau5 reversed the modifications to his 458 Italia, putting it back to its stock white coloring with pink brake calipers. The 458 Italia was then sold.

deadmau5 driving his Nyan Cat Purrari 458 Spider ft. SLR McLaren 722S CRASHING into a curb!

Chris Harris

British automotive journalist Chris Harris may be one of Britain's greatest voices on all things four-wheels with an engine, but he did catch the ire of Ferrari in 2011 for writing an article that criticized the brand for "trying to win every test at any cost", and calling the brand "profoundly irritating". He also stated that any automotive reviewer is forced to please Ferrari with a positive review, lest they lose their relationship with the company. This got him a two-year ban from reviewing Ferraris.

steve lyon, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Harris's Reviews Of Ferraris: The Ferrari 599 GTB

The first Ferrari that brought Harris under fire from Ferrari was the 599 GTB, which he reviewed back in 2007. A replacement for the 575 Maranello, this front-engined grand-tourer was powered by a 6.0L V12 engine, giving it extraordinary power, propelling it from 0 to 60 in 3.7 seconds and achieving an extraordinary top speed of 207 mph. Apparently, Ferrari wanted to know what track the 599 would be tested on, giving them time to optimize the car for that track.

Sold the Porsche, Bought a Ferrari 599 - /CHRIS HARRIS ON CARS

Another Poor Review From Harris: The Ferrari 430 Scuderia

Named after the Scuderia Ferrari racing team built by Enzo Ferrari in the 1930s, the Ferrari F430's Scuderia variant aimed to compete with the Porsche 911 GT2 and the Lamborghini Gallardo. This fantastic Ferrari had a top speed of 198 mph, produced 503 hp and went from 0 to 60 in 3.6 seconds. However, when Harris reviewed the Scuderia, the "standard" road tires put on by Ferrari stuck to the dyno track. Not a good look for the prestigious company.

Axion23, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

50 Cent

One of 50 Cent's many extraordinary cars over the years was his Ferrari 488 GTB. Unfortunately for 50 Cent, he had to spend a lot more than that to get his car towed to a garage after the battery died. He posted about it on his Instagram page, much to Ferrari's chagrin. Public criticism isn't exactly something they're thrilled about, but when 50 called his Ferrari a "lemon"? That was a bridge too far. He was banned for life.

Alex Const, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

50's Ferrari 488 GTB 

50 Cent's Ferrari 488 GTB may have been an electrical dud, but the model replaced the 458 Italia that had gotten fellow stars in such trouble. Powered by a 3.9L V8 engine that produces 661 hp, it offers a greater top speed (205 mph) and is faster, going from 0 to 60 in just 3 seconds. The 488 GTB was named the "Supercar of the Year" by Top Gear and won the 2017 Best Driver's Car.

Inside 50 Cent's Multi Million Dollar Car Collection

Floyd Mayweather Jr

While Ferrari executives aren't about to get in the ring with Floyd Mayweather Jr, they were very upset with him for buying and selling Ferraris that he'd owned for less than 18 months. New Ferrari owners are prohibited from selling their cars for at least 18 months after purchasing. Mayweather bought a Ferrari Enzo in 2021, which he then turned around and sold a few months later. This earned the star fighter a black eye in Ferrari's books and a spot on the company blacklist.

rcelis, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

More On Floyd Mayweather's Ferrari Enzo

The older model Ferrari Enzo is one of the classic Ferrari cars. Produced from 2002 to 2004, the Enzo was powered by a new generation of V12 engine, that pushed out 651 hp and an incredible top speed of 221 mph. Why would anyone want to sell such a classic early 2000s supercar? We don't know. Ask Mayweather. Or, maybe don't.

Thomas doerfer, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Kim Kardashian

Unfortunately, Kim Kardashian's ban from Ferrari wasn't of her own making. Her black Ferrari LaFerrari  was purchased for the socialite in 2013 by a fugitive Malaysian fraudster who bought the car with fake money. As soon as Ferrari heard about the purchase, thanks to a post on Instagram, they pulled the plug on Kardashian's ownership of future limited-edition models of Ferraris. Choose your friends better, Kim.

Eva Rinaldi, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Kim Kardashian's Ferrari LaFerrari

While not winning any awards for naming creativity, the Ferrari LaFerrari released in 2013 was intended to be the "definitive Ferrari". Whether it was or not depends on who you ask (definitely not Kim K), but the stunning hybrid certainly turned some heads. It's powered by an electric motor in combination with a Ferrari V12 engine that produces a staggering 950 hp, bringing an incredible top speed of 220 mph and a 0 to 60 time of 2.6 seconds.

Charles, New York, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Blac Chyna

The entertainment star most famous for starring in Kanye West's Monster video as a stunt double for Nicki Minaj in 2021, Blac Chyna's also famous in Ferrari's eyes, but for all the wrong reasons. She wrapped her Ferrari California in a bright pink vinyl wrap, and then fitted her Ferrari 488 with bright red wheels, both modifications that you can't do under Ferrari's ownership contracts.

Dvsross, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Blac Chyna's Ferrari California

Ferrari's grand tourer borrowed the nameplate from one of its classics: the Ferrari California 250 GT. But Blac Chyna's Ferrari California was anything but classic. When not wrapped in her God-awful pink color wrap, the car was a respectable silver, red, or black, powered by a naturally-aspirated 4.3L V8 engine. It produced 453 hp and a top speed of 193 mph. Blink and you'll miss it—well, unless it's wrapped in pink, that is. 

Ben, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Philip Plein

Swiss designer Philip Plein ran afoul of Ferrari in 2018, when he hosted a runway show which featured exotic dancers draped over Ferraris and Lamborghinis while wearing his fashion collection clothing. Unsurprisingly, Ferrari took umbrage with this and launched a lawsuit, claiming that he was "unlawfully appropriating the goodwill" attached to its trademarks. Plein lost the lawsuit in 2020 and had to pay Ferrari $352,000 in compensation for damaging the brand.

Gil Zetbase, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Plein's Ferrari 812 Superfast

Philip Plein's Ferrari 812 Superfast featured heavily on his Instagram, but was one of the cars that Ferrari repossessed as part of his for-life banishment. Produced between 2017 and 2024, the 812 Superfast sports a 6.5L V12 engine, producing 789 hp and giving the 812 a crazy top speed of 211 mph. It really is "super fast".

Dennis Elzinga, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

Peter Robinson

Peter Robinson is the only person to have been banned by Ferrari for life—twice. The Australian journalist's first transgression came in 1982, when he was reviewing the 1980 Ferrari Mondial, a V8 grand-tourer built between 1980 and 1983. He called it "the worst road test ever!" Scathing. Ferrari banned him for life. Well, "life" didn't really mean "life", as it turned out. Robinson was permitted to review Ferraris again in the late 1990s and received a second ban in 2001 for another unfavorable review.

Georges Seguin, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Robinson's 1980 Mondial 8 

Ferrari designed the 1980 Mondial 8 as the last V8 rear mid-engine Ferrari, before switching design tactics in the mid-80s. Just 703 units were produced of the Mondial 8 between 1980 and 1982 and esteemed journalist Robinson got to test one of them. Powered by a 2.9L V8 engine, the Mondial had a top speed of 143 mph and produced 270 hp. Respectable for the 1980s, just not quite enough for Robinson's tastes.

Geekstreet, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Is Ferrari's Criteria Justified?

While there are many aspects of Ferrari's purchasing contract that make sense, particularly for a luxurious car brand, is simply besmirching the name of Ferrari reason enough to get banned? Surely, everyone is entitled to their opinions and if Ferrari weren't so thin-skinned about criticism and instead just addressed the criticism, then maybe more people (who could afford it) would buy their cars? What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.

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Sources:

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