Ferrari Banned Justin Bieber From Ever Buying or Driving One of Their Cars

If you own a Ferrari, make sure you stay on the brand's good side. Between blacklists, lawsuits, and cease-and-desist orders, is bad behavior really worth the cost?
Written by Elaine Duvet
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Ferrari
won Brand Finance world’s strongest brand for two consecutive years in 2019 and 2020. It’s no wonder the
Italian automaker
will not stand for anyone committing sacrilege against the company. Even Justin Bieber.
Jerry
, the
car ownership super app
, gives the latest scoop on Ferrari’s ban of the Canadian superstar.

Dude, where’s my car?

Word on the street is that Justin Bieber has been “blacklisted” by Ferrari from driving or buying any of its vehicles. Not only is Bieber a car enthusiast, he actually bought his first Ferrari, an F430, when he was 16 years old.
“Reportedly, the iconic Italian marque was fed up with Bieber’s bad behavior with its cars which was in violation of Ferrari’s ownership rules, leading to the Canadian singer getting banned,” according to
Luxurylaunches
.
No, he didn’t light the supercar on fire, he simply misplaced his Ferrari 458 Italia for a couple of weeks. In 2015, after a long night of Beverly Hills partying, Bieber forgot when he parked his neon-blue luxury vehicle. 
“The Italian marque firmly believes that the supercars that roll off its factory floors are pieces of artwork that shouldn’t be altered in any way,” Luxury Launches tells us. If you don’t have consent to customize or modify your vehicle, Ferrari will take offense. 
Bieber’s 2011 Ferrari 458 Italia F1 Edition was redesigned by well-known modifiers West Coast Customs. In addition to a striking neon wrap, the pimped-out car received aftermarket rims, hideous flared fenders, and unfortunately so much more. 
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I’m sorry, you did what?

Bieber’s trouble with Ferrari isn’t over. “To make things worse, Bieber broke another very important Ferrari ownership rule by auctioning off his 458, again without the automaker’s consent, which proved to be the final nail in the coffin,” according to Luxurylaunches. 
With a laser focus on brand value and public image, Ferrari requires owners to sign lengthy contracts before handing over the keys. The company’s ownership rules and guidelines don’t allow owners to resell their sports cars within the first 18 months of purchase. If violated, Ferrari reserves the right to buy back the vehicle. 
Justin Bieber isn’t the only celebrity to violate Ferrari’s set of strict rules. According to Luxurylaunches, “Fellow Canadian music artist Joel Thomas Zimmerman, known professionally as Deadmau5, famously got embroiled in an ugly tussle with Ferrari in 2014 after getting his Ferrari 458 covered in a Nyan cat-inspired wrap and naming it Purrari.”
Ferrari’s strong vetting process is why celebrities like car-fanatic Jay Leno haven’t bothered to purchase one. 
MORE: YouTuber Adam LZ Has An Awesome Car Collection

If you’re not careful, you could get sued

While it’s hard to match Ferrari’s brand recognition, it’s easy to see why they have a touchy and uptight reputation. According to
Luxurylaunches
, “Ferrari is quite rigid with its rules when it comes to how its cars and brand identity are treated and is quick to file lawsuits against those who they perceive as a threat to their image.” Celebrities, influencers, charities—no one is safe. 
The last auto to be developed under Enzo Ferrari’s supervision was the Ferrari F40. The final limited-edition F40 LM was purchased by Belgian billionaire and 24 Hours of Le Mans competitor Jean “Beurlys” Blaton.
Blaton commissioned car-builder Tony Gillet to chop off the roof, alter the bodywork, modify the rear spoiler, add side exhausts with a competition windshield and so much more. The F40 was also painted in yellow and deemed the “Barchetta.”
“Ferrari was unhappy with the sacrilege and sent a cease-and-desist letter ordering him to remove all Ferrari badges and markings. Ferrari refused to acknowledge the car’s existence and also Jean Blaton was also blacklisted from attending official Ferrari track days,” Luxurylaunches notes. Bummer.
Ferrari also sued the small anti-doping charity organization Purosangue Foundation. With the 2022 Purosangue SUV on the horizon, Ferrari couldn’t stand the thought of another business using its name. Italian for “thoroughbred,” the use of Purosangue resulted in the foundation getting slapped with a lawsuit from the Italian automaker. 
Did it matter that the foundation trademarked the name first? Nope. Ferrari claimed the charity didn’t make enough use of its name since it was founded. Ouch.
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