Justin Bieber's Ferrari Blacklisting Explained
High-end vehicle manufacturers can be highly strung, and if you offend them even slightly there is a good chance they will never work with you again. Although being rich and famous may come with a sense of entitlement, no level of celebrity status will get you a pass when car makers decide you're bad news. Despite being one of the world's most successful film stars, Tom Cruise allegedly felt Bugatti's wrath due to his inability to open a car door. According to Italian publication Il Gironale, Justin Bieber has joined Floyd Mayweather and the Kardashians on Ferrari's infamous blacklist after breaking several of the Italian car manufacturer's ownership rules.
Apparently, Justin Bieber is the latest celeb to feel the wrath of the prancing horse, and it's all to do with a spell he spent as a Ferrari 458 Italia owner. The singer owned the 2011 edition of the highly desirable Italian sports car up until 2017, and in that time managed to make the legendary vehicle manufacturer wish they'd never heard of him.
Surprisingly, the ban isn't even related to the traffic infractions, crashes, and accidents Bieber had gotten into while behind the wheel of his 458. Even lending it to a friend who subsequently crashes it was apparently fine. However, there are some cardinal rules that must be followed when Ferrari sells you a car. And "Biebs" broke three of them.
Three strikes, and Bieber is out
If Bieber was somehow trying to fall out of favor with the prancing horse, then he left nothing to chance. The singer managed to cross the line not once, not twice, but three times in a short span. In a startling display of complacency, Bieber somehow managed to misplace his $200,000 supercar for almost a month. According to The Daily Star, Bieber drove his Ferrari 458 to the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills before heading out clubbing with friends.
The vehicle was recovered three weeks later by one of Bieber's aides, who was "in a real state of panic" and "almost cried" when told the vehicle was safe and sound at the hotel. According to a member of the Montage's valet staff, Bieber isn't the only celebrity to leave a car at the hotel, though most of the others do it intentionally. The valet added, "Celebrities will leave one of their vehicles with us in between stays, so it's ready for them to use as soon as they check in. We all assumed Justin had done that" (via The Daily Star).
His modifications weren't to Ferrari's tastes
The Canadian crooner also seemed to think he had better design taste than the folks at Ferrari. He had his 458 Italia heavily modified by West Coast Customs. The mid-engine sports car was fitted with 20" three piece rims, Liberty Walk's "wide-body kit," and covered with a "frozen blue" chrome wrap. According to Barrett-Jackson, the body kit consists of "custom fender flares, front splitter, side skirt splitter and rear wing." The interior wasn't spared either, with a 2,000 watt 10 inch subwoofer being added alongside a "factory custom interior created to Justin's specifications."
Ferrari, however, is fine with the people who own its cars customizing them, but would prefer the customizations to take place at one of its approved shops. West Coast Customs is not on the list. Bieber also decided to switch out the steering wheel's original Ferrari badge with a blue one, presumably to match the car's wrap. Unfortunately for him this is a big no-no in Ferrari's books (via Motorbiscuit).
Although Ferrari may not approve of West Coast Customs' work, Bieber is a fan. The singer recently commissioned the Burbank-based firm to give his Rolls Royce Wraith a futuristic makeover. It was spotted in Malibu sporting some extensive body modifications. The mods seemed to be based around Rolls Royce's VISION NEXT 100 concept, though Bieber's vehicle didn't look like it was on stilts. Another key difference was the wheel covers which, unlike the VISION NEXT 100's, did not spin.
Ferrari sales aren't straightforward
When he sold the car, Bieber may have broken another major rule. When it sells individuals a car, Ferrari has been known to issue a contract featuring non-flipping clauses. The prancing horse's demands include the car not being sold within a year of purchase, and the owner having to notify Ferrari of any plans to sell the car. The latter seems to be so the company has the option of purchasing the car back should they want to. There are also examples like the Ferrari LaFerrari FXX K Evo. It costs over $2 million, you can't drive it on the street and you can't even keep it in your own garage. Ferrari will deliver it to a track for you when you want to drive it, then take it back afterwards. You can only sell it to someone they pre-approve with their permission, so Justin is very unlikely to get one (Via Motorbiscuit).
Even if you didn't sign on Ferrari's dotted line at the time of purchase, they're still likely to frown upon you selling one of their creations without their express permission. The company has been known to turn down sales because a potential buyer missed one of their many events, so the idea of someone potentially handing one of their children to another undesirable probably makes their executives go redder than a stereotypical Testarossa. Despite this, Bieber did part with his Ferrari 458 in 2017. It went for $434,500 at Barrnett Jackson's Scottsdale auction.
So will Bieber ever own a Ferrari again?
If Justin Bieber wants another Ferrari, he will more than likely get one, just not directly from Ferrari. Officially, the "blacklist" doesn't even exist, with Ferrari maintaining it has "the right to decide on special editions." The bar for buying one of Ferrari's limited runs is set so high that it's more of a "getting on the whitelist" situation than avoiding the blacklist. To even be considered, potential owners must have a history of Ferrari ownership and enthusiasm. This isn't a Catch-22 situation, as there is a large second-hand market and buying a regular series Ferrari isn't as difficult as being considered for a limited model. Then you have to be on good terms with your local Ferrari dealership. Age may also be a barrier, with applicants under 40 not usually being considered. Finally, you could be subject to a background check where Ferrari will confirm you have the means to actually maintain the car they sell you.
Anyone who has offended Ferrari's sensibilities is unlikely to make the cut, even if they somehow tick all the other boxes. Considering the desirability of the brand, and just how limited the limited editions are, even the ideal customer has a good chance of missing out. But, again, there is a large second-hand market for Ferraris, which the Maranello-based company has no control over. So if any blacklisted celebrity wants to flout the "ban," all they need to do is load up AutoTrader. And even if Bieber never gets behind the wheel of Ferrari again, he still has plenty of amazing rides to choose from.