An Italian film star,
a hotel tycoon and their SIX YEAR fight over who was owner
of a Ferrari supercar

Published: 17:59, 6 June 2026 | Updated: 18:14, 6 June 2026 An Italian film star’s six-year squabble with a hotel tycoon over a Ferrari has ended after the dispute was referred to a Scottish court. Police Scotland confiscated the luxury vehicle as Gianni Calchetti and Imad Elias argued about who owned it. In order to settle the dispute, the force asked the courts to decide who was the classic sports car’s legal owner. Now sheriff George Jamieson has ruled that Ayrshire-based businessman Mr Elias can keep the Ferrari, throwing out the claims of Calchetti, who had a role last year alongside Brad Pitt in the motor- racing movie F1. In a written judgment, the sheriff condemned parts of the actor’s evidence as ‘rambling’ and ‘absurd’. Calchetti, 57, has a long CV of bit-part credits, including for the film Wonka – starring Timothee Chalamet and Olivia Colman – along with hit television shows such as Ted Lasso, The Crown and The Day Of The Jackal. He and Mr Elias had become friends in Dubai, bonding over their love of Ferraris, and he then worked for the magnate in his food business in the United Arab Emirates. But Calchetti was short of money in 2011 so he agreed to sell his 1985 red 328 GTS Ferrari to the tycoon for £25,000 (£38,000 at today’s prices). The red Ferrari which sheriff George Jamieson has ruled can be kept by hotel tycoon Imad Elias Actor Gianni Calchetti, who was in dispute about the ownership of the red Ferrari for six years He delivered the supercar in person, driving it from Tuscany to the hotelier’s Spanish holiday home in Marbella on the Costa del Sol. But to keep its prestigious original number plates, the Ferrari had to remain in the name of an Italian resident, so Calchetti retained the registration documents. The pair fell out in 2015, and Mr Elias – whose wife Susan is British – later retired to Largs. In 2020, though, Calchetti called the police when his former friend tried to sell the Ferrari. He claimed that he had only loaned him the vehicle and now wanted it back. Police Scotland seized the car and then, in 2022, referred the conundrum of who truly owns it to the courts. After four years of tortuous proceedings, Sheriff Jamieson has now ruled it belongs to Mr Elias as the sale in 2011 was an unwritten contract that must be honoured. He said: ‘The Sale of Goods Act 1979 permits a contract for the sale of a vehicle to be made by word of mouth, or partly in writing and partly by word of mouth.’ The sheriff was persuaded by the evidence of the millionaire’s wife, who pointed out that he had no need to borrow the Ferrari as he already had a stable of supercars of his own. In a 2016 interview, Mr Elias – a founder of the Dubai-based Rotana Hotels chain – said: ‘What is my most indulgent habit? Driving fancy cars.’ Sheriff George Jamieson has ruled that Ayrshire-based businessman Imad Elia can keep the Ferrari He added: ‘I have eight cars in Dubai, two in Spain and two in Scotland. They include Ferrari, Bentley, Mercedes and Range Rover. My favourite is the Ferrari.’ Calchetti became an actor after moving to England in 2017 and lives in Windsor, near London. He’s now facing an enormous bill for legal fees, which will be determined at a later hearing at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court. The sleek Ferrari 328 is a classic model of the prestigious Italian carmaker, and fewer than 7,500 were manufactured during its production run between 1985 and 1989. Its powerful 3.2-litre engine could propel the two-seater to 60mph from a standing start in only 5.9 seconds. In good condition, they typically swap hands for around £100,000 now. It was the car of choice for detective Axel Foley – played by Eddie Murphy – in the film Beverly Hills Cop II. And among the celebrities who have owned one are actors Dame Joanna Lumley and Martin Clunes, radio host Chris Evans and supermodel Heidi Klum. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.