Grammy-winning South African DJ and producer Nkosinathi Maphumulo, known professionally as Black Coffee, has won a legal battle against Maserati South Africa.
The Johannesburg High Court ordered the luxury vehicle manufacturer to repay R7 million to his company, Soulistic Music, following a dispute over a customised Maserati MC20 Cielo. The amount will attract interest at 10.5% a year from 22 August 2025 until it is paid in full, with Maserati also ordered to cover the legal costs.
Acting Judge Sanet van Aswegen granted summary judgment in favour of Soulistic Music. The court also cancelled the agreement involving the vehicle, which was valued at about R9 million. Maserati’s position on whether it intends to appeal the ruling was not immediately available.
The dispute followed Black Coffee’s decision to replace a Maserati MC20 Coupe he had purchased from the same dealership in 2022. He traded in the vehicle for R7 million and agreed to settle the additional R2 million once the customised MC20 Cielo was delivered.
Black Coffee Maserati Deal Involved R9 Million Custom Supercar
The Black Coffee Maserati dispute centred on a highly customised MC20 Cielo rather than a standard specification model. The vehicle was ordered with features including Maserati Blu Infinito paint, glossy black diamond-cut wheels and a leather and Alcantara interior.
It was also to include a 12-speaker Sonus faber sound system, customised stitching and specially selected colours for various interior and exterior components.
According to Soulistic Music’s case, the parties had agreed that the new vehicle would be delivered by July 2025. Black Coffee’s company said the arrangement was reached through a combination of written documentation and verbal discussions.
The disagreement emerged in June 2025 when Maserati indicated that production would only begin in August. The company did not provide a firm delivery date, prompting Black Coffee to cancel the transaction and seek the return of the R7 million trade-in amount.
Maserati South Africa Disputed July 2025 Delivery Date
Maserati South Africa rejected the claim that it had committed to delivering the vehicle by July 2025.
The company argued that Black Coffee had requested additional specifications that were not part of the original quotation and required confirmation from him as well as approval from Maserati’s head office.
The Maserati South Africa court case also involved arguments about the production timeline for customised vehicles. Maserati maintained that a customised MC20 Cielo could take at least nine months to manufacture after all specifications had been finalised.
The luxury carmaker further disputed the treatment of the R7 million trade-in value, arguing that the valuation was linked to Black Coffee completing the purchase of the new vehicle.
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The High Court nevertheless granted summary judgment in favour of Soulistic Music and ordered Maserati to refund the R7 million with interest and legal costs.
The ruling does not, based on the information available, amount to a finding of fraud or deliberate deception by Maserati. The court order reportedly did not provide detailed reasons explaining the decision.
Black Coffee’s Global Profile Adds Star Power To Maserati Dispute
Black Coffee’s Maserati court victory comes against the backdrop of his international career and status as one of South Africa’s best-known electronic music artists. In 2022, he won the Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album for Subconsciously. The Recording Academy lists the award as his first Grammy win.
The South African producer has also performed and collaborated internationally with artists including Drake, David Guetta, Pharrell Williams and Usher. His global profile reportedly featured during discussions surrounding the Maserati purchase.
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According to the case, the dealership told Black Coffee that Maserati’s factory had made a special exception to secure a production slot for the customised vehicle because of his international standing. The disagreement over the delivery timeline nevertheless escalated into a legal dispute after the car was not delivered as expected.
The High Court ruling brings the dispute over the customised Maserati MC20 Cielo to a close for now, with Soulistic Music awarded the R7 million trade-in amount, interest and legal costs.
