One-time enemies Alex Macris and Michael Ibrahim bond over cars

Their families were once sworn enemies — each suspected of taking hits out on each other. But a phone call between Michael Ibrahim and Alex Macris sheds light on the complicated relationship between two of Sydney’s most high-profile families.

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For three decades, Sydney has regarded the House of Ibrahim with fear and fascination.

Now, for the first time, we take you inside the private world of this complicated family thanks to an enormous cache of surveillance material tendered to a NSW court.

There are more than 880 phone calls and texts that were covertly recorded by police over more than a year, revealing the truth about feuds, grudges and family lore, including the secret tunnel under patriarch John Ibrahim’s Eastern Suburbs mansion.

There are hundreds of police photos taken inside Ibrahim homes during police raids, and an even larger collection of surveillance photos taken by police tailing family members and associates through the city’s streets.

The material sheds new light on the family’s networks, reaching beyond brothers John, Fadi, Michael and Sam to the far reaches of entertainment, night-life, property and crime.

On their private calls, the brothers and their associates detail their rivalries and power struggles, as well as moments of “us against the world” camaraderie and black humour.

With their bitter history, the Ibrahim and Macris families are not supposed to like each other.

And they are definitely not supposed to be test-driving each others cars.

There’s too much bad blood.

Before he was murdered in Greece last year, one time nightclub owner John Macris was suspected of being behind the 2009 shooting of Fadi Ibrahim.

Then Fadi, Michael and another man stood trial of allegedly planning to murder Macris in retaliation for the shooting, only to be found not guilty of the charges.

John Ibrahim famously had a punch-up with John Macris in a Greek nightclub in 2010.

John Macris’ younger brother Alex has had disputes with the Ibrahims that a court once heard involved alleged debts of more than $1 million.

HEAR MICHAEL AND ALEX MACRIS CHAT CARS

READ THE TRANSCRIPT: WARNING GRAPHIC LANGUAGE

So the suggestion that Michael Ibrahim would call Alex Macris and ask to test drive his Bentley comes as something of a surprise.

But that’s exactly what he did on February 16, 2017.

According to the call, which was recorded by police and later tendered to court, Michael appeared to be in the market for a Bentley 4WD and called Alex — who owned one — for advice.

“You know the Bentley 4WD, was yours the black edition or just the normal one?” Michael asked.

Viktoria Karida and John Macris at their 2016 wedding on the Greek island of Mykonos. Macris was shot dead last year.

Fadi Ibrahim’s then girlfriend Shayda Bastani shot in the leg after she and Fadi were ambushed while seated in his Lamborghini in 2009.

But Alex corrected Michael to let him know he had upgraded to a newer model.

“Yeah, I’ve got the one that’s off its head,” Alex said.

Michael then asked if Alex was referring to “the black edition?”

Not quite.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, but, like, I’ve got even more,” Alex said.

“I spent another hundred grand on the motor.”

Michael was impressed: “Are you serious?”

The pair then arranged to meet up but Alex then made a cryptic statement that indicated Michael may have been with someone else, which would have meant he didn’t want to speak to Alex.

“I thought maybe …(indistinct) … together so you didn’t wanna speak to me but, like, I, I need to cross paths with you. It’s very important to you,” Alex said.

Alex Macris. Picture: Dylan Robinson

Michael Ibrahim.

Alex didn’t elaborate on what the meeting was about, but Michael agreed to meet up and said: “Hundred per cent. I’ll catch up with you today.”

Alex then said: “Do your meeting and I’ll bring the Bentayga so you can have a look at it.”

This was a reference to a Bentley Bentayga, the world’s most expensive SUV, which has an entry level price tag of $420,000.

Michael was happy with the suggestion and said he would “take it for a little drive with you … but you have to come with me but let me just drive it to see if it’s nice”.

He then asked Alex to bring his other sports car so he could test drive that as well.

“So what do you reckon’s a nicer car? The Race or the Bentley?” Michael asked.

Alex responded: “Two different cars there.”

“Like, one’s a 4WD, like, my 4WD is the quickest one in Australia. Like off its head,” Alex said. “But the Race two is a nice cruising car. You know what I mean?”

The body of John Macris who was gunned down in Athens, Greece. Picture: Proto Thema

Michael said he had another friend who owned both cars and was prepared to let him drive them around.

“‘Cause, this guy, I do a lot of work for him where … he sells people’s cars but he gives them to them and lets them pay it off,” Michael said.

“When they don’t pay it off and they be f**kwits, I go and collect them for him.”

The pair ended the call with Michael saying he was going to be in the Eastern Suburbs looking at a boat.

“I’m gonna have a look at a boat on f**kin’ Point, ah, you know, what’s that marina called? Point Piper Marina,” Michael said.

Alex Macris has not been charged with any offence, and there is no suggestion of wrongdoing on his part.