The Top 10 Most Expensive Cars In Michael Jordan's Collection
Widely regarded as the greatest NBA player of all time, Michael Jordan's performance on the court, and his lucrative brand deals off of it, have led him to become one of sports' wealthiest men. With an estimated fortune of $1.7 billion according to Forbes, it's fair to say that Jordan could feasibly afford to buy just about anything he wanted. And he has: from his multiple mansions in exclusive gated communities to his $50 million private jet, the billionaire isn't afraid to splash out on the finest things that money can buy. That includes his fleet of luxury and exotic cars, some of which became icons in their own right when he was pictured driving them during his playing peak in the '90s.
Most enthusiasts will know Jordan for his love of Ferraris and Porsches, but he's also purchased Mercedes-Benzes, Bentleys, and even reportedly a multi-million dollar Bugatti Veyron. In recent years, MJ has become a little more coy with his purchases, and it's almost impossible to keep track of which ultra-expensive cars he's sold off, and which are still sitting in his garage. However, here's a roundup of 10 of his most expensive purchases from over the decades, some of which would make even seasoned collectors green with envy.
Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir
When the Bugatti Veyron was unveiled in 2005, it redefined the hypercar class and set new world records in the process. With 1,000 horsepower on tap from its W16 engine, the car was capable of a top speed of 253 mph, making it faster than any other production car to wear a license plate (via Evo). Just owning a "regular" Veyron requires incredibly deep pockets, but Jordan reportedly went one better and purchased a one-of-12 special edition Veyron Sang Noir, which translates as "black blood." The car cost him a reported $2.25 million, and its all-black exterior was inspired by the Bugatti Type 57S Atlantic, according to the brand.
Jordan might have joined a very exclusive members' club by owning a Sang Noir, but he's not the only famous face to do so. Canadian megastar Drake also owns one of the other 11 examples, with a license plate that reads, "STARTED," in reference to his smash hit "Started From the Bottom" (via Autoevolution). As a keen purveyor of vanity plates himself, Jordan would surely approve of the Toronto native's witty registration.
Porsche 911 993 Turbo S
One of Jordan's most famous vanity plates was found on the back of his red Porsche 993 Turbo S. The car appeared in the 2020 ESPN documentary "The Last Dance" alongside a number of his other rides, and it bears a license plate simply reading "AIR" (via Car and Driver). The Turbo S' flat-six engine packed 424 horses thanks to upgraded turbochargers and an additional oil cooler, making it the most powerful model in the 993 lineup. Car and Driver notes that the car can be seen in episode 9 of "The Last Dance," where Jordan is shown exiting the car while the camera pans around to his "AIR" plate.
Only 345 units of the car were ever built, and resale prices for the Turbo S have remained on a steady trend upward for the past few years (via Classic). Despite its recent reappearance in the archive footage used for the documentary, Jordan hasn't been seen driving his 993 Turbo S in public for years now, and it's unknown whether he still owns it.
Ferrari 550 Maranello
Over his multi-decade career, Jordan has been seen behind the wheel of plenty of Ferraris. One of his most famous Prancing Horses, which he can be seen driving in episode four of "The Last Dance," is his 550 Maranello (via Autoblog). With 485 horsepower on tap, the 550 Maranello was designed to encourage Ferrari owners to drive their cars more, without compromising on their performance abilities (via RAC). It was a grand tourer, unlike its predecessor, the 512 TR, and with its comfortable, spacious interior, it could be driven every day without its owner having to make sacrifices on practicality.
The car clearly stood out to Jordan, who bought one almost as soon as it was released. In 2014, legendary Nike designer Tinker Hatfield used Jordan's 550 Maranello as inspiration for a "Ferrari" edition of the Air Jordan 14 sneaker, although the resulting silhouette was never officially released (via Hypebeast). As well as buying a 550 Maranello for himself, Jordan reportedly gave one away to fellow Bulls teammate Scottie Pippen as a Christmas present in 1997. The story goes that MJ was originally going to give Pippen a box of cigars, but after seeing that his teammate had commissioned a diamond-encrusted trophy earring for him, he changed his mind and went with the Ferrari instead.
Mercedes-Benz S600 Lorinser
Another of Jordan's most famous rides from his peak playing era in the mid-to-late '90s is his Mercedes-Benz S600, which was customized for him by Lorinser. His Airness bought the car new in December 1995 as a 1996 model, and the title was co-held with his then-wife Juanita (via Beverly Hills Car Club). The car came with all the latest features, including heated seats, cruise control, and a power sunroof, and it was also fitted with 24-inch chrome wheels courtesy of Lorinser.
The car was put up for auction in 2020, and it sold for $202,200, breaking the record for the most valuable S600 ever sold in the process (via Hagerty). Over 177 bids were received for the car, perhaps partly because of its prominent appearance in ESPN's "The Last Dance," which had been released just a few months prior. It seems that two years after that initial release, the hype surrounding MJ's S600 has died down a little. At the time of writing, the car is back on the market at a dealer in Beverly Hills for $135,000. Assuming it sells for list price, the current owner is looking at a loss of nearly $70,000, all for the privilege of owning Jordan's former car for two years. At least it comes with a clean Carfax.
Ferrari 512 TR
Most elite athletes buy expensive cars as a way of simply showing off their success, but if you're Michael Jordan, you can also use your car as a means of intimidating your rivals. Chris Webber recounted in an interview that MJ used to sit on his Ferrari 512 TR with a cigar lit before games, in full view of the opposing team getting off their bus. He said, "It was almost like, 'I lit the cigar. I'm celebrating already. This is just a formality, you guys getting on the court tonight.'"
It might have been used as an intimidation tactic to scare rival players, but the 512 TR would also have been pretty intimidating for any driver to see in their rearview mirror. A revised version of the legendary Testarossa, the 512 TR packed the same flat-12 engine as its predecessor, with around 422 horsepower on tap. It was made in the era before supercars became practical, and so driving it around town with its lack of power steering and wide turning radius was a challenge. Still, it seems Jordan was impressed with the car, even if he no longer owns it. His 512 TR crossed the auction block in 2010, and it's not been seen in public since.
Porsche 911 930 Turbo Slantnose
Alongside his bevy of other Porsches, one of the most desirable collectors' cars in Jordan's garage is his 930 Turbo Slantnose, or Flachbau as it's also known. Less than 1,000 examples of the car were ever produced, and only around 600 of those made it Stateside (via 911Flachbau). Jordan reportedly bought his car new in 1989, shelling out more than $100,000 to get it. Not only was the car a personal trophy for Jordan, but it also helped inspire one of his best-selling sneakers, the Jordan 6 (via MotorBiscuit).
Nike designer Tinker Hatfield took inspiration for the Jordan 6 from the basketball star's 911, as well as collaborating closely with Jordan to make sure the shoe lived up to his performance expectations (via Bleacher Report). One of the requests Jordan made for the shoe was to have a "clear toe," meaning extra layers of material were to be stripped away from the sneaker wherever possible. This led the Jordan 6 to be even more sleek and athletic than its predecessor, a description that could also be applied to the Flachbau 911 it took inspiration from.
Bentley Continental GT
Porsche's flagship sports car isn't the only vehicle in Jordan's collection that Nike's designers have taken inspiration from. The 2006 Jordan 21 was also reportedly inspired by automotive design, this time MJ's freshly-purchased 2005 Bentley Continental GT (via Sole Collector). The grille-like air vents in the shoe's design, as well as the full leather upper, were designed by D'Wayne Edwards to imitate elements of the British luxury grand tourer, although rather disappointingly, there was no British Racing Green colorway to match the exterior of Jordan's ride.
The car was sold off to the Volo Auto Museum in Illinois in 2011 and was listed for sale by the museum in 2020 (via Volo Auto Museum). The asking price for this unique piece of MJ memorabilia was $129,995, a steep premium considering the average selling price for a Bentley of similar age on Bring a Trailer is closer to $40,000. It's not clear whether the car sold, but at the time of writing, it's still listed as an attraction at the museum as an attraction at the museum, so the chances are that no buyer came forward.
Cadillac XLR-V
Looking at the other exotics in MJ's collection, a Cadillac roadster might seem like a bit of a surprise. This was no ordinary Caddy, though, but rather a top-of-the-range XLR-V that the brand's then-general manager Jim Taylor personally delivered to Jordan (via Autoblog). The car reportedly cost over $100,000, and to help Jordan pick out his ideal ride, Taylor organized a semi loaded with three different examples of the XLR-V to show up at his house. Each one was a different color: one black, one red, and one silver, and the NBA star eventually chose the red one.
The car was then fitted with bespoke sill plates featuring Jordan's signature etched into aluminum, just to really drive the point home that this was far from your grandad's old Cadillac. Strangely enough, it was reported at the time that the XLR-V was the first time Jordan had purchased an American car, despite him being seen driving a number of Chevrolet Corvettes throughout his playing career. There is a possible explanation for this though — in response to Gary Payton claiming he could afford just as many exotic cars as Jordan, MJ is alleged to have responded, "The cars I got are just like yours, except mine were free" (via MotorBiscuit). Clearly, Jordan wasn't going to pay for something as common as a Chevy, even a top-of-the-range one.
Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Edition
The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren was far from the greatest car that either of the two collaborating automakers had produced, and its development was hampered by disagreements between both parties (via Autocar). In fact, the fallout from the development process caused the relationship between the two to collapse completely, with McLaren resurrecting its road division as a standalone brand shortly after the final SLR rolled off the production line. Even if it wasn't quite the world-beating supercar that many expected it to be, the SLR was still a great performance car in its own right, and the 722 Edition is arguably one of the best variants.
Jordan bought his Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Edition new in 2007, but he didn't keep it that long. Less than three years later, the car was listed for sale on eBay with only 1,038 miles on the odometer (via Supercars Net). The SLR even had a year's factory warranty left from Mercedes-Benz when it was listed on the auction site for $429,998 (via Top Gear). The car did sell, but both the car and the owner have kept a low profile ever since.
Ferrari 488 Pista
While MJ appears to have toned down his car purchases somewhat in the years since his retirement, it seems he's still a fan of the latest Prancing Horses. A YouTuber by the name of Baltic Supra Racing spotted Jordan on the road in his bright yellow Ferrari 488 Pista, smoking his signature cigar. The YouTubers can't quite believe it's Jordan at first, so they wait to catch up with him to get a better look. They quickly realize that is in fact MJ, and he gives them a wave before speeding off.
The 488 Pista boasts the most powerful V8 engine in Ferrari's history, with around 710 horsepower on tap (via Ferrari). The 488 is essentially an evolution of the 458 Italia, with the biggest change being a turbocharged motor (via Road and Track). That makes it significantly faster than its predecessor around a track, and presumably, means that Jordan can get wherever he needs to go just that little bit quicker.