Michael Jordan’s Impressive Car Collection Is Even Better Than You Thought
Arguably the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan became an international superstar after leading the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships in the 1990s. One of the smoothest players on the court, from his ball-handling to his infamous dunks, "Air" Jordan boasts plenty of style off the court, too. With a net worth of $1.6 billion, Jordan hasn't been conservative with his money when it comes to his car collection. And why should he? Take a look at what's in Michael's garage.
Chevrolet C4 Corvette
After the Chicago Bulls drafted Jordan to play in the NBA in the 1980s, it didn't take long for fans and companies to realize his potential. It was during this time that he signed a deal with Chevrolet to star in a number of their car commercials.
For his work, Chevrolet gifted the basketball player with a Chevrolet C4 Vette. To top it off, the plates read "Jump 23," which was Jordan's nickname at the time. This vehicle was only manufactured between 1983 and 1996.
Aston Martin DB9 Volante
After the Aston Marin DB7 went off of the market, Jordan decided to get the next best thing which was the DB9. Jordan purchased this car in the early 2000s, and even though it's still a cool car now, it was even more impressive back then.
It has the same engine as the DB7 which is a 5.9-liter V-12, although some drastic changes were made. The exterior design of the car was modernized and its performance improved, able to reach almost 200 miles per hour.
Porsche 911 Turbo S
Although Michael Jordan loved luxury and race cars of all kinds, he certainly had a taste for the German manufacturer, Porsche. During his NBA career alone, he owned the 930, 964, and 993 models.
Unknown to most, aspects of Michael Jordan's Air Jordan IV shoes actually were inspired by one of the Porsches that he owned, which was the 911 Turbo S. Since its inception, the Porsche 911 has undergone continuous development over the years. The vehicle was even ranked fifth in an international poll for Car of the Century.
Mercedes Benz SL 55 AMG
It's not surprising that Michael Jordan likes convertibles, as he's definitely not someone to shy away from the limelight. So, he added this Mercedes SL 55 AMG to his collection which was perfect for his larger-than-average size.
Mercedes produced this particular vehicle from 2003 to 2006 with an impressive engine that sported 493 horsepower. Not only did this vehicle allow Jordan to ride in style and for everyone to be able to see him, but he could also go really fast if he wanted.
Land Rover Range Rover
When it comes to basketball as well as other aspects of his life, Michael Jordan always makes sure that he's one step ahead of everyone else. This was the case when he started driving Range Rovers, which weren't all that popular when they first came out, yet, Jordan drove them anyway. Today, they're more popular than ever.
The Land Rover Range Rover has been in production since 1970 and can be seen in newer versions every few years. A luxury sports vehicle, it has come in high demand in recent years. You can see Jordan driving through his "23" gate to his Illinois mansion.
Ferrari 550 Maranello
Another car that inspired a Michael Jordan shoe, the Jordan XIV, the Ferrari 550 Maranello, is quite the vehicle. The car has a front engine-engine 458-hp 5.5-liter v-12, which Jordan drove in a manual transmission, of course.
The car was a 2-seat grand tourer that was built by Ferrari between 1996 and 2001. In 2004, Evo Magazine wrote, "As with all great cars, there's no one facet that dominates the experience. Yes, the engine is mighty, but the chassis is its equal. There's never been a supercar that's so exploitable and so rounded in its abilities."
Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet Slant Nose
After the Chicago Bulls won their third NBA Championship, the world watched Michael Jordan drive away in his sleek Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet Slant Nose moments after landing in Chicago.
What makes this car different from other Porsche 911s is that it has a 935 race-car-inspired sloped end with pop-up lights, unlike the classic round headlights that are often seen on typical 911s. Furthermore, it had an updated suspension and brakes that could handle all of the extra power that was added.
Chevrolet Corvette C5
The Corvette C5 is a vehicle that was manufactured y Chevrolet between the years 1997 and 2004. In 1997, the car managed to reach 60 miles per hour in just 5.0 seconds during testing.
Michael Jordan can be seen driving this model of car in The Last Dance, in which he parks it before going into practice one day. One of the major changes from the C4 was the inclusion of a hydroformed box frame to improve the car's structural platform, particularly on the convertible.
Toyota Land Cruiser
If you didn't already know, Michael Jordan is a pretty big guy, which means he doesn't always enjoy squeezing into one of his sports cars. Also, Jordan may be a world-famous basketball player, but he also enjoys hobbies such as golf, which requires a bigger car in order to carry his clubs or carpool with his other tall friends.
So, for one of his first SUV purchases, he bought a Toyota Land Cruiser. These cars are meant to handle the toughest environments, although it works just fine driving to the stadium.
Ferrari 512TR
When Michael Jordan was really feeling the itch to go fast, he went out and bought himself a Ferrari 512TR. His version was all black to go along with the suits that we wore at the time and was supposedly a gift to himself after winning his first NBA Championship with the Chicago Bulls in 1991.
Interestingly, Jordan skipped right over the V-8 models and went with a V-12 for this Ferrari. Go big or go home, right?
Corvette ZR1 40th Anniversary Edition
Michael Jordan was never one to shy away from European automobiles, but there's little doubt that he had an affinity for Corvettes. Although he bought the C5 in 1997, before that, he got his hands on the 40th Anniversary Edition of the 405bhp ZR1, in bright red. Jordan had one of the only 224 of these models that were made.
This was a gift from Chevrolet for his work in commercials. So, when his opponent Gary Peyton said he could afford flashy cars, Jordan responded by saying, "The cars I bought are just like yours, except mine were free."
Mercedes W140 S600 Coupé By Lorinser
The years 1993 to 1995 were a tumultuous time for Michael Jordan. His father passed, he retired from basketball, he started playing baseball, and then he came back to the sport that he was known for.
During all of this commotion, Jordan acquired a W140 S600 Coupé By Lorinser by Mercedes. His car was a very dark green sporting a wide boy kit with 19-inch wheels and custom dual pipes. The car would go on to sell for more than $200,000.
Porsche 993 Turbo S
Just before Michael Jordan gave up basketball for the second time at the end of the 1998 season, he treated himself to a ruby red Porsche 993 Turbo S.
This particular car was manufactured by Porsche Exclusive, with the Turbo S using carbon fiber and having yellow brake calipers, so people know that it's a special model. Unbelievably, a car like this is worth close to $450,000 even before having belonged to Michael Jordan.
Bentley Continental GT
On top of the Porsche 930 Turbo Flat Nose and the Ferrari 550 Maranello, another car that inspired one of Jordan's shoe designs was the stylish Bentley Continental GT. The shoe that was directly inspired by this car was the Air Jordan XXI, taking from both the leather cabin and the low suspension.
This was the first car Bentley released under Volkswagen AG management and was the first of their cars to use mass-production techniques to make in large quantities.
Cadillac XLR-V
ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images/Scott Olson/Getty Images
Apparently, General Motors really wanted to see Michael Jordan driving around in a Cadillac. So bad, in fact, that they had three XLR-CV's delivered to him by a truck in the colors of Infa Red, Black Raen, and Light Platinum, allowing him to select his favorite.
Unsurprisingly, Jordan chose the bright red one, which was a luxury two-seater, with the "V" model being the most powerful having 443 bhp. Unfortunately for General Motors, however, having Jordan drive around in one of these did little to boost sales.
Aston Martin DB7 Volante
Once again, in 2000, it appeared that Michael Jordan had stepped away from playing basketball for good when in January of that year, he became the part-owner and president of the Washing Wizards.
Yet, apparently, he was unable to step off the court, and in 2001 went back to playing basketball for his own team. He played for the wizards during that year, and one of his favorite cars to drive the Aston Martin DB7 Volante. This model of Aston Martin was the highest produces ever, with more than 7,000 manufactured.
McLaren-Mercedes SLR 722
Michael Jordan certainly is a fan of his Mercedes, but the title of his fastest in his collection of Mercedes goes to the McLaren-Mercedes SLR 722. This vehicle was first released in 2006 as a limited edition of the SLR supercar and was manufactured in homage to Stirling Moss's win at the 1955 Mille Miglia.
During the race, Moss drove the Mercedes 300 SLR, and his starting number was 722. For some reason, however, Jordan felt the need to sell the car. It was up for sale for almost $700,000.
Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir
After finally retiring from playing professional basketball, Jordan's car purchases have been less discussed than when he established himself as the greatest basketball player of all time. During this time, it's rumored that he made an impressive purchase of one of the 12 Sang Noirs made by Bugatti, also referred to as "black bloods."
These beasts of a car are an edition of the EB 16.4 Veyron, with famous rapper Drake owning one of them himself. With a top speed of 253 miles per hour, this car costs over $2 million.
23XI Racing Toyota
Although it may not be a car for his personal use, Jordan has recently acquired a 23XI Racing Toyota. He did this after announcing that he's starting a NASCAR Cup team, with Bubba Wallace behind the wheel of a No23 Toyota.
According to Jordan, "Growing up in North Carolina, my parents would take my brothers, sisters, and me to races and I've been a NASCAR fan my whole life." His recent involvement in the sport makes Jordan the first black majority owner of a team since the 1970s.
Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano
Even after many years since his last points scored on the court, seeing Michael Jordan out in public, particularly while driving one of his flashy cars, is still an event. Recently, one of the vehicles that he's been spotted in is the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano.
This vehicle is a grand tourer that is a front-engine two-seat model that was manufactured to replace the 575M Maranello in 2006. The car is designed around aerodynamics, with the car's name (599) coming from its engine displacement of 5,999 ccs or 6.0 L.
