Michael Jordan, is considered by the National Basketball Association to be the greatest player of all time. Competing in 15 seasons between 1984 and 2003. He became the first billionaire in NBA history. With a reported wealth of £1.52 billion, here is a list of his most prized cars and their date of acquisition.
Chevrolet Corvette C4 (1984)
“Air Jordan” is most closely associated with Nike, but Michael’s first endorsement deal came courtesy of a Chevrolet dealer in Chicago. A new 5.7-litre V8-powered C4 was given to the 21-year-old in return for doing some commercials. Given Jordan’s shirt number and his ability to levitate towards the hoop, the Illinois licence plate “JUMP 23” was chosen for his silver sports car.
Porsche 930 Turbo Cabriolet ‘Flat Nose’ (1989)
His white Flat Nose, AKA Slant Nose 930 Turbo Cabriolet, is said to have been the inspiration for the Air Jordan VI, first manufactured in 1991. The heel tab is reminiscent of the Porsche’s whale-tail spoiler.
Toyota Land Cruiser J80 (1991)
Mike loves golf even more than he loves b-ball, and he likes to bet. He’s been known to wager £220,000 a hole. Anyone who’s playing for that kind of money probably owns a very big bag of very good (and, in his case, long) clubs and they’re not going to fit under the hood of a low-slung Porsche. Jordan has since grown loyal to Range Rovers but his first big SUV was the most no-nonsense of them all.
Ferrari 512TR (1992)
His Airness was going through a phase of buying cars in colours to match his suits, which is why he selected his first Ferrari in black. With the number plate “M AIR J”, the 512 TR. He gifted to himself for winning his first NBA championship with the Chicago Bulls in 1991. Five other championships followed, as did more Ferraris. He’s also owned a 550 Maranello (which is said to have inspired the breathable air ducts and Jumpman shield design on the Air Jordan XIV trainer) and a 599 GTB Fiorano.
Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 40th Anniversary Edition (1993)
In 1997 he was given a C5, but before that he took delivery of the 40th Anniversary Edition of the 405bhp ZR1, in ruby red like the other 224 made. When young Seattle SuperSonics point guard Gary Payton tried to trash-talk Jordan, saying he could afford flash cars too, MJ retorted, “The cars I got are just like yours, except mine were free.”
Mercedes W140 S600 Coupé By Lorinser (1996)
MJ acquired of a W140 S600 Coupé. Finished in a metallic green so dark it might as well be black, the Merc was equipped with a wide body kit with 18-inch chrome Monobloc wheels and custom dual pipes, all installed by stalwart Benz tuner Lorinser.
Aston Martin DB7 Volante (2001)
At the turn of the millennium, it looked like the GOAT had bounced his final ball. In January 2000, he became the part-owner and president of the Washington Wizards, but said he was 99.9 per cent certain he’d hung up his boots. The 0.01 per cent chance happened in 2001 when he returned to the NBA playing for his own Wizards team. During his reign in DC, Mike drove a Rannoch red Aston Martin DB7 Volante, replacing it with a silver DB9 Volante once he’d retired for good in 2003.
Bentley Continental GT (2005)
Following the Porsche 930 Turbo Flat Nose and the Ferrari 550 Maranello, Bentley’s Continental GT became the third car from MJ’s collection to directly inspire a shoe design, in this case the diamond-quilted Air Jordan XXI, drawing upon the Conti’s cosseting leather cabin and silky smooth suspension. Although he has sold it to a car museum.
Cadillac XLR-V (2006)
So keen were General Motors to have Michael Jordan own a Cadillac that the company transported three XLR-Vs to him via truck in the three available colours – Infra Red, Black Raven and Light Platinum – and let him pick his favourite. Perhaps missing his glory days with the Chicago Bulls, he picked the red. The XLR was a handsome luxury two-seater – sort of a Yankee Mercedes SL – with a folding hardtop and Bulgari-designed interior instruments. The “V” was the most powerful supercharged variant, boasting 443bhp.
McLaren-Mercedes SLR 722 (2007)
McLaren. Introduced in 2006, the 722 is a limited edition of the SLR supercar, built to honour the late Stirling Moss’ victory in the 1955 Mille Miglia with his Mercedes 300 SLR. His starting number was 722. A supercharged 5.4-litre supercharged V8 sits under the long bonnet, spitting out 641bhp. The five-time MVP’s machine is currently in Texas and up for sale at $695,750 (£506,350).
Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir (2010)
Since retiring from the court, the basketball legend has been very discreet with his purchases, but it’s been reported that he owns one of 12 Sang Noirs, or “black bloods”, a particularly exquisite edition of the EB 16.4 Veyron that was inspired by the night and the art deco Type 57S Atlantique
23XI Racing Toyota (2021)
Michael Jordan recently announced he’s starting a Nascar Cup team, fielding Bubba Wallace in the No23 Toyota for 2021. “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,” MJ said in a statement. “The opportunity to own my own racing team in partnership with my friend, Denny Hamlin, and to have Bubba Wallace driving for us is very exciting for me. Historically, Nascar has struggled with diversity. I see this as a chance to educate a new audience and open more opportunities for black people in racing.”
