Michael Jordan’s Car Collection: seven Vehicles He Bought and Left behind
The greatest of all time. Not many humans on the planet have ever been called that, nor would many be taken gravely if they were. But Michael Jordan is the exception. Other than maybe Honey Ruth or Muhammad Ali, no other athlete has had as much worldwide appeal, or the capability transcend cultures and nationalities, becoming an ambassador for their sport – whether they liked it or not – fairly like Jordan. And while he was no means ideal as a man, his game more or less was. He was the most superior athlete of the 1990s, leading the Chicago Bulls to six championships, winning six Finals MVP awards, and was AP athlete of the year from one thousand nine hundred ninety one to ’93, among innumerable other achievements during his 15-year career.
He was the role model to millions of kids, and despite being intensely protective of his private life, he did let a few details slip – mainly that he loved cigars, golf, and quick cars. In fact, Jordan still loves cars so much that it’s hard to keep track of just how many he has at any given time. He uncommonly registers them in his own name, and never holds on to them for too long. But he’s had enough Corvettes, Porsches, and Ferraris to prove that the man knows what he likes.
Now 52, Jordan still grabs headlines. Whether he’s becoming the very first billionaire in sports history, or announcing that in his prime he could hit LeBron James one-on-one, he still casts a hefty shadow over the game of basketball, something that’s unlikely to switch anytime soon. So here, in chronological order, are seven cars that have been good enough for the Greatest of All Time.
1. Chevrolet C4 Corvette
As soon as Jordan was drafted by the Bulls, he signed an deal with Chicago-area Chevy dealerships to do a series of commercials, and most likely got a deal on his very first starlet car, a Medium Gray Metallic C4 Corvette – license place “MJ 23.” While his tastes got decidedly more European in coming years, Jordan had a fondness for ‘Vettes, also possessing one thousand nine hundred ninety and ’93 ZR-1s, as well as a one thousand nine hundred ninety four model.
Two. Ferrari five hundred twelve TR
Arguably the most ’80s of ’80s cars, the Testarossa may not be everyone’s dearest Ferrari, but to gearheads of a certain age, there’s nothing finer, and at the pinnacle of his career, it was Jordan’s rail of choice. When Sports Illustrated ran a photo of him clad in a bespoke gray suit and Ray-Ban Clubmasters stepping out of his black 512, license plate “M-AIR-J,” a generation of basketball fans had a fresh definition of what cool was.
Three. Porsche 911
While Jordan’s Ferrari was a common view around Chicago in the early ’90s, he has a love for Porsches that goes back to his earliest playing days – so much so that he told sneaker designer Tinker Hatfield to pattern the Air Jordan VI after his Porsche 911. Jordan possessed a number of 930, 964, and nine hundred ninety three models during his playing days.
Four. Toyota Land Crusier
BRIAN BAHR/AFP/Getty Pictures
No, this isn’t Jordan’s Land Cruiser – it’s teammate B.J. Armstrong driving to practice in March of 1995. Jordan had a almost identical one, tho’, and drove it regularly as the rumors swirled while he was preparing to come back to basketball after a year playing minor league baseball (the press here mobbing Armstrong’s LC at the Bulls elaborate, mistaking it for Jordan’s). For those in the know, the Land Cruiser offers the same levels of ruggedness and luxury as the Range Rover, without having to worry about whether or not it will embark every morning.
Five. Aston Martin DB7 Volante
Source: Aston Martin
In 2001, Jordan came out of retirement a 2nd time as a Washington Wizard, not a Bull. And for cars, he determined to switch it up and get an Aston Martin DB7 Volante. Introduced in 1996, the DB7 was the very first truly modern Aston in decades, and may well have saved the company from financial ruin. Having one of the most famous fellows in the world driving around in one didn’t hurt either.
6. Mercedes-McLaren SLR seven hundred twenty two Edition
Dangling up his sneakers for the last time in 2003, Jordan lodged into retirement by taking an active role behind the scenes, a minority stake in the Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets), and buying the team outright in 2010. His appetite for cars didn’t diminish either. In 2007, he bought a six hundred fifty horsepower, $450,000 Mercedes-McLaren SLR seven hundred twenty two Edition. It must not have been his cup of tea – in 2010, it appeared on eBay with fewer than 1,000 miles on it.
7. Ferrari five hundred ninety nine GTB Fiorano
Twelve years after playing his last game, Jordan’s place in popular culture is as strong as it’s ever been. He’s still chased by paparazzi, and with his taste in cars as expensive as ever, it’s hard not to look. In latest years, he’s been spotted driving a Ferrari five hundred ninety nine GTB Fiorano in a dark silver remarkably similar to his very first Corvette’s. Maybe it’s Jordan’s version of a throwback?
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