Befitting one of the sports world’s most wealthy and famous athletes, these are 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.
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.
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.
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).
