Mike Tyson, considered a heavyweight boxing legend, earned millions during his two-decade career. He used a significant portion of his money to grow his car collection. Unfortunately, following years of financial mismanagement, Tyson went bankrupt in 2003. To pay his debts, most of his vehicles were auctioned.
These days, Mike Tyson rides in luxury in a V-12-engined Rolls-Royce Ghost. The vehicle regularly features on his Instagram page. Mike Tyson’s financial struggles are behind him - he runs a lucrative marijuana business. Still, he doesn’t make as much as he used to during his prime. Back when Tyson made tens of millions of dollars a night, he acquired some pretty impressive rides, and here are 10 that stood out.
10 Cadillac Seville
Mike Tyson’s 1985 Cadillac Seville was his second Cadillac, on top of the Eldorado bought for him by his co-manager Jim Jacobs as a reward for his imperious young boxing record. The Seville’s looks split opinion: some people applauded the vehicle’s upright front end and hunchback rear; others thought the design looked weird.
Specs and Performance
| Engine | 4.1L V-8 |
| Engine Output | 135 horsepower and 190 pound-feet |
| Transmission | Four-speed automatic |
| Drivetrain | FWD |
| 0-60 MPH | 12.9 seconds |
The Seville shared some basic parts with the much more normal-looking Eldorado. However, it was more technologically advanced and luxurious than the Eldorado. The Cadillac Seville wasn’t built for speed or performance: it was a car for wealthy people intent on traveling in luxury. The Seville led the field in terms of its use of electronics - the radio, climate control, suspension, and fuel-injection system (in gasoline-powered Seville’s) were controlled electronically. The Seville truly was a car ahead of its time.
9 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur
Mike Tyson wanted to reward himself with a Rolls-Royce after winning the WBA world title in 1986. However, his co-manager, Jim Jacobs, advised him to wait until his 21st birthday. Dutifully, Tyson postponed the purchase. The boxer was barely 21 when he walked into a dealership and bought a Rolls-Royce Silver Spur for just under $150,000.
Specs and Performance
| Engine | 6.75-liter V-8 |
| Engine Output | 237 horsepower and 332 pound-feet |
| Transmission | Three-speed automatic |
| Drivetrain | RWD |
| 0-60 MPH | 10.3 seconds |
| Top Speed | 120 MPH |
The Silver Spur featured a massive V-8 under the hood, but like the Cadillac, it was built for luxury rather than fast travel. Its self-leveling suspension guaranteed that its occupants traveled in supreme comfort. The interior featured a burl wood dashboard, lambskin floor mats, wood window sills, leather seats, and automatic temperature control.
8 Rolls-Royce Corniche
As a reward to himself for winning the IBF world title in 1987, Tyson splurged a little over $200,000 on a Rolls-Royce Corniche. The Corniche name first appeared on a late 1930s prototype. Despite extensive testing, the vehicle was never manufactured: the prototype was blown up at a dock in France in the early days of World War II.
Specs and Performance
| Engine | 6.75-liter V-8 |
| Engine Output | 205 horsepower and 398 pound-feet |
| Transmission | Three-speed automatic |
| Drivetrain | RWD |
| 0-60 MPH | 10 seconds (est.) |
| Top Speed | 120 MPH |
Rolls-Royce eventually released the Corniche in 1971; it was available as a convertible or a coupe. Despite having a massive engine, the Corniche was slow, mostly due to its weight. Regardless, celebrities loved the Corniche, especially the stunning convertible. Michael Caine, Elton John, Paul McCartney, and Mike Tyson, just to name a few, proudly owned Corniches.
7 Bentley Continental SC
The Bentley Continental SC started life as a Bentley Continental R in 1991. It was expensive, luxurious, and moderately fast. In 1994, Cosworth tweaked the engine, increasing its horsepower by about 40. In 1996, Bentley released the Bentley Continental T, a short-wheelbase variant of the R, which looked sportier and featured a 400-horsepower engine.
Specs and Performance
| Engine | Turbocharged 6.75-liter V-8 |
| Engine Output | 420 horsepower and 650 pound-feet |
| Transmission | Four-speed automatic |
| Drivetrain | RWD |
| 0-60 MPH | 6.2 seconds |
| Top Speed | 170 MPH |
Two years later, Volkswagen increased the engine’s output to 420 horsepower. The Continental T was rapid, hitting 60 MPH from zero in 6.2 seconds. In 1999, Bentley released the Sedanca Coupe (SC), a Continental T with exterior styling that mirrored past Bentleys. It featured two detachable glass sunroof panels over the front seats. Mike Tyson owned one of the 79 SCs manufactured by Bentley.
6 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class 560 SL
By the late 1980s, Tyson was hanging out with celebrity aristocracy. The boxer developed a close bond with the late rapper Tupac Shakur, who owned a Mercedes-Benz SL-Class 560SL. Naturally, Tyson bought one as well. The Mercedes-Benz SL-Class was an overwhelming success for Mercedes-Benz in the 70s and 80s.
Specs and Performance
| Engine | 5.5L V-8 |
| Engine Output | 227 horsepower and 287 pound-feet |
| Transmission | Four-speed automatic |
| Drivetrain | RWD |
| 0-60 MPH | 7 seconds (est.) |
| Top Speed | 140 MPH |
Mercedes-Benz introduced the 560SL, a convertible two-seater with a 270-horsepower engine, in September 1985. Besides having more power, new brakes, and a tweaked suspension, the 560SL didn’t differ much from past SLs. It still featured bright-metal wiper arms, lots of chrome in the cockpit, and eschewed interior electronics. Regardless, it remained America’s favorite high-price two-seater.
5 Ferrari F50
After serving a three-year sentence and clobbering Frank Bruno to regain his title, Mike Tyson rewarded himself a Ferrari F50. The F50 featured a 4.7-liter engine derived from Ferrari’s F1-spec 3.5-liter V-12. It produced 512 horsepower, 41 more than its predecessor, the F-40, which had a turbocharged V-8 engine.
Specs and Performance
| Engine | 4.7-liter V-12 |
| Engine Output | 512 horsepower and 347 pound-feet |
| Transmission | Six-speed manual |
| Drivetrain | RWD |
| 0-60 MPH | 3.8 seconds |
| Top Speed | 194 MPH |
The F50 was a rocket, clearing 60 MPH from a stop in 3.8 seconds and accelerating to 202 MPH. The F50 was a groundbreaking car: it was the first Ferrari road car to feature a tub made entirely of carbon fiber. Tyson’s F50 purchase showed he had acquired a need for speed. The car sold to its eighth owner for $4.2 million via auction in August 2022.
4 Jaguar XJ220
Following his infamous disqualification against Evander Holyfield in June 1997, Tyson bought a Jaguar XJ220. The spaceship-esque XJ220 featured a 3.5-liter turbocharged V-6 that accelerated the Jag to a top speed of 220 MPH. The XJ220 made a huge splash when it was introduced as a functional concept in 1988.
Specs and Performance
| Engine | 3.5-liter Twin-turbocharged V-6 |
| Engine Output | 542 horsepower and 475 pound-feet |
| Transmission | Six-speed manual |
| Drivetrain | RWD |
| 0-60 MPH | 3.6 seconds |
| Top Speed | 217 MPH |
However, the vehicle that went into production differed from the fascinating concept. The concept had a 6.2-liter V-12 and an all-wheel-drive system; the production car had a smaller V-6 and directed power to the rear wheels. Nevertheless, the XJ220 was phenomenally fast - fast enough to cost Tyson more than $800,000.
3 Jaguar E-Type
The motoring world agrees that the Jaguar E-Type is one of the most gorgeous cars ever made. It turned heads when it debuted in 1961 and still turns heads today. Unlike most cars of the era, the E-Type didn’t feature a heavy ladder frame chassis. The E-Type (XK-E in North America) had a 3.8-liter engine capable of hurling the lightweight car to a top speed of 149 MPH.
Specs and Performance
| Engine | 3.8-liter |
| Engine Output | 265 horsepower and 260 pound-feet |
| Transmission | 4-speed manual |
| Drivetrain | RWD |
| 0-60 MPH | 7.1 seconds |
| Top Speed | 149 MPH |
The E-Type’s looks matched its performance - it was based on the D-Type, a car Jaguar made to win the Le Mans 24-hour endurance race. Tyson didn’t get to enjoy the car much as he bought in the early 2000s, a couple of years before declaring bankruptcy.
2 Ferrari 456 GT Spyder
Reeling from his loss against Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson bought the Ferrari 456 GT Spyder alongside the F50. The Spyder was a convertible variant of the GT, which featured a 5.5-liter V-12 engine at the front derived from the Dino V-6. The Ferrari 456 GT was a beautiful car, but it looked even better with the top down.
Specs and Performance
| Engine | 5.5-liter V-12 |
| Engine Output | 436 horsepower and 404 pound-feet |
| Transmission | Six-speed manual |
| Drivetrain | RWD |
| 0-60 MPH | 4.8 seconds |
| Top Speed | 192 MPH |
The GT Spyder wasn’t offered to the general public: Pininfarina built the GT Spyder on special request. Ferrari approved The Sultan of Brunei and Mike Tyson’s requests for a GT Spyder. Tyson may have driven one of the rarest Ferraris through a store window: he once stated that his favorite arrest happened after he crashed into a convenience store in one of his Ferraris.
1 Lamborghini Super Diablo Twin Turbo
The Lamborghini Super Diablo was a turbocharged version of the Diablo VT. The Diablo was already a powerful vehicle - its 5.7-liter V-12 produced 485 horsepower. However, some owners, including Mike Tyson, wanted more. 1996 was a tough year for Tyson as he lost Tupac Shakur, one of his closest friends.
Specs and Performance
| Engine | Twin-turbo 5.7-liter V-12 |
| Engine Output | 850 horsepower |
| Transmission | Five-speed manual |
| Drivetrain | AWD |
| 0-60 MPH | 3.2 seconds |
| Top Speed | 222 MPH |
Perhaps to soften the blow, Tyson spent over $500,000 on a Diablo VT on steroids. With two turbochargers attached to the V-12, it could produce 750 horsepower. One of the seven Diablo Twin Turbo engines built could reportedly churn out 850 horsepower.