We all know of Michael Jordan; a New York native, six-time NBA champion, five-time MVP, billionaire, six foot-six Space-Jam actor with a clean shave and a cheeky smile. We know he started out with the North Carolina Tar Heels, got drafted in '84 to the Bulls, and played for the Wizards much later. We also know that he has set the bar so high in basketball that he is virtually inseparable from the concept of fake-outs, dunking, and somehow doing a double jump in real life with your tongue out. However, what many of us don't know is the tastes of this man.
Being so fabulously wealthy and charismatic, his success and decades-long fame have meant that even his flashiest cars are eclipsed by his presence. And that’s a great problem to have because you can have an understated car collection worth millions, without any real comment on your preferences. Well, that’s about to end because MJ, as he is affectionately called by many fans, has amassed a fleet of shiny rare gems over the years that we simply cannot stop talking about. So, if you want to see what greatness can buy you, see our list of the top ten cars that Michael Jordan has owned.
10 Hennessey Venom F5 Roadster
Frankly, only a brazen Texan manufacturer would want to make this. The Venom F5 Roadster is a convertible that is so fast as to warrant its supposed top speed of 300 mph to be limited when its roof panel is down. This widow-maker accomplishes such bonkers speeds by relying on the same 6.6-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 that powers the regular F5 and the same carbon monocoque too.
Its looks are also impressive but not many of us will see it thanks to the ultra-limited production cap of only 30 such cars. That being said, when you are as cool as MJ, you can enjoy your bespoke Venom F5 Roadster while laughing with John Hennessey himself. As you can tell, this three-million-dollar rarity is a real treat, even for MJ.
9 Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir
Meaning ‘black blood’ in French, this version of the Veyron is possibly the rarest car on this list with only 12 such examples produced. For the color, Bugatti says it experimented with ‘darker shades and tonality’, and that its ‘bird-of-prey’ look was based on the Type 57S Atlantic. Other than the general appearance, who even knows what that means?
What we do know is that this car’s polish is a cover for the absolute beast that it is. With an 8-liter quad-turbocharged W-16 engine, luxury interior, and massive ventilated brakes, you can call this car whatever you want, and it wouldn't matter. Alright, maybe it would when you're one of the highest-paid black athletes in history, but in general- a rose with any other name smells just as sweet.
8 Ferrari 550 Maranello
The spiritual successor to the Ferrari Daytona, this unusual front-engined Ferrari was a memorable classic that came out in the late 90s. Named after the town where Ferrari’s Italian headquarters is based, it was meant to showcase that front-engined Ferraris could be as good or better than the mid-engined ones. And it sure did impress, the 5.5 liter V-12 coupled gave it a claimed top speed of 199 mph.
Its looks were also unique given its long overhang past the front tires. And it wasn’t just driven by Will Smith in Bad Boys 2, Jordan also drove his own in the original Rosso Corsa red in the Last Dance movie. The 550 Maranello was MJ’s second Ferrari and his affection for this sleek beauty was shown in the inspired inclusion of its design into the Air Jordan 14 sneakers.
7 Porsche 911 Turbo S 993
This car is another one of Jordan’s speedsters that featured in the Last Dance. This one also inspired a pair of shoes, the Air Jordan 6 ‘Toro’, and he also had it in a bright red. However, this car is unique in his collection because it inspired several other shoes as well, and it was the last car to be shown in The Last Dance.
His attraction to this car might be down to its 90s cool factor with features such as pop-up headlights and a massive rear wing. This 993-generation 911 was also one of the last to have a naturally aspirated engine, which gives it a certain simplicity and old-school cool, just like his Airness himself. No wonder he kept one around and slapped a custom ‘Air’ plate on it.
6 Porsche 911 930 Turbo Cabriolet ‘Flat Nose’
Another Porsche, another win, another shoe. The king of the hardwood court is consistent if nothing else. However, the 930 Turbo Cabriolet, also known as the ‘Flachbau’, is also another wonderfully designed old-school machine. Its flatter, more aerodynamic hood design inspired Nike designer Tinker Hatfield in making the lighter Air Jordan 6.
It is reported that Jordan bought one of these extremely rare Porsches in ‘89. And because this 911 is one of his earliest cabriolets, Jordan must have enjoyed whipping it around and getting all that extra ‘air’. Jokes aside, this car appears to be dear to him, he gave it the plate ‘MJ JJ’ in which the ‘JJ’ signified his father’s name; James Jordan. Not many are around, so this 3.3 liter turbo-charged flat 6 puppy will always remain a classic.
5 Mercedes-McLaren SLR 722 Edition
Now, of course, it is a shame that this specific one was on sale recently, but the good news is that you can have it for about 700 grand. Why that much you ask? It’s because Jordan’s SLR is a unique one, even among the already rare SLRs. His is a 722 Edition model, those were specially-made versions made to commemorate the win by Stirling Moss in the 55’ Mille Miglia race.
Moss’ car had that 722 racing decal hence the inherited numbering on the SLR. But the car’s rarity is not all, this silver fox came with a 5.4 liter supercharged V8 nested under its long snout. Simply owning one of these was definitely a statement piece. Yet if your name is Michael Jordan, this one’s just a daily driver.
4 Chevrolet Corvette C4 ZR1
The first ever V-8 that Michael owned. His Corvette was given to him by a local Chicago Chevrolet dealer after doing a few marketing campaigns. Of course, as his fame grew the ads became even more successful. He has even ended up getting a gift or two from Corvette itself and his love for their cars does not appear to have diminished.
This fourth-generation Corvette was the genesis though. A glance at its specs shows that it had 375 horsepower and a top speed of about 175 mph, which must have been quite impressive back then. This means that although MJ developed an appetite for some of the fancier European cars, his loyalty to his country, like his loyalty to the Bulls, didn't change. And this muscly C4 proves it.
3 Ferrari 512 TR
Another Ferrari, yes. But this one is a rear-engined one, which raises the question, who let Michael Jordan sit with a 4.9 liter 12-cylinder engine behind his head? The answer is no one, because like a bull-no one wanted to take the young Michael head on. It is said that he used to sit in this car before games with a cigar in his mouth and just intimidate the other team's players with his moneyed looks.
Sounds unfair but if you had this re-engineered version of a 1992 Ferrari Testarossa, you'd also rock shades and a tan suit like it’s Miami Vice. As cool as it looks, it seems like the lack of power steering and other early supercar inconveniences chafed Jordan because this bad boy got auctioned.
2 Aston Martin DB9 Volante
This Aston Martin was an upgrade to Jordan’s other older Volante, a DB7. Now, both have a V-12, so the purchase might simply be Jordan’s on-brand refusal to settle for anything but the best. But now he has two Volantes, which is amusingly grandiose. It is equally quite amusing to find out that the alleged reason that Aston Martin skipped the ‘DB8’ label is that they did not want anyone to think they made a puny V-8.
Birds of a feather and all. That is beside the point though because the DB9 has a few generational upgrades. As a car that earned a sub-zero on TopGear's cool wall, it includes a lighter heat-bonded alloy frame with fewer rivets, a spruced-up interior that was previously concerning, and slightly better fuel economy that made it just a tad bit more sensible.
1 Cadillac XLR-V
A Cadillac badge appears to be out of place considering his wider collection. Given his Corvettes, you might think that Jordan also bought one of these in sticking with his American roots, however, you would be wrong. It is said that this car was given to him as a gift by Cadillac, and he got to pick the color. He chose red again.
Just looking at it, it seems to be a great car to have. Well, given its sporty styling, its special ‘V’ designation, its Bulgari-designed instrument cluster and its powerful 4.4 liter supercharged V8, it comes as a shocking surprise that it didn’t sell well. Cadillac probably hoped for Michael’s ownership to turn the tide but alas, even the legendary ‘Jordan’ name cannot fix that hostile market for you.