While numerous basketball fans argue about who is the better player between Michael Jordan and Lebron James, one of them has earned a billion dollars, and it's not James. Jordan gained worldwide fame while playing for the Chicago Bulls and earned numerous MVP titles and winning championships. After Jordan felt that he conquered the NBA, he announced his retirement from basketball and played baseball, as well as golf.
After a successful stint in baseball, Jordan returned to play for the Washington Wizards. Many players have strived to surpass Jordan's unprecedented career achievements, but most have failed. While James is hot on Jordan's tail, the Chicago Bulls number 23 player started driving cars when Lebron wasn't even born.
As Jordan approaches a $2 billion net worth, many are curious about his car collection. Although Jordan can afford any car produced, he had an affinity for Ferraris and Mercedes Benzs. Once the multi-million dollar paychecks started rolling in, Jordan added more supercars to his collection. While establishing a name in the NBA, Jordan's car collection was modest. We wanted to see all the cars that Jordan drove from his humble beginnings until he made millions of dollars, so we compiled a list of cars Jordan drove that were slam dunks and the ones that were air balls.
16 Slam Dunk: Ferrari 512 TR
Ferrari produced the Testarossa as a replacement for the Berlinetta Boxer. The Testarossa became an icon of the 1980s retro culture due to the radical design and a premium interior compared to the Maranello-built sports car, according to Top Speed.
Ferrari remained unchanged until 1991 when the 512 TR replaced it. Although Ferrari introduced the 512 TR as a new car, it retained Testarossa's design, as well as the flat-12 powerplant. The improved internals made the 512 TR faster and more powerful than its predecessor. Although a spectacular vehicle, the 512 TR lasted only three years on the production line.
15 Slam Dunk: Porsche 911
The 911 series is Porsche's most successful line. The German manufacturer has produced the magnificent sports car since 1963 and displayed the 1 millionth unit at the Volkswagen Group Forum, Berlin. In an international poll to determine the Car of the Century in 1999, the 911 took fifth place. Sports Car International named the 911 number three on the Top Sports Cars of the 1980s list.
The 911 reached second place, according to votes, on Automobile Magazine's 100 Coolest Cars. Motor Trend named the 911 Carrera S as its Best Driver's Car of 2012 while Car and Driver named the 911 as best premium sports car on the market in 2015.
14 Slam Dunk: Mercedes Benz SL55
Considering the SL class has been in production for 65 years, Mercedes has done several things right to keep it in demand. Offered as a coupe or a convertible, the SL55 was a limited edition variant. AMG sold the SL55 in the R129 body style from 1998 until 2002 and customized about 300 units before 2002. From 2002, AMG sold the SL55 in the R230 body style.
The top speed of the car from the 2002 model was 155 mph, but AMG could extend it to 186 mph at an additional cost. Under the bonnet was a 6.3-liter V8 engine. Jeremy Clarkson owned one of the first SL55s produced.
13 Slam Dunk: Ferrari Testarossa
Jordan loves fast cars, especially Ferraris. One of the Ferraris that he owned was the 12-cylinder mid-engine Testarossa, which went into production in 1984. Pininfarina designed the car, and Ferrari produced it until 1991. Although Ferrari limits the production of each model to a few thousand to make the car exclusive, the manufacturer produced 10,000 units of the 512 TR and F512 M, making it one of the mass-produced Ferrari models.
Under the bonnet was a 4.9-liter engine that pumped out the power through the 5-speed manual transmission.
12 Slam Dunk: Aston Martin DB7
One of the most undervalued sports cars is Aston Martin. The manufacturer has succeeded in marketing the car to a global audience through the James Bond franchise, but consumers have been slow in embracing the brand. During the ten year production of DB7 that started in 1994, Aston Martin produced more than 7,000 units before DB9 replaced it.
The manufacturer offered the DB7 as a coupe or a convertible. The engine options were a 3.2-liter supercharged i6 or a 5.9-liter V12. Both engines produced great power - making this ride a big time slam dunk for Jordan.
11 Slam Dunk: Ferrari 599 GTB
The Italian manufacturer has produced numerous successful models, but the 599 GTB Fiorano was more prominent than most of Ferrari's models. The 599 GTB was Ferrari's front-engined, two-seat flagship, replacing the 575M Maranello. Ferrari produced the car from 2006 until 2012. The car boasted a 6-liter V12 engine that was capable of pumping out 612 horsepower through the 6-speed manual transmission.
The car was capable of reaching a top speed of 205 mph and needed 3.2 seconds to reach 0 to 60 mph. The car had a rear shelf and a boot-lid that provided adequate boot space.
10 Slam Dunk: Mercedes McLaren SLR 722
When McLaren and Mercedes teamed up to make a grand tourer, the collaboration produced a product called the Mercedes McLaren SLR ( Sport Light Racing). The two manufacturers produced the car from 2003 until 2010. During that period, more than 2,000 drivers were fortunate to own the 2-door power machine that boasted a 5.4-liter supercharged V8 engine.
The car was capable of pumping out 617 horsepower through the 5-speed automatic. Car and Driver achieved 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds with the McLaren SLR 722.
9 Slam Dunk: Mercedes Benz CL65 AMG
Most of Jordan's collection consisted of cars from Ferrari, Mercedes Benz, and Chevrolet. Since he loved a luxurious interior and an engine that provided plenty of power, the obvious choice that Jordan opted for when he wanted to purchase a Mercedes Benz was a CL 65 AMG. Of the CL-class models, the 65 AMG was the top tier vehicle.
Under the bonnet of the CL65 AMG was a 6-liter V12 engine, capable of spurting out 603 horsepower. The car needed 4.4 seconds to reach 0 to 60 mph and had a top speed of 155 mph. One of the drawbacks of the CL65 was the cramped back seats.
8 Air Ball: Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
The latest model is a supercar that many men would love to own. When Jordan was establishing a name for himself in the early 90s, he couldn't afford the Ferrari 512, so he opted for a car that provided decent performance. Jordan purchased a Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. The major difference between the base Corvette models and the ZR1 was the location of the CHMSL, integrated into the new rear fascia used on the base model, as well as the rear wheels.
Production of the ZR1 ended in 1995. During the few years that Chevrolet built the car, it produced just under 7,000 models.
7 Air Ball: Mercedes Benz 380SL
Back in the '70s and early '80s, the 380SL was an incredible car. When compared to Jordan's latest collection, it isn't that great. In its era, many men wanted to drive the 380SL. The car had a sporty exterior, and the convertible top provided plenty of head space for Jordan.
The cars were rare during its era, making it a valuable possession. When Mercedes discontinued the production of the SLC in 1981, the manufacturer continued the 107 series as the 280, 380 and 500 SL. Mercedes re-tuned the V8 engine for greater efficiency.
6 Air Ball: Chevrolet Corvette C4
Before Jordan upgraded to the ZR1, he drove a C4. It seems that he enjoyed the car so much that he decided to stick with Chevrolet. The U.S. automaker produced the car from 1984 until 1996. Chevrolet ensured that the C4 produced a good performance, as the engine pumped out 375 horsepower.
Considering consumers were in awe at the C4's performance, Chevrolet inclined to raise the price of the car. Prices rose, but sales declined. Due to a lack of demand from consumers, Chevrolet ended the production of the car in 1996.
5 Air Ball: Blacked Out SUV
Having a fortune of almost $2 billion allowed Jordan to purchase any SUV that he liked. Some of the choices that Jordan could have opted for were the Range Rover, Mercedes G-Wagon or the BMW X6. Unfortunately, Jordan didn't choose any of those prestigious models that celebrities opt to purchase. Jordan showed up to court for his case against Dominick in the SUV.
Fans cheered when Jordan stepped out and got the result that he had desired. The court ordered Dominick to pay Jordan $8.9 million for using his name without permission.
4 Air Ball: Toyota Land Cruiser
No, that's not Jordan behind the wheel of the Land Cruiser. The man behind the wheel is Jordan's teammate, B.J. Armstrong, driving to practice in 1995, according to the Cheat Sheet. Jordan owned a similar Cruiser that Armstrong had. The press gathered in front of the arena, hoping to capture footage of Jordan arriving at the stadium.
They mistook Armstrong for Jordan due to the similar cars that they drove. The Land Cruiser is great for off-road but isn't the most elegant vehicle to use as a daily driver, as Jordan did, especially if you're one of the all-time greats.
3 Air Ball: Golf Cart
Everything that Jordan owns, he personalizes it with the Air Jordan logo. He did the same to the golf cart. Considering Jordan has so much money, it wouldn't hurt him to purchase a golf cart that provides him with more space for his legs. His long legs are brushing the steering wheel, and his wife doesn't have enough room to sit next to him.
The best aspect of the golf cart is the sunroof. Jordan ensured that he gets a nice breeze while cruising down the course. Being an avid cigar enthusiast, Jordan didn't forget to pack one before he swung the club.
2 Air Ball: T-Rex
Although Jordan loves cars, he enjoys getting on a bike to experience blistering speeds. While in Florida, Jordan fans captured photos of him on a T-Rex motorcycle. It seemed that Jordan was confident with his motorbike skills, as he didn't wear a helmet while on the bike. Jordan's bike is the T-Rex, but it looked small while he rode the bike.
The T-Rex is a two-seater, three-wheeled motorcycle that a 6-cylinder BMW powers. Although the T-Rex looks small, it's capable of pumping out 160 horsepower. That is not bad for a motorbike that looks like a small car.
1 Air Ball: Cadillac XLR
The XLR isn't one of the worst cars in the world, but it doesn't fare well when compared to the rest of Jordan's collection. For many drivers, they would be delighted to own a Cadillac XLR. The car is a two-passenger roadster that Cadillac manufactured from 2003 until 2009.
The car shares a GM Y Platform and hydroformed perimeter frame construction with the Chevrolet Corvette. XLR was nominated for the US and Canada of the Year award in 2004. Under the bonnet was a 4.4-liter V8 engine. When production ended in 2009, XLr's MSRP was $86,000.
Sources - Top Speed & Twitter