Anna Hartz
Michael Jordan’s Iconic Car Found After Disappearing
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For car lovers and basketball fans, few things spark excitement like a rare find tied to a sports legend.
That’s exactly what happened when a Ferrari once owned by Michael Jordan was recently discovered after being out of sight for 15 years.
The car, a 1992 Ferrari 512 TR, had almost become a myth. Now, it’s back in the spotlight.
Jordan received the Ferrari on February 29, 1992, from a dealership in Lake Forest, Illinois, writes Ziare.
He drove it during one of the most iconic periods of his basketball career.
Photos show him with the car during the 1992 NBA Playoffs and parked at his home in Highland Park. He kept it until 1995.
After that, the car changed hands. It was bought by Chris Gardner, the man whose life inspired the movie The Pursuit of Happyness.
Gardner had been homeless before becoming a successful stockbroker. He once said seeing a man in a red Ferrari motivated him to change his life.
After selling part of his brokerage firm, he bought Jordan’s Ferrari. He drove it around Chicago with a custom license plate that read “Not MJ.”
In 2010, the Ferrari was sold at auction for somewhere between $80,000 and $100,000.
Then it vanished. No one seemed to know where it went. That is, until now.
The car was recently tracked down by the team at Curated, a company that restores and sells rare cars.
They located the third owner, who had kept it locked away for years. He had been diagnosed with cancer shortly after buying it.
Unable to drive it, he stored it safely, even as wildfires threatened his home.
Both the owner and the car made it through. He recovered from cancer, and the Ferrari stayed untouched.
Curated has now purchased the car. They plan to restore it and have promised the former owner he’ll get to take it for a spin once it’s ready.
For many, it’s more than just a car. It’s a symbol of history, achievement, and second chances.