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Michael Jordan is the definition of a baller. In addition to being basketball’s (mostly) undisputed GOAT, he’s one heck of an entrepreneur. Michael Jordan Inc has always been as successful as trailblazer as number 23 was on the court. So it’s fitting that Jordan’s famous BMW landed on one of the hottest auction sites in the business, Bring a Trailer.

Bring a Trailer is a curated car auction website. BaT launched in 2007, differentiating itself from eBay with its handpicked selection of classics and rare cars for enthusiasts. The response was overwhelming. I am one of the many car nerds who just made Bring a Trailer my homepage so I could window shop every day. And the website has grown rapidly, clearing $1.35 billion in sales in 2022 and increasing yet again to $1.4 billion in 2023. In 2023, the site sold 30,000 cars. In 2020, it was acquired by the Hearts Autos conglomerate which also owns Car and Driver and Road & Track.

Basketball star Michael Jordan sits in his BMW 850i and signs an autograph for a police officer during Wrigley's field opening day 1993.
Michael Jordan in his 1991 BMW 850i | Timonere via Getty Images

The BMW in question is a 1991 850i with a 5.0-liter V12 and a six-speed manual transmission. That engine (the M70B50) was originally rated at 296 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque. MJ ordered his car in “Mauritius” metallic blue paint with the “parchment” colored white leather interior. The 850i’s 1991 MSRP was $77,000. That would be the equivalent of $170,800 today. That’s more than the current 8-series coupe, and more on par with a fully loaded BMW i7.

This BMW’s owner picked it up in 1995 with just 8,000 miles on it. They have had it fitted with a MagnaFlow exhaust and run the odometer up to 30,000. That’s still a very fresh car.

Here’s the kicker, the car still comes with its original paperwork and license plates. The paperwork is signed by Michael Jordan himself. And the plates read: “M AIR J.” I can’t believe those extras didn’t help it reach its $108,723 final bid.

Michael Jordan’s BMW is far from the first celebrity car to hit BaT. In fact, BaT hosted the charity auction of Elvis Presley’s 1963 Mercedes 600 Pullman.

Learn more about Michael Jordan’s car collection in the video below:

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Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.