Michael Jordan’s 1996 Mercedes-Benz S600 is up for auction, again

A 1996 Mercedes-Benz S600 previously owned by US basketball legend Michael Jordan has been listed for sale, just six months after it went to auction. 

Reportedly sold for US$202,000 in an eBay auction in September 2020, the car is now being offered by online auction site Bring a Trailer with bidding currently sitting at US$6000.

Interestingly the selling dealer, Beverly Hills Car Club, is the same one who put it on the auction block in August last year, with the listing description reporting the Beverly Hills Car Club acquired Jordan's car in September. 

Explaining the situation in the listing comments Beverly Hills Car Club said: “The auction drew bids from interested parties all around the globe wanting to own a piece of history… unfortunately, the highest bidder was unable to secure financing that matched the final bid. For that reason, we have decided to list the car in the premier auction site of Bring a Trailer.”

Nevertheless, purchased new by Michael Jordan in 1995, the rear-wheel-drive, V12-powered S-Class has been modified with a number of Lorinser components, including a rear spoiler, 20-inch chrome wheels, a Lorinser body kit and square exhaust tips.

Finished in navy blue metallic paint with two-tone grey leather interior, the two-door coupe has outputs of 290kW and 569Nm from its 6.0-litre, 12-cylinder engine.

The car has more than 157,000 miles, or 252,667km, on the odometer, the listing also notes “evidence of paintwork is noted on several panels, and scratches and cracks to the bumper covers and spoiler”.

According to the listing, there are plenty of mod-cons in the 25-year-old car, including air conditioning, powered and heated front seats, an electric sunroof, and polished wood trim on the dash, center consoles, and door panels.

A likely drawcard for any diehard fan is the factory mobile phone system programmed to display “JORDAN” on its home screen, but a drawback might be the seller reporting the car is believed to have not been serviced since 2011 – and corrosion is visible on various suspension components.

The car does come with a clean vehicle history report and the original title signed by Jordan and his then-wife, Juainta. 

The Mercedes-Benz is available to international buyers, who will need to arrange collection from California.  At the time of publishing the bidding has reached US$6000 (AU$7724) with four days to go.