Michael Jordan sold his 1997 Ferrari 550 Maranello to Lake Forest Sportscars in Illinois on 4 December 2002, ending the car’s public life for almost a quarter‑century.
The red Maranello, finished in Rosso Barchetta and bearing the registration plate MJ 5, had become a symbol of Jordan’s last championship run, with 6,400 miles logged between Bulls home games and public appearances.
For 24 years the vehicle vanished from view, turning it into a legend among collectors. An old online forum post surfaced a partial chassis number, sparking an investigation led by John Temerian, co‑founder of CURATED.
Temerian pieced together the full VIN and matched it to Ferrari dealer records, confirming the car’s link to Jordan and the MJ 5 plate. The trail led to a private California owner who had kept the car out of the public eye.
On 29 May 2026, exactly 29 years after the original delivery, the Ferrari re‑appeared in Chicago. It was showcased at a “Driven to Greatness” auction alongside Jordan’s 1998 game‑worn jersey from Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
The auction marked the first public viewing of chassis 108712 in more than two decades, drawing attention from automotive historians and sports fans alike.