Michael Jordan’s once-mythical 1997 Ferrari 550 Maranello can soon be yours, presuming you have a million or so dollars just lying around.
The Pharrell-founded JOOPITER, in partnership with CURATED, is bringing the car to auction in September, complete with an estimated pre-sale valuation ranging from $700,000 to $1.3 million.
For those somehow unfamiliar with the instantly recognizable car in question, here’s the gist: MJ was famously spotted driving the Ferrari, cigar in hand, after winning his fifth chip at Chicago’s United Center back in 1997.
The same car later served as the inspiration for the Air Jordan XIV, with Jordan ultimately selling the Maranello in the early 2000s, at which point it embarked on a disappearing act, of sorts, before a search helmed by CURATED CEO and co-founder John Temerian proved successful earlier this year.
“Cars are one of the most culturally resonant categories of collecting, and CURATED’s expertise made them the natural partner,” John Auerbach, CEO of JOOPITER, said in a statement shared with Complex. “This lets us bring the same combination of storytelling, access, and world-class curation that has defined JOOPITER’s auctions to an entirely new category.”
Bidding for the car launches Sept. 15 via the JOOPITER platform, which is also the home of the jersey Jordan wore during Game 3 of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz.
“Partnering with JOOPITER gives our collector community an unmatched platform — one with genuine cultural reach and a proven ability to turn an auction into a moment," Temerian said of the importance of this partnership. “We're excited to help build something special together."
Below, get a closer look at the 1997 Ferrari 550 Maranello, the deeply rooted history of which practically leaps off the screen.
