The rediscovery of Michael Jordan’s Ferrari 512 TR vanished in 2010 ends one of the most enduring automotive mysteries

As one of the most legendary celebrity cars of all time, the long-lost Michael Jordan Ferrari 512 TR has been reclaimed after vanishing for 15 years in a mystery involving a forgotten movie icon and disastrous wildfires.

Sometimes, people fit into cars like they were born to drive them. Like Cinderella and her glass slipper, they just fit.

When Michael Jordan rocked up to the 1992 NBA Playoffs in a Ferrari 512 TR, rocking the ‘M AIR J’ plate, he personified that ethos and drove home that night as the world champion.

In a pursuit of vroominess – you’ll understand that pun later – the iconic ride has been tracked down after 15 years of being off the road and has been found to have survived wildfires without being untouched.

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Where was MJ’s long-lost Ferrari 512 TR?

Michael Jordan might have been a flying Bull in ’92, but when it came to cars, he was all in favor of Ferrari over the Raging Bull of Lamborghini.

But the Ferrari 512 TR that he famously sported in his prime years as basketball’s finest was sold by Jordan in ’95 and went off the grid.

However, popular Miami dealership and YouTube creators We Are Curated went on a decade-long hunt to find it, and what they unearthed was wild.

First, they tracked the car down to a man named Chris Gardner. While he might not be a celebrity in the same league as MJ, Gardner is actually the man whose life was loosely depicted in the Will Smith film ‘The Pursuit of Happiness’.

Having changed the plates to ‘Not MJ’ to avoid any confusion, the car then passed from his ownership and fell off the face of the earth, failing to be registered since 2010.

Until April 2025.

Taking to a short YouTube documentary, We Are Curated revealed that they had found the Ferrari 512 TR.

Originally being led down the path by one person who claimed to have the real deal, only for the VIN numbers not to match, the team doubled its efforts and found the car in the possession of a nice couple.

Explaining the situation, they bought the car and found that the couple lived in a town that was nearly completely demolished by wildfires, but the car remained untouched. Many houses on the same street were engulfed, but this man and his wonderful car were unharmed.

The Ferrari 512 TR appeared to be in good condition when it arrived at the We Are Curated HQ, but it has since been sent off to Italy to be fully restored.

One of many iconic rides owned by Michael Jordan

Many cars have passed through MJ’s ownership like a carousel of beautiful carbon fiber, getting a shot in the limelight before being passed on to live out a mundane life.

However, he has held on to some of his favorites, such as a one-of-one open-roof Pininfarina Battista Targamerica, which debuted at Monterey Car Week 2024.

Michael Jordan also has a NASCAR garage fit for the king that he is, as his joint venture with Denny Hamlin, named 2311 Racing, boasts some great race cars.

Other cars, such as a Porsche GT2 RS, have fallen to MJ’s quick turnover of mad cars, although its now onto pastures new in New Jersey.

None compared to the Ferrari 512 TR, though.

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