15 years lost and has appeared among the ashes of a fire

The motor and basketball world have joined by the unexpected return of an authentic jewel: Ferrari 512 TR that belonged to Michael Jordan. For decades, this car was considered A lost mythwhich fed stories and legends Between basketball fans and car collectors.

Now, after more than a decade of mystery, the iconic Italian sports is again news thanks to a successful search that has only increased the legend of this unit. The story of this Ferrari is a journey that mixes success, mystery and a Miraculous survival in front of nature.

Jordan’s Ferrari: Symbol of an era

In 1992, in full ARIGE OF YOUR CAREER With the Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan was frequently photographed leaving a Spectacular Ferrari 512 Tr. This car did not go unnoticed, not only because of its design and the rumble that generated the 428 hp of its V12 engine, but also because of its Personalized registration: “M-Air-J”, a direct wink to its popular owner.

The Ferrari became part of the Fans collective imaginaryrepresenting The luxury and the sports success that surrounded the 23 of the Bulls in those years. His presence in the streets of Chicago and in the media reinforced the image of Jordan as a superstar capable of turning everything he touched into gold. This Ferrari, with its unmistakable registration, was silent witness of one of the most glorious stages of world basketball.

In 1995, Michael Jordan decided to sell his Ferrari to Chris Gardner, the successful businessman whose life inspired the movie “In search of happiness“, starring Will Smith.

Gardner, aware of the weight of the legacy, chose to play the same game as the star of the bulls, installing a personalized registration in which he read: “Not MJ”, making it clear that the jewel no longer belonged to the athlete.

In 2010, Gardner auctioned the car for $ 100,000 and, since then, the Ferrari whereabouts became an absolute mystery. No one knew anything else about the destiny of Deportivo that one day went from Jordan. During the last 15 years, the Ferrari 512 TR of Michael Jordan He remained hidden feeding all kinds of rumors and speculation.

The search and the miracle of survival

The Classic Car Dealership for Collectors We are curatedco -founded by the Spanish entrepreneur Jordi Ricartbegan an exhaustive search for Ferrari based on its frame number. Luckily, they have left the story of their search documented In a video.

After more than a decade of research, They managed to locate it In California. The owner, a collector who had acquired him at the 2010 auction, led him only a few months, before receiving a diagnosis of cancer that led him to leave the car parked at his house while undergoing treatment.

The story took an even more unexpected turn in early 2025, when devastating forest fires They razed the area where the collector lived. Surprisingly, while surrounding houses were reduced to asheshis remained intact and, with her, his collection of cars. Jordan’s Ferrari, beyond a layer of dust by ash, It was in perfect conditionas the concessionaire showed On your Instagram profile.

However, although the historic Ferrari 512 TR is preserved in a reasonably good state to have passed through three owners who have used it, the 15 years locked in a garage They have taken its toll on their mechanical components.

For this reason, the concessionaire, now the fourth owner of the vehicle, has decided Send it back to Maranello’s factory of which he left more than 33 years ago, for a Complete restoration of its mechanics. The budget for this operation amounts to $ 200,000.

The future of Jordan’s Ferrari is yet to decide. Its new owner contemplates the possibility of organizing a tour so that, after its restoration, the spectacular sportsman is reunited with its three previous owners and, perhaps, exhibit it at the Ferrari Museum or in the prestigious Pebble Beach Rally.

After this tribute to the protagonists of its history, the car could go to auction, where it is estimated that could exceed one million dollars. Perhaps, fate wants to close the circle and that it is Michael Jordan himself who finally recovers it.

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Image | Ferrari, Flickr (Zach Catanareti)