Michael Jordan’s AC Schnitzer-modified, *manual* V12 BMW 850i is up for sale

Michael Jordan’s old BMW 850i is up for auction on Bring a Trailer. If the name ‘Michael Jordan’ sounds familiar, it’s because Mr Jordan was the principal star in 1996’s Space Jam, a basketball film of unparalleled excellence.

Oh, Jordan’s also emphatically the greatest basketball player of all time, with six NBA championships to his name and six Finals MVP rankings, topping a list of accolades too prolific to note in full right now. He’s also the first billionaire in NBA history, and, as it turns out, a bit of a car nut.

Not only because he’s owned or owns a plethora of unique cars, nor the fact he owns a NASCAR team (23XI Racing), but because he once bought a BMW 850i brand new back in 1991! And it’s a manual BMW 850i! Pure class from His Royal Airness, as always.

MJ picked up the 8 Series in Illnois, the 5.0-litre V12 hooked up to that six-speed manual gearbox, packaged up inside that delightful bodyshell finished in ‘Mauritius Blue’ metallic paint over cream leather.

There’s an AC Schnitzer bodykit and 17in Schnitzer wheels – the aesthetic appeal of which remains out for judgement – while inside there are many buttons controlling such luxuries as an onboard computer, a cassette stereo and climate control. Though, the air-con isn’t working, apparently. No matter when its celebrity former owner's coolness is ice cold, right?

The V12 bears just 30k miles on the clock, 22k of which were added under the current ownership. It last had an oil change in May 2023, and most of the 296 horsies packed in at the factory will likely still be in there. Should sound a little fruitier, because a MagnaFlow exhaust is also present. Once again, jury’s out on that mod.

The auction ends in four days and at the time of writing, the current bid stands at $70,023. Reckon that’ll jump in the days to come?