Proceeds from the ultra-exclusive V12 Maybach S680 will benefit the NBA superstar’s I Promise foundation.
LeBron James has joined Steve McQueen and Billy Joel on the list of famous collectors whose personal vehicles will be auctioned off by Gooding Christie’s at the inaugural Retromobile New York. The top bidder won’t be the only winner, as proceeds from the sale will benefit the LeBron James Family Foundation’s I Promise program, which is dedicated to providing the fundamental resources, wraparound support, and family programming students need for educational success.
Recall that King James previously acquired a Mercedes-Maybach S680—the 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12-powered performance leader of the already luxurious S-Class, featuring a huge executive cabin that would make a member of the British royal family feel right at home.
Through Mercedes’ Manufaktur Made to Measure bespoke program, James made his S680 unlike any other on the road. Selecting a non-metallic ivory exterior over a blue leather interior, he added his “King James” crown logo on the exterior front quarter, seat headrests, seat pillows, and the dash. A metal plate listing the birth dates of each of his three children—LeBron “Bronny” Jr., Bryce, and Zhuri—appears on each doorsill, and an etched plaque on the console between the front seats features Akron’s latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates, beneath the letters LLTK, for “Long Live the King.”
As it turns out, the Mercedes Made to Measure program actually created an identical sister car, which is the one that Gooding Christie’s will auction at the Javits Center on the weekend of Friday, November 20.
“The chance to design my own customized Mercedes-Maybach was something I never even dreamed of as a young kid growing up in Akron,” James said. “To now have the opportunity to uplift my community and the families we serve through this auction means everything to my Foundation as we continue to build an ecosystem of supports that allows them to live out their dreams as well.”
James gushed about the S680 to Vanity Fair upon taking ownership of the custom Merc back in March and discussed the origins of his collection, including his first supercar, a Lamborghini Gallardo. “It was a stick shift, and I had no idea how to drive manual back then,” James told the outlet. “I had to buy another car to learn how to drive stick before I was able to drive that car.”
He also revealed that the Ferrari LaFerrari is the one vehicle he hasn’t been able to find. With more than 150 vehicles set to cross the block at Retromobile New York and the full list of lots still being finalized, perhaps the first North American installment of Europe’s sprawling annual car show will present James with the opportunity to fulfill his LaFerrari dream.
