Mercedes-Benz built LeBron James a one-off Mercedes-Maybach S 680 for his own garage. The response was big enough that Mercedes and James built a second, near-identical car, and this one is for sale. Gooding Christie's will auction it at Retromobile New York in November, with the proceeds going to the LeBron James Family Foundation.
What makes it his
The car was specced through MANUFAKTUR Made to Measure, Mercedes' one-to-one personalisation program, where a customer works directly with the factory to turn an idea into something it can actually build. James' version is a mix of colour, trim and personal touches:
- Light ivory paint, non-metallic and exclusive to MANUFAKTUR, over a black roof - "Stormy Weather" blue Nappa leather inside, with porcelain contrast stitching and a quilted pattern that runs up onto the roof lining - His personal logo on the headrests, cushions and floor mats - A first for Maybach: the traditional V12 badge on the front guards is replaced by a badge carrying James' logo - A small badge carrying the GPS coordinates of Akron, Ohio, his hometown
Underneath it is still a Maybach S 680, which means a 6.0 litre twin-turbo V12, all-wheel drive and the long-wheelbase S-Class body with the rear seat as the main event. Mercedes quotes 11.0 to 11.7 L/100 km on the European test cycle.
Where the money goes
Every dollar raised goes to the LeBron James Family Foundation in Akron. Its I PROMISE program supports local students and their families with schooling, mentoring, housing, healthcare, job training and financial literacy.
"The chance to design my own customised 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."
When and where
The car goes on public display at Mercedes-Benz Manhattan from 9 to 16 November, then moves to the Javits Center on 19 and 20 November. The auction runs at Retromobile New York, also at the Javits Center, from 19 to 22 November 2026. No estimate has been published yet.
The Australian angle
This exact car is staying in the US, but the program behind it is not. MANUFAKTUR personalisation is available through Mercedes-Benz in Australia on top-end models, and the regular Maybach S-Class is on sale here. See current pricing and grades on our Mercedes-Benz S-Class page.
