2027 Mercedes-Maybach S 680 by LeBron James: auction details and specification

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A Mercedes-Maybach S 680 created around LeBron James’s personal brief will be sold at a November auction in New York. The NBA star’s own car will remain in his private collection. The vehicle going under the hammer is a second, nearly identical example created for a charity sale benefiting the LeBron James Family Foundation.

That distinction is central to the lot. The buyer will not receive a car that James personally owned or used, but one that reproduces the bespoke concept developed with him. In the collector-car market, celebrity involvement in the design and documented personal ownership are two different components of provenance and value.

Mercedes-Benz and auction house Gooding Christie’s say the 2027 Mercedes-Maybach S 680 will be offered on November 20–21 during Retromobile New York at the Javits Center. The car already appears in the auction catalogue, but an estimate and the full lot description have not yet been published.

The Maybach is finished in MANUFAKTUR Exclusive Light Ivory non-metallic paint, with Stormy Weather Blue Nappa leather and contrasting Porcelain stitching. The headrests, cushions, floor mats and other elements carry James’s personal branding. Another detail references his hometown of Akron, Ohio: the car’s design incorporates the city’s coordinates.

One of the most unusual details is the replacement of the traditional V12 badge with James’s personal logo. Mercedes-Benz says this is the first such change in Maybach history. The car nevertheless retains its 6.0-litre V12 engine.

Both cars were prepared through the MANUFAKTUR Made to Measure programme, which allows clients to work directly with Mercedes-Benz specialists on individual colours, materials and decorative details within what is technically feasible.

“Growing up in Akron, I never dreamed I’d have the opportunity to create my own Mercedes-Maybach,” James said, adding that the auction will help support people in his hometown and families assisted by his foundation.

Mercedes-Benz first presented the story of the personalised cars during Pebble Beach Automotive Week in August. The sale dates and auction house are now confirmed. Proceeds from the lot will go to the LeBron James Family Foundation, including its I PROMISE programme supporting children and families in Akron.