LeBron James’s custom Mercedes-Maybach S 680 heads to auction for charity
Gooding Christie's will offer the NBA player's personalized 2027 Mercedes-Maybach S 680 at Retromobile New York in November, with proceeds benefiting his Akron community foundation.
Gooding Christie’s will offer a personalized 2027 Mercedes-Maybach S 680 at Retromobile New York, with proceeds from the sale going to the LeBron James Family Foundation. The luxury sedan was designed and built to the NBA player’s specifications through Mercedes-Benz’s MANUFAKTUR Made to Measure program, as one of a pair created for him. James keeps the other example for his personal use, while this auction vehicle is being offered exclusively as a charity lot.
The car’s exterior wears light ivory non-metallic paint, with the cabin finished in “Stormy Weather Blue” Nappa leather and porcelain accent stitching. James’s signature crown logo appears on the front fenders, headrests, floorboards, and dashboard, and is also worked into a custom Maybach badge. The center console bears the coordinates of Akron, Ohio, his hometown and the community that will benefit from the sale.
Performance and design
The S 680 is powered by a 6.0-liter V-12 engine rated at 621 horsepower, according to Gooding Christie’s. The personalization extends to every surface through the MANUFAKTUR program, which allows buyers to tailor Mercedes-Maybach models to their tastes from exterior finish through interior appointments.
Foundation’s mission
Proceeds will support the I PROMISE Program and the LeBron James Family Foundation’s work in Akron. The foundation’s initiatives include the I PROMISE School, opened in 2018, along with the I PROMISE Institute for higher education support, the I PROMISE Village providing transitional housing, and I PROMISE HealthQuarters offering medical and behavioral health services.
James said in a statement: “The chance to design my own customized Mercedes-Maybach was something I never even dreamed of as a young kid growing up in Akron. To now have the opportunity to uplift my community and the families we serve through this auction means everything to my Foundation.”
The foundation’s executive director, Michele Campbell, framed the sale as more than a transaction. “It represents tangible resources that allow our students to thrive and provide a pathway to a better future for families in our community,” she said, noting that the proceeds would enable the foundation’s ongoing support in Akron.
Auction logistics
The auction takes place at the Javits Center in New York across two days, with a preview available to the public in the days leading up to the sale. Mercedes-Benz is donating the vehicle to the foundation for the auction, according to Rupert Banner, a senior specialist at Gooding Christie’s, who called the collaboration “a perfect match of excellence.”
This article was compiled by the CityLifeBytes editorial desk from the official announcements and reporting listed under Sources.
