Say what you will about Floyd Mayweather Jr’s history as a professional prizefighter, but the man can never be accused of not having any taste any cars. Money May once again flaunted that taste for all the world to see when he became the first customer to place an order for the just-unveiled Kode57 supercar.
Multiple reports have indicated that Mayweather signed up to purchase the $2.5 million supercar shortly after the car made its debut over the weekend at the Quail Motorsports Gathering as part of the Pebble Beach Concours d’ Elegance. Obi Okeke, Floyd’s personal supercar dealer, confirmed to TMZ about the prized acquisition, adding that the Kode57 has been on the retired boxer’s radar for quite some time now and is keen on adding it to his growing collection of exotics. Okeke also said that the Ken Okuyama-designed supercar will only come in five examples, although the company itself has yet to confirm the statement.
In any case, the Kode57 was one of the most talked-about debuts at the Quail, largely because of the involvement of Okuyama, who is known for his time with Pininfarina, where he penned cars like the Ferrari Enzo, Maserati Quattroporte, and the 2000 Ferrari Rossa Concept, a car many believe was the design inspiration of the Kode57. The open-top roadster is powered by a Novitec Ross-tuned 6.0-liter V-12 engine that cracks out 612 horsepower and 448 pound-feet of torque.
The $2.5 million price tag may look steep given that the car “only” produces 612 horsepower, but for a man of Floyd Mayweather Jr’s taste and bottomless pockets, such a purchase can be considered a drop in the bucket. You keep being you, Money May.
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Why it matters
On the surface, this just magnifies the wealth and exotic car taste of Floyd Mayweather Jr. I personally don’t know how many supercars he has now, but I do know that he has a Lamborghini Aventador, Ferrari 599 GTB, Ferrari 458 Spyder, Rolls-Royce Drophead, Bentley Mulsanne, Rolls-Royce Phantom, Bugatti Veyron, and a 1996 Mercedes S600 V12 sedan. That’s an impressive list by any stretch of the imagination and knowing Mayweather’s taste in opulence, it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s added an exotic or 10 to his growing collection.
More importantly, his acquisition of the Kode57 is not just about adding another supercar to his collection. It’s tremendous validation for Ken Okuyama and the people behind the Kode57. It’s hard enough to gain any traction in the exotic car market even if you’re an established company. That difficulty is magnified if you’re a niche brand that’s looking to make a name for yourself. I think the Kode57 qualifies in that department so it’s a lot harder for the model to gain some sort of acceptance in this type of market. But having Floyd Mayweather Jr., a noted car collector, on your side is a great way to create buzz about the model. Proof of that is the fact that I’m writing about it now.
Personally, I would like to know more about the Kode57 and the history behind its creation. The car looks fantastic and while I do recognize the influences of the 2000 Ferrari Rossa Concept, I’m not holding that against Okayama or anybody who’s responsible for the design of the Kode57.
My only misgiving is that a car that looks as menacing as the Kode57 does deserves more than 612 horsepower. Fortunately, the company behind the exotic has said that its V-12 engine and suspension settings can be tinkered with to the whims of the owner. I wonder how Floyd Mayweather Jr. is going to approach that performance flexibility, or if he even cares to begin with.