25 Cars From The Sultan Of Brunei’s Extensive Collection.
Imagine owning 7,000 cars. If you are a billionaire, then it is possible. Hassanal Bolkiah is the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam. The Sultan is the world’s second longest reigning current monarch, after Queen Elizabeth II. Considering that Bolkiah is royalty, he has plenty of money to purchase cars.
Listing all of the Sultan’s supercars would require enthusiasts to read a book, so to make the list more compact, we thought that we would glean the hidden gems in the Sultan’s garage. We compiled a list of the most impressive and vintage cars that the Sultan has parked in his warehouse.
25.FERRARI F40
A few people on the planet are the proud owners of the F40. Ferrari produced around 1300 models of the F40 as the successor to the 288 GTO and in conjunction with the manufacturer’s 40th celebration. When the car debuted onto the market, Ferrari set the price around $400,000. The car became so popular that some owners paid several million dollars.
What makes the Sultan’s car unique is that it is the only right-hand drive vehicle. The Sultan didn’t buy just one; he purchased several.
24.BMW NAZCA M12
Talk about a futuristic design. When the Sultan buys a BMW, he doesn’t settle for the i8 like us mere mortals; he wants a unique car. Originally, BMW built the Nazca M12 as a concept, but when the Sultan laid his eyes on the car, he summoned the manufacturer to produce one model for him. Who can say no to money?
When BMW had built the concept in 1991, the car had a V12 engine that was capable of producing 295 horsepower and reached a top speed of 180 mph, according to Supercars.
23.LAMBORGHINI URRACO
Sorry, which Lamborghini did you say the Sultan owned? You didn’t expect the world’s biggest car connoisseur to own a petty model such as the Huracan or the Aventador. The Urraco is so rare that only 791 owners have a preview of the car. The Sultan is one of the lucky owners, but his Urraco is grey. The only reason that the pictured one is yellow is due to the difficulty of finding pictures of this classic beast that the manufacturer from Italy produced between 1973 and 1979.
22.MERCEDES BENZ CLK GTR
What can you say about this vehicle when you see it? No words will come to mind, as the CLK GTR is breathtaking. The Sultan wanted a special Mercedes and thought that the CLK GTR would add a nice touch to his collection. Originally, Mercedes designed the GTR for the FIA GT Championship Race. Under the bonnet, the GTR boasts an impressive 6.9-liter V12 engine, capable of producing 612 horsepower.
What makes this car special is that it’s the only GTR version in the world that offers a right-hand driving.
21.FERRARI MYTHOS
Although the 599 GTO and the 458 Italia are fantastic cars, the Sultan wanted ownership of a Ferrari that most car fans cannot access. The Mythos was a concept car and not intended for sale to the public. This majestic Ferrari was capable of reaching a top speed of 180 mph. Being a car connoisseur, the Sultan didn’t order only one; he purchased two. The only problem with the Mythos was the performance. The car needed 6.2 seconds to reach 0 to 60 mph.
The car is an 80s model. Although slow, the Mythos is a classic.
20.FERRARI F50
Having built supercars for fifty years, Ferrari used the occasion to build a special vehicle to commemorate the occasion. The result of the manufacturer’s effort was the F50.
The car has a 4.7-liter V12 engine that pumps out 514 horsepower. Ferrari wanted to make the car a special one, so it produced only 349 units. The car needs 3.7 seconds to reach 0 to 60 mph and has a top speed of 201 mph. The price of the car was $480,000. When you have $20 billion, what’s $480,000? The F50 is a magnificent car that is one of Ferrari’s best.
19.LAMBORGHINI DIABLO
Ask Lamborghini enthusiasts which car they would love to own the most, and they will answer, “The Diablo.” The manufacturer from Italy produced the car from 1990 until 2001. In my opinion, Lamborghini never should have ceased the production. The car is a classic, fetching at higher prices than most Aventadors and Murcielagos.
Under the bonnet, the Diablo boasts a 5.7-liter V12 engine that can pump out 485 horsepower. The car has a top speed of 202 mph and needs just over 4 seconds to reach 0 to 60 mph.
18.JAGUAR XJ220
The XJ220 was in production for only three years, but it left its mark. If it hadn’t, it wouldn’t have caught the eye of the Sultan. Jaguar produced only 282 units, and the Sultan was flabbergasted to discover that the XJ220 had a top speed of 212 mph.
The V6 twin-turbo engine was capable of pumping out 542 horsepower. The 220 in the name represents the manufacturer’s desire for the car to reach a top speed of 220 mph. The car was only 8 mph shy of the dream.
17.FERRARI 456 GT VENICE
Car fans who search for the Ferrari 456 might track it down but will struggle to find the GT Venice version. The manufacturer from Italy made the car exclusive, as it produced only seven units.
Prince Jefri, the Sultan’s brother, commissioned Ferrari Pininfarina to produce the majestic vehicle. The Sultan’s brother purchased six of them. The seventh model went to a private car collector in the United Kingdom. The estimated price for one vehicle was around $1.5 million. That’s the price you pay for exclusivity.
16.PORSCHE 959
Purchasing a Porsche is a surreal experience for the average joe. When you walk into the dealership and point to the 959 to claim ownership, you can’t believe that you made it in life. When the Sultan walks into the dealership, he looks around for a gold-plated 959. If he can’t see it, he asks Porsche to make an exclusive model for him.
According to Car and Driver, the 959 has a 2.8-liter flat six-cylinder engine that produces 444 horsepower and allows the car to reach 0 to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds.
15.LEBLANC MIRABEAU
The Sultan wanted a fast car and purchased the Leblanc Mirabeau. The good news is that the car is legal and can reach a top speed of 230 mph. That is surprising considering the car has a 4.7-liter V8 engine, which can pump out 700 horsepower.
Don’t try to find this one at any dealership, as the Mirabeau is a special order. If you want to own the Mirabeau, you’ll have to fork out $765,000. The car needs 2.6 seconds to reach 0 to 60 mph. The 24-hour resilience at the Le Mans influenced the design.
14.KOENIGSEGG CCXR
Floyd Mayweather isn’t the only person in the world to own the Koenigsegg, as the Sultan was prepared to pay $1.3 million for the CCXR. The CCXR is a variant of the CCX, manufactured as an environment-friendly car. The Sultan’s car has a top speed of 250 mph and needs 2.9 seconds to reach 0 to 60 mph.
The 4.8-liter twin-supercharged V8 engine is capable of producing 1,018 horsepower. That should be enough power to satisfy even the Sultan’s fast lifestyle and all the women he has to please.
13.FERRARI F90 TESTAROSSA
The one that the Sultan owns is red, but the car is so exclusive that finding clear pictures of the one he has in the garage is almost impossible. Ferrari produced six units of the F90 for the Sultan in 1988. At the time of production, the project was a top secret. Enrico Fumia, the designer of the car, stated that the F90 referred to the Ferrari of the 90s.
All of the six cars had a Testarossa chassis, which Pininfarina used to sculpt a new body and interior onto the vehicle. The car’s engine was capable of producing 390 horsepower.
12.ROLLS ROYCE PHANTOM II CONTINENTAL – STAR OF INDIA
You have to give credit. The Sultan has magnificent taste in vehicles. As opposed to opting for more Rolls Royce Ghosts, the Sultan chose a classic Phantom II Continental. The car belonged to his highness.
The Sultan purchased the car at an auction. At the time of the purchase, Guinness pronounced the car as the most expensive sale at an auction. The purchase price was $14 million. The car is a 1934 model, capable of producing 120 horsepower.
11.MERCEDES BENZ C63 AMG
Considering the Sultan is a car lover who can spend a fortune on cars, he doesn’t buy a regular Mercedes Benz. When he decided to purchase the C63 AMG, he ensured that it was one-of-a-kind. The Sultan’s Mercedes is 24-carat gold plated. The 63 AMG produces 469 horsepower from the 4-liter V8 engine.
The car has a top speed of 180 mph and needs 3.9 seconds to reach 0 to 60 mph. We’re pretty certain that nobody has a C63 that resembles the one that the Sultan owns.
10.ROLLS ROYCE SILVER SPUR II
While the Sultan has more than 600 Rolls Royces, we featured the one that stands out from the rest. A wedding is a joyous occasion that requires the couple to splurge on the day. The Sultan did more than splurge; he spent a fortune. On his wedding day, the Sultan had his Rolls Royce Silver Spur II stretch limousine plated with 24-carat gold.
After the Sultan covered the car with gold, it was worth $14 million, according to Carmudi. I’m sure his bride didn’t mind driving in such a lavish car.
9.FERRARI FX
The Sultan is the proud owner of more than 450 Ferraris. For most men, owning one would suffice. When the Sultan went car shopping, he didn’t choose the common Ferrari models; he opted for an FX. What makes the FX so special?
According to Carmundi, the manufacturer from Italy produced only nine units. One buyer purchased six of them. Guess who? To make the FX, Ferrari took apart the 512M and changed its body to the curvy structure of the Pininfarina. Then, Ferrari fitted a gearbox meant for a Formula One unit.
8.ASTON MARTIN V8 VANTAGE SPECIAL SERIES II
If you are car connoisseur, you will own vehicles that nobody else in the world has. That means that the Sultan is a car connoisseur considering he is the only person in the world who owns the V8 Vantage Special Series.
Aston Martin manufactured only three units, which the Sultan was the fortunate recipient. Coachbuilder Zagato re-bodied the cars, which have an increased engine power of 600 horsepower due to the V600 platform. The car needs 4.4 seconds to reach 0 to 60 mph and has a top speed of 205 mph.
7.MCLAREN F1
The most extravagant car collection would be incomplete without a McLaren. Many car pundits have described the McLaren F1 as the most excellent sports car of all time. Some pundits also called the F1 the greatest automobile created. Since the car garnered such a prestige reputation, is it any wonder that it caught the attention of the Sultan?
McLaren manufactured only 106 models from 1992 until 1998. The car is listed as the fastest aspirated car available in the world.
6.MERCEDES BENZ S73 T AMG WAGON
Try to purchase the S73 T AMG Wagon from Mercedes, and the automaker will inform you that it built the car only for the Sultan of Brunei. When you have as much power as the Sultan, you can have one-of-a-kind vehicles that nobody will own.
Mercedes didn’t build only one S73 for the Sultan; the manufacturer built ten. The car is a modified W140 Mercedes Benz S-Class that Mercedes changed into a wagon. The car has a 7.3-liter V12 engine that is capable of pumping out 565 horsepower.
5.MERCEDES BENZ SL R129
One of the most popular two-seater sports cars that Mercedes produced in the 90s was the SL R129. During twelve years of production, Mercedes made more than 213,000 units. Although the Sultan’s collection consists of vintage cars that cost several hundred thousand dollars, he couldn’t resist owning the SL R129.
What’s there not to like about the car? The car has a top speed of 155 mph and needs 5.4 seconds to reach 0 to 60 mph. Another good choice that the Sultan added to his collection.
4.DAUER 962 LE MANS
The Sultan is all about exclusivity, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he owns one of the rarest vehicles in the world. The Dauer 962 is a sports car based on the Porsche 962 race car. The racing version of the car won the 1994 24 Hours of Le Mans. Apart from the handsome looks of the Dauer 962, the other great aspect of the car is that the manufacturer produced only 13 units.
The 3-liter twin-turbocharged engine can pump out 730 horsepower, allowing the car to reach a top speed of 251 mph and 0 to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds.
3.ROLLS ROYCE PHANTOM VI
Rolls Royce prides itself in manufacturing exclusive vehicles that engineers have hand-built. The Rolls Royce Phantom VI was available only as a special order until the 90s. The manufacturer needs 800 hours to build the body of the Phantom VI. One of the patrons of the Phantom VI was the British Monarchy, so the Sultan also had to have one.
The Sultan instructed Rolls Royce to custom build two of the cars for him by redesigning the boot to resemble a Rolls Royce Silver Seraph. That was a good choice in vehicles.
2. BENTLEY DOMINATOR
Bentley isn’t known for making SUVs, so it might come as a surprise to many car enthusiasts to know that a model other than the Bentayga existed. Well, when you’re the Sultan of Brunei, you can commission Bentley to make you the car of your dreams.
The Sultan asked Bentley to make him the Dominator, which the Sultan ordered six. The Dominator is the first SUV that Bentley produced in 1994. The car was so exclusive that information and pictures are scant.
1. FERRARI 512BB
Since the Sultan has more than 450 Ferraris, you shouldn’t be surprised that he owns at least two 512BBs. The BB stands for Berlinetta Boxer, which Ferrari produced from 1976 until 1981. The 512 referred to the car’s 5-liter 12 cylinder engine that was capable of pumping out 360 horsepower. Ferrari produced 929 models.
The best part about the car was that it could reach a top speed of 187 mph. That is good for a vehicle produced in the ’70s and ’80s.
Sources: Car Mudi, Car and Driver.
