Imagine being the owner of the largest private car collection in the world – a car collection with 7,000 cars and a combined value of around $5 billion. If you are a billionaire, like the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam, then that is certainly possible.
Hassanal Bolkiah is the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam. Following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, the Sultan takes over as the world's longest-reigning monarch. He ascended to the throne in 1967 and has now reigned for 55 years. Considering that Bolkiah is royalty, he has plenty of money to purchase cars. Forbes magazine ranked Bolkiah as one of the richest people in the world, with a stupendous fortune of $20 billion. He is a lover of cars and his fortune enabled him to collect models that are not only expensive but also rare. When Bolkiah collected 300 cars, many people thought that he had secured an impressive collection, but Bolkiah continued to spend his money to quench his thirst for cars.
Updated January 2023: The Sultan of Brunei has the largest car collection in the world, and we've updated this article with some more information on the rare and highly desirable cars found in his extensive collection.
The Sultan's lavish spending spree resulted in the purchase of 7,000 cars that pundits have estimated the net worth to be $5 billion. Bolkiah is the biggest car collector in the world, as he owns more than 600 Rolls-Royces, 450 Ferraris, and over 380 Bentleys. Why would anybody own more than 450 Ferrari rides? They can, is the simple answer. Listing all 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 Brabus G700
It surely must get a little boring having to choose from thousands of iconic vehicles every time you're going for a drive. However, the Sultan of Brunei doesn’t seem too bothered by this automotive "challenge." Photographers have captured him behind the wheel of his black Brabus G700 on several occasions, so we can assume it's one of his favorites, or maybe it's the most accessible!
The Brabus G700 is an incredible machine that can take on pretty much any terrain, and it's not lacking in the power department either, as it features a 4.0-liter V8 engine that produces a whopping 700 horsepower.
Brabus is a German company specializing in aftermarket high-performance tuning, and they have worked their magic on many car marques including Mercedes-Benz, Maybach, Smart, Porsche, and Rolls-Royce.
24 Ferrari F40
A few people on the planet are proud owners of the F40. Ferrari produced around 1,300 models of the F40 as the successor to the 288 GTO and in conjunction with the manufacturer's 40th celebration. When the car debuted on the market, Ferrari set the price at around $400,000. The car became so popular that some enthusiasts paid several million dollars to own one.
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.
23 BMW Nazca M12
When this concept got built, back in the '90s, it had a futuristic design. And it still does today. When the Sultan buys a BMW, he doesn't settle for the i8 like us mere mortals, he wants a truly unique supercar. 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 built the concept in 1991, it was the kind of sports car that left jaws dropping because of its advanced design. The M12 featured gullwing windows that rose from the doors and the roof comprised of glass, adding light to the cockpit area. Despite the interest in this phenomenal-looking supercar, and two further concept cars getting produced, the Nazca M12 sadly never made it to production, and we all missed out – apart from the Sultan.
22 Lamborghini Urraco
Sorry, which Lamborghini did you say the Sultan owned? You surely 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 units of this special sports car were ever produced. The Sultan is one of the lucky owners, but his Urraco is gray. 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.
21 Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR Coupe
What can you say about this vehicle when you see it? No words will come to mind, as the CLK GTR is quite simply 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 hood, the GTR boasts an impressive 6.9-liter V12 engine, capable of producing 612 horsepower.
What makes the Sultan of Brunei's Mercedes-Benz CLK GTR coupe so special is that it's the only right-hand drive GTR version in the world – all the others got produced as left-hand drive cars. Interestingly, there was also just one right-hand drive CLK GTR roadster produced, but we don't believe the Sultan snapped that one up for his collection.
20 Ferrari Mythos
Although the 599 GTO and the 458 Italia are incredible 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 serious car collector, 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 and although slow, the Mythos is a classic, that we don't get to see on the roads often, if at all. They're most likely hidden in a collection somewhere.
19 Ferrari F50
When Ferrari hit their 50th year anniversary, they used the occasion to build a special vehicle to commemorate the occasion. The result of the manufacturer's effort was the F50.
This stunning sports 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 requires 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 and one of Ferrari's best.
18 Lamborghini Diablo
Ask Lamborghini enthusiasts which car they would love to own the most, and they will most likely answer, "The Diablo." The manufacturer from Italy produced the car from 1990 until 2001, and it's a shame production ever ceased. The car is a classic, fetching higher prices than most Aventadors and Murcielagos.
Under the hood, 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.
17 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 very surprised 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.
16 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.
The seven units were actually commissioned by the Sultan's brother, Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei, and the renowned Italian coach builder, Pininfarina, built the cars. Prince Jefri purchased six of the wagon-style Ferraris, with the seventh model going to a private car collector in the UK.
The estimated price for one vehicle was around $1.5 million. That's the price you pay for exclusivity.
15 Porsche 959
Purchasing a Porsche is a surreal experience for the average person. 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. And if he can't see it, he asks Porsche to make an exclusive model for him.
The Porsche 959 is stunning and has a 2.8-liter flat six-cylinder engine that produces 444 horsepower allowing the car to reach 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds.
14 Leblanc Mirabeau
The Sultan wanted another 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 just 2.6 seconds to reach 0 to 60 mph. The 24-hour resilience at the Le Mans influenced the design.
13 Koenigsegg CCXR
Boxing champ Floyd "Money" Mayweather isn't the only person in the world to own a Koenigsegg CCXR, with the Sultan prepared to pay $1.3 million for one to add to his impressive collection. 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.
Mayweather sold his Koenigsegg CCXR a few years ago at auction for a cool $2.6 million.
12 Ferrari F90 Testarossa
The Ferrari F90 Testarossa owned by the Sultan is actually 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.
11 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental – Star Of India
The Sultan has magnificent taste in vehicles. Instead of opting for more Rolls-Royce Ghosts, the Sultan chose a classic Phantom II Continental.
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.
10 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 C63 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.
9 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.
8 Ferrari FX
The Sultan is the proud owner of more than 450 Ferraris. For most, 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?
Ferrari produced only nine units of the FX, with one wealthy buyer – yes, the Sultan – purchasing six of them. 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.
7 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Special Series II
If you are a wealthy car enthusiast, like the Sultan, you will own vehicles that nobody else in the world has. The Sultan is the only person in the world to own an Aston Martin V8 Vantage Special Series II, commissioned by him and especially made for him by Aston Martin.
Aston Martin manufactured only three units, of which the Sultan was the fortunate recipient. Coach builder 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.
6 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 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 the fastest aspirated car available in the world.