The Sultan of Brunei is everything you typically expect of a monarch — a lavish lifestyle, disdain for a free press, and a passion for collectibles. In the Sultan’s case, his collection of lavish cars is reportedly worth close to $5 billion, and includes over 7,000 top-end models. Although the Sultan’s massive car collection is legendary to say the least, it has remained shrouded from public view, thanks to restrictions on Brunei’s press and his iron-fist governance.
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Lately, however, two Instagram accounts -– brunei_cars_2001and taffy_c_s_145 – leaked possible insider images from what appears to be the Sultan’s warehouse dating back to the early 2000s. As these are anonymous accounts, we cannot confirm the veracity of the photos and the people making these posts. That said, the leaks seem plausible, as most of them appear to have been taken in the same warehouse-looking setting and feature models from the 90s and early 2000s. Let’s dive in and look at some of the wildest models in the Sultan of Brunei’s epic car collection.
DTM Mercedes-Benz 190E EVO II
The 1992 Mercedes-Benz 190E Evo II paired with a Cosworth engine has to be one of the most iconic cars from the collection, and for several reasons. The powerful 340 HP Cosworth engine in the 1992 Evo II was a massive upgrade from the 235 HP engine in the 1991 variant, helping it become Mercedes’ answer to Audi’s dominance in the DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft) races in 1990 and 1991.
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However, the one from the purported leak has an even richer history behind it. During the early 1990s, Berlin sought to host the 2000 Olympics and sponsored the AMG DTM team as a part of its promotional campaign. The AMG DTM lineup featured Ellen Lohr, who became the only woman DTM winner in the history of the sport. Unfortunately, Berlin lost the bid to Sydney. This particular Evo II emerged as a common symbol of Berlin’s Olympic aspirations, Mercedes’s resilience to beat Audi at the DTM, and Ellen Lohr’s historic performance at the 1992 DTMs. Later, this car seemingly found its way into the Sultan of Brunei’s immaculate car collection, further adding to its rich history.
Ferrari 456GT Coupe Night Vision
The Ferrari 456GT is a masterpiece that combines luxury, power, and classic design. The 1992 456GT came with an impressive 65° V12 engine that can go up to 186 mph. The 442 HP 5.5L engine was nothing short of an engineering marvel of its time, showcasing Ferrari’s legacy in engineering high-performance machinery.
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However, the one from the leaks is a notch beyond the regular Ferrari 456GT – this is alleged to be a lesser-known Night Vision variant. According to the captions on the photos, the anvil-like object on top of the car is a rotating camera. Similar to ones present in modern self-driving cars, it constantly scans the surroundings and constructs an infrared map of its surroundings. The massive box housed in the car’s trunk (slide 3) is purportedly for processing the infrared images in real time and broadcasting it to the four screens in the dashboard for a complete view of the immediate vicinity of the car. According to the leakers, Ferrari only ever produced 2 of these extremely rare night vision versions of the 456GT, one of which stands as a crown jewel in the Sultan of Brunei’s collection.
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Just like we don’t know if this is actually the Sultan of Brunei’s collection, we also don’t know if the vehicle pictured is really what the leakers claim it is, but the rumors are interesting nonetheless.
Mercedes-Benz SL (R230) Batmobile
The Sultan of Brunei might just be channelling his inner Bruce Wayne, as one of the leaks showcases a Mercedes-AMG SL converted into a Batmobile. Although it’s unclear, the car has a stark resemblance to the 2001 Mercedes-Benz SL (R230) 500 that features a robust 302 HP V8 engine and boasts a top speed of 155 mph.
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The R230 may not be the fastest car from the collection — its powerful engine can easily accelerate 0 to 62 mph in around 6.3 seconds. If leakers are to be believed, the Batmobile here comes with a carbon fiber finish for the fins and grille. It is worth noting that these leaks are from the early 2000s, when carbon fiber was gradually edging towards mainstream automobile adoption, making this leaked Batmobile a futuristic relic from the past. Further adding to its beauty, the Batmobile looks immaculate with customized interiors of gray and black throughout, and the Batman logos on the dashboard integrate well with its dark aesthetics.
Bugatti EB 110
Back in the 1990s, Bugatti introduced the EB 110 truly that took the world of super sports car by a storm and lay foundations for modern super cars. The EB 110 is special in a lot of ways — the 3.5L V12 engine along with four turbochargers can take it to a whopping 351 kph (218 mph). Moreover, this speed-focused beast can reach 0 to 100 kph in just 3.26 seconds. Besides, the EB 110 benefits from both its powerful engine and the cutting-edge design to reach the blazing-fast speeds. Bugatti partnered with Aerospatiale, a French aerospace and defense innovator, to design the carbon monocoque chassis that weighed merely 125kg (275 lbs).
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The interior of the leaked EB 110 has an uncanny resemblance to another iconic car from the time – the Volkswagen Harlequin Golf. The extremely tacky colors for the dashboard and the seats evoke strong opinions — you may either love it or hate it to the core! The fact that the Sultan’s collection has both a pristine black AMG SL Batmobile and a tacky EB 110 is a testament to his all-embracing taste in automobiles.
A rare traffic jam of luxury
The leaks contain a stunning display of extremely rare cars like the Rolls-Royce Pininfarina and the Ferrari 456GT Estate. However, what stands out the most has to be the post showcasing the rare traffic jam of luxury that includes prized possessions like the Ferrari Testarossa, Pontiac Firebird, Mercedes-Benz W124, and more.
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The fact that these cars are parked so close to one another without any illustrious decor gives a glimpse into the massive scale of the Sultan of Brunei’s collection, where these rare beauties stand like the Camrys and Civics of the common world. The leakers have also shared a Google Drive link containing many more cars from the collection, all categorized by their brands and models. If this truly is the Sultan of Brunei’s collection, it’s nothing short of marvelous. These leaks might be providing a sneak peek into what could be the biggest luxury car collection in the world.