VIN: the Brunei Royal Family Ferrari F40 chassis 85074
History of chassis 85074
During the 1980s and ‘90s, the Brunei Royal Family acquired a huge fleet of luxury cars along with a considerable number of high performance vehicles. As Brunei’s head of state, absolute monarch and head of government, the Sultan (Hassanal Bolkiah) was effectively able to do as he pleased with the cash raised from the country’s vast gas and oil fields.
Between 1986 and 1997, the Sultan’s brother, Prince Jefri, took on the role of Brunei’s finance minister and chairman of the country’s investment agency. Having both been massive cars fans since their younger years, the brothers spent hitherto unseen sums on high end machinery and famously commissioned some of Europe’s most famous car builders to construct batches of unique models.
Included among the huge quantity of Ferraris purchased by the Brunei Royal Family were a double digit quantity of F40s and even an F40 LM. Of the regular F40s, several were customised by Pininfarina into right-hand drive with special colours and more comfortable leather interiors.
A small number of left-hand drive F40s were also give a similar treatment, one of which was chassis 85074.
Manufactured in 1990, chassis 85074 was sent to Pininfarina who kitted it out with 512 TR seats, full Nero leather upholstery with Rosso piping, electric windows, conventional door handles and air-conditioning (the controls for which were mounted on a brand new central control panel). As for the exterior, that was finished in a very dark shade of Grigio with the normally black swage line painted contrasting red.
Upon completion, chassis 85074 was shipped to Brunei where it assumed the registration BM 8686. This uniquely configured F40 has remained in the Brunei Royal Family collection ever since.
Text copyright: Supercar Notalgia
Photo copyright: unattributed
