VIN: the Brunei Royal Family Lamborghini Diablo SE30 chassis RLA12085
/ Ben Tyer
HISTORY OF CHASSIS RLA12085
Chassis RLA12085 was the 85th Diablo SE30 built and one of 20 in right-hand drive.
Completed on December 21st 1994, it was configured in Giallo with two-tone Nero / Giallo full leather upholstery that featured custom inlays.
Following delivery to Lamborghini GB, RLA12085 was dispatched to Asia where it joined the enormous collection of the Brunei Royal Family.
Although the Brunei royals had already purchased several Diablos, RLA12085 was the first of just two SE30s that made its way to the tiny fuel rich nation (the other having been RLA12122 configured in Bianco / Blu). A third order for an SE30 had been placed (chassis RLA12086, Rosso Bordeaux / Senape) but not fulfilled and that car was sold via Lamborghini GB to a British buyer.
Upon delivery to Brunei, chassis RLA12085 was registered BN 2828. It joined a four figure-strong fleet of high end cars owned by the Brunei royals, a good portion of which were exotics. Of these, many had been optioned to a unique configuration while quite a few were special build commissions with completely new bodies and interiors.
Funds for the enormous collection came courtesy of Brunei’s massive oil and gas fields which, as head of state, absolute monarch and head of government, the Sultan (Hassanal Bolkiah) was in total control of. After the Sultan’s younger brother, Prince Jefri, became Brunei’s Minister of Finance in late 1986, the two men’s spending rose dramatically and, during the 1990s, they spent nearly £200m per year on prestige automobiles.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: unattributed
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