Sultan of Bruneis's car collection

[wolfracesonic]

......Has anyone here ever seen it? I've always read articles of how big it is and how he apparently owns a lot of bespoke Ferraris etc. but all the info on the 'net basically just gives you lists of '120 Rolls Royces, 50 Aston Martins' etc. Has he ever given an interview about his cars or are there any decent documentaries out there I've missed? Could be an idea for Top Gear or The Grand Tour.

[Levin]

Section in Clarkson's Motorworld book to do with him, if he's the guy with the massive Dodge Power Wagon. It'll definitely be a few years out of date though; Motorworld aired in the 1990s.

[so called]

Never seen a list.
I know he used to have a couple of TVR Wedge's .
I know the Rolls Royce guy from Crewe who used to live out there and look after the Rollers while still being on RR books.

[Quattromaster]

Is this the guy who owns the Tobacco dock shopping centre, and most of the buildings around it on the highway, such as the old Saab city site.

When Saab city was being rebuilt back in 2002 they moved to tobacco dock, I worked there, and I was told the site was bought by an Arab purely to store his collection of uk based cars in, due to the 9 level multi story attached to the side, bottom 4 levels were full of cars, all in individual climate controlled garages. I only managed to get a nose round a few times and it was a sight to behold.

[V8LM]

Most of the cars were bought by Prince Jefri and since the AMADEO crisis of the early 2000s most of the cars have rotted away after the climate control in the garages was turned off.

[Quattromaster]

V8LM said:

Most of the cars were bought by Prince Jefri and since the AMADEO crisis of the early 2000s most of the cars have rotted away after the climate control in the garages was turned off.

What were, the Sultans cars, or the ones at tobacco dock, and can I ask what AMADEO means. Ta.

[405dogvan]

Levin said:

Section in Clarkson's Motorworld book to do with him, if he's the guy with the massive Dodge Power Wagon. It'll definitely be a few years out of date though; Motorworld aired in the 1990s.

That's not him - he's in Brunei which is in Asia, the series you're thinking-of was set in the Middle-East and a few oil sheiks in particular.

[V8LM]

Quattromaster said:

V8LM said:

Most of the cars were bought by Prince Jefri and since the AMADEO crisis of the early 2000s most of the cars have rotted away after the climate control in the garages was turned off.

What were, the Sultans cars, or the ones at tobacco dock, and can I ask what AMADEO means. Ta.

The Brunei cars. Amadeo was a group of investment companies run by Jefri's son which collapsed in 1998 with $10bn debt. Jefri was also the minister of finance and responsible for the Brunei Investment Agency. The investigation of Amadeo unveiled the misappropriation of state funds from BIA.

http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/17/world/brunei-fro...

The Sultan has a large car collection, but this pales into insignificance compared to that amassed by the end of the 90s.

Edited by V8LM on Saturday 25th February 16:48

[V8LM]

Levin said:

Section in Clarkson's Motorworld book to do with him, if he's the guy with the massive Dodge Power Wagon. It'll definitely be a few years out of date though; Motorworld aired in the 1990s.

That was the Rainbow Sheikh (Sheikh Hamad bin Hamdan al Nahyan). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XUEvkMZHno

[Levin]

405dogvan said:

That's not him - he's in Brunei which is in Asia, the series you're thinking-of was set in the Middle-East and a few oil sheiks in particular.

Whoops, disregard that then OP! Thought I might have had a useful lead for you, but I guess not. I've never actually seen the series but remember reading the book. Turns out there are more rich folks with infamous car collections than I expected. Cheers for setting me right mate!

[FourWheelDrift]

More info here - https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2011/03/the-sultan-of-b...

[sim16v]

There have been a few magazine articles over the years.

I vaguely remember a good one in either Autocar or Motor back in the '90s.

[wolfracesonic]

FourWheelDrift said:

More info here - https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2011/03/the-sultan-of-b...

Interesting, the collection was in dire states by 2011 it seems, so It will be even worse or non existent by now, I would imagine.

[V8LM]

wolfracesonic said:

FourWheelDrift said:

More info here - https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2011/03/the-sultan-of-b...

Interesting, the collection was in dire states by 2011 it seems, so It will be even worse or non existent by now, I would imagine.

I know that by 2001 the cars were deteriorating. I think the article relates to a visit in 2002. They must have all but gone by now.

Edited by V8LM on Saturday 25th February 17:35

[Rich_W]

Peleton25 or Hurst or even Flemke may know the situation with the 3 McLaren F1's

[LaurasOtherHalf]

Didn't simon kidson get a few out?

[C70GT]

I've not seen the collection, but have seen one of the cars close up.

In the late nineties I went to a Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts Cub annual rally and parked up in the Silver Cloud row. Next car to arrive and park next to me was an absolutely stunning Silver Cloud Drophead, owned by the Sultan. The car was a 1964 model that had been returned to Rolls-Royce for a complete last nut and bolt restoration and the annual rally was it's first trip out following restoration. To say it was truly stunning is the understatement of the year, it was truly, truly stunning and more some. The dazzling scarlet paintwork burnt your retinas just looking at it and needless to say the quality of craftsmanship was beyond compare. It was rumoured that the restoration had cost £300,000 plus, which in the 90's was an incredible amount. http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&...

[anonymous-user]

V8LM said:

wolfracesonic said:

FourWheelDrift said:

More info here - https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2011/03/the-sultan-of-b...

Interesting, the collection was in dire states by 2011 it seems, so It will be even worse or non existent by now, I would imagine.

I know that by 2001 the cars were deteriorating. I think the article relates to a visit in 2002. They must have all but gone by now.

Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 25th February 17:35

He was obviously waiting for the 'Great Car Bubble of 2016/17' and wanted to cash in on his modern classics...only it's yet to burst and the market or quite ready for 100 identical spec S-Class saloons...

[Europa1]

I seem to recall stories of him helping to keep Bentley afloat with bespoke orders, including shooting brakes, plus he had a Ferrari 456 shooting brake or 2?

Edited by Europa1 on Saturday 25th February 20:36

[sim16v]

wolfracesonic said:

FourWheelDrift said:

More info here - https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2011/03/the-sultan-of-b...

Interesting, the collection was in dire states by 2011 it seems, so It will be even worse or non existent by now, I would imagine.

I personally think that saying the cars are beyond saving is rubbish.

If they were sold at a "sensible" price, they would be financially viable to restore.

Anything is restorable/repairable, if it is worth more than purchase price + resto costs, then it is worth doing.