--- title: "The Sultan of Brunei’s Legendary Secret Car Collection Has Been Leaked Online" description: "From convertible and estate Ferrari 456s to a classic Bentley SUV that isn't the Bentayga, this elusive collection is stunning to behold." date: "2024-11-25" modified: "2024-11-25" authors: - name: "Byron Hurd" job_title: "Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/byron-hurd" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/the-sultan-of-bruneis-secretive-car-collection-is-being-posted-to-instagram" categories: - "Culture" - "History" - "News" - "People" tags: - "bentley" - "Ferrari" - "rare cars" - "sultan of brunei" --- # The Sultan of Brunei’s Legendary Secret Car Collection Has Been Leaked Online ![A screenshot of an Instagram account viewed on desktop showcasing thumbnail images of the Sultan of Brunei's car collection, with text superimposed that says "So Many Cars!"]() *\brunei\_cars\_2001 via Instagram, The Drive\* On Sunday, two Instagram accounts began posting peeks at perhaps the [largest, most secretive car collection]() in history. The thousands-strong trove belonging to the royal family of Brunei is thought to include more Rolls-Royce automobiles than any other—though it contains far more than British luxury cars. The collection's been [largely kept from the public eye for decades](), save for a few images circling the web here and there. Now, it's out there for all to see. These photos were all taken in the early 2000s, so we're seeing the collection as it sat roughly 20 years ago. As we at *The Drive* understand it, the images were held by a close-knit group of individuals until a recent falling-out prompted a member of the group to make them public. Petty squabbling strikes again; this time, we all benefit. > [View this profile on Instagram]() > @[brunei\_cars\_2001]() • Instagram photos and videos The collection was amassed by Prince Jefri Bolkiah and his son throughout the 1990s. Jefri was later caught embezzling billions from both private and sovereign wealth funds. As part of his restitution, a large portion of the collection was relinquished. Some cars from the collection [eventually wound up for sale]() (likely to cover a related debt), but absent [a few noteworthy examples](), we know very little about where these cars have landed. > [View this post on Instagram]() > [A post shared by @brunei\_cars\_2001]() The fleet was widely known to include many bespoke models, including vehicles commissioned explicitly and exclusively for the Sultan himself. One of the most noteworthy examples was the Bentley Dominator, seen above. This early Bentley SUV neatly previewed the [Bentayga]() decades before it would eventually arrive for the masses. > [View this post on Instagram]() > [A post shared by @brunei\_cars\_2001]() But if that doesn't impress you, how about a Ferrari 456GT Estate? You and your friends can just walk into Ferrari dealerships and spec any model this way, right? > [View this post on Instagram]() > [A post shared by @brunei\_cars\_2001]() This 1993 [Bugatti EB110 SS]() was one of four delivered to the Sultan and the only one in this spectacularly '90s finish. This is a [well-documented car]() and one of three that reportedly remain in the collection. If those whet your appetite, there are dozens more like them on two profiles: [brunei\_cars\_2001]() and [taffy\_c\_s\_145](). While it seemed like we'd be treated to a drip feed of such images for a very long time, at some point on Monday the former account shared a Google Drive link to the entire set in its story. It's hard to say if it represents the whole collection in full, as many cars have seemingly come and gone, but it's undoubtedly the widest look at the stash that the public's ever had at one time. By the way, if you download that folder, be warned: it's *huge*. It measures about a gigabyte in size and is organized by make and model. It's actually pretty surreal to navigate because, as we've said, some of these cars weren't widely known about until now. Clicking on sub-folders describing strange re-bodied Bentleys with cryptic names like "Buccaneer" and "Imperial," you never know what you're about to see, and that makes it all the more exciting. It works the other way, too; one folder titled "AA Unknown Exotic Car" leads to none other than a black example of BMW's 1991 Nazca M12 concept, styled by Italdesign. Happy digging! ***Update Nov. 25, 2024, 4:10 p.m. Eastern:*** *This article was updated several hours after publishing to note that all of the images have now been shared on a Google Drive.* *Got a tip? Email us at tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Byron is an editor at The Drive with a keen eye for infrastructure, sales and regulatory stories. He brings a light, punchy style to all of his content, believing that there's plenty out there to be laughed at—himself included. Born and raised in Maryland but now based just a stone's throw from Detroit, Byron is an auto enthusiast and generalist who enjoys building and tinkering with things of all kinds, from cars, computers and digital cityscapes, to the new garage that will soon house his fleet (a CT4-V Blackwing, a JK Wrangler and an NA Miata). Inspired by an early love of rollercoasters, Byron quickly caught the high-performance driving itch. He's been tracking and auto-crossing his cars since 2007. In his downtime, Byron enjoys reading, playing city builders, and studying the history of the Motor City. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()