One to Buy: Giallo Fly ex-Brunei Royal Family 1989 Ferrari F40 (SOLD)
As the only manufacturer that turned a healthy profit from its original run of Group B homologation specials (the 288 GTO), Ferrari decided to create an even more extreme flagship from the GTO Evoluzione that ultimately never went racing as had originally been intended.
In what was initially a red hot market for exotics, orders flooded in for the resultant F40 despite the new car’s incredibly uncompromising nature. In total, a little over 1300 examples were built between the showing of the first prototype in 1987 and the end of production in 1992, all of which departed Maranello in left-hand drive with Rosso Corsa paint and matching red fabric seats.
Such was demand that, no matter how deep a customer’s pockets, Ferrari stubbornly refused to deviate from this specification. However, one particularly wealthy family was able to do the next best thing and commission Pininfarina to build them a set of highly individual F40s.
That family was of course the Brunei royals who purchased nearly 100 Ferraris during the 1990s, many of which were highly customised at vast expense.
Today, one of those uniquely configured Pininfarina Specials is on the market with Mark Shannon in the UK: chassis 78426.
Originally completed as a standard 1989 F40, in 1995 Pininfarina converted chassis 78426 to right-hand drive and carried out an array of additional upgrades to include installation of 456 GT seats, full leather upholstery, electric windows, air-conditioning and an audio system. The engine was tuned to produce 650bhp and the colour was changed to Ruby Red Metallic.
Following completion, the car was dispatched to Brunei where it joined a fleet of other personalised F40s to include a black LM.
At the request of the Sultan of Brunei’s brother, Prince Jefri, 78426 was later repainted Giallo Fly, the configuration in which it currently remains.
Reprinted below is Mark Shannon’s description:
Specially constructed by Pininfarina for His Royal Highness, Muda Haji Jefri Bolkiah, who is the Sultan of Brunei's brother, this is thought to be one of only seven made, only two of which are outside Brunei itself.
This is the more desirable non CAT, non adjust version. It is finished yellow and the interior is fully trimmed in black leather.
