Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah: We all have heard stories of billionaires who have tens or even hundreds of luxury cars in the modern era but here is a story about a man who is boasted of owning over 7,000 models valued at an astounding $5 billion. Renowned for owning one of the most extravagant car collections in the world, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei is known for owning unique, tailor-made cars, including some that remained a secret for years.
Notable examples of his car collection include the 1996 Bentley Dominator SUV, a model produced under utmost secrecy with only limited images initially revealed. Another rarity is the 1995 Bentley Monte Carlo, a retro-styled car with just six units ever produced, all marked with the letter “H” on their license plates, signifying their exclusivity for a select client, as per an article by Romina Garcia, carried by MSN. The Sultan also owns approximately 600 Rolls-Royce cars.
Moreover, the residence of the Sultan is reported to have 1,788 rooms including 257 bathrooms, making it one of the largest private residences in the world.
It has been widely reported that the Bentley was going insolvent but the Sultan did not let this happen. While Bentley played a significant role in the Sultan’s luxury car collection, the brand’s current standing has shifted drastically—not due to waning interest but because of its revived fortunes. It has been reported by the Economic Times that Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah has a net worth of $30 billion.
Once nearing bankruptcy, the British car brand Bentley is now one of the most popular brands, with a valuation of $14.62 billion and 67 stores operating worldwide. This transformation underscores the brand’s enduring appeal and success, even as the Sultan continues to maintain his fascination with exceptional automobiles.
Headquartered in Crewe, England, Bentley Motors Limited is a British designer, manufacturer and marketer of luxury cars and SUVs. The company was founded by W. O. Bentley (1888–1971) in 1919 in Cricklewood, North London. Widely known for winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1924, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930 and 2003, Bentley has been a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group since 1998.
Presently, most of the Bentley car models are assembled at the company’s Crewe factory. Moreover, the company also has a small level of assembly taking place at Volkswagen’s Dresden factory, located in Germany. Additionally, the bodies for the Continental are manufactured in Zwickau and the Bentayga model is manufactured at the Volkswagen Bratislava Plant.
