It’s 2022 and while Ferrari’s Tailor Made customization program will paint your car in almost any color you wish—pink is still off limits—things haven’t always been so. For one, back in 2004 when the Enzo was the halo Prancing Horse, the example sitting before us became the first Ferrari hypercar to ever leave the factory in Matte Black. And, out of the total of 400 Enzos ever built, this has remained the only example dressed in Matte Nero Opaco.
Yes, the model that came before the LaFerrari may bare the weight of the founder’s name, but its F1-derived styling mean this is a love-it-or-hate-it proposal.
However, built between 2002 and 2004, the Enzo is arguably the first modern Ferrari hypercar. And, unlike its less-than-stellar F50 predecessor, which never rose to the fame of the F40 that came before it (the contemporary McLaren F1 didn’t help), the Enzo emerged as a tech masterpiece for its era. Speaking of which, have you seen the Pink F40 showcased earlier this month at SEMA? Sure, it was a wrap, but also a blast.
Returning to the Enzo, this ushered in a new era of carbon fiber construction for Maranello, which led to superior durability. Then there’s the motivation. In the middle of the beast, we find a 6.0L naturally aspirated V12 with 651 hp and 485 lb-ft of twist.
And while the F1-style automated manual was all the rage back in the day, the box feels somewhat clunky by modern standards (there are gated manual swap kits available for less expensive Ferraris). Even so, the 3,260 lbs beast could leave the 60 mph sprint behind in 3.3s and carry on to a top speed of 218 mph. And those figures are still mighty impressive nowadays.
Besides, two decades ago, tech like active aero, carbon ceramic brakes, and sophisticated traction control was cutting-edge for a road car. So the original price of $659,000 was no barrier for customers who fought for a place at the Enzo table.
You may have heard of the former owner’s family
Now, you may wonder who convinced Ferrari to stray so far from the more or less standard colors of the age for this 2004 car, which is chassis #136069. Well… we don’t have an exact name, but Rm Sotheby’s, which is auctioning the vehicle without a reserve from December 5-7, tells us the Prancing Horse was specced by a member of the Brunei Royal Family.
Sure, the former owner may or may not have been Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, the leader of Brunei, who is reportedly worth $20 billion and owns over 600 Rolls-Royces. But we expect the enthusiast to have had quite a bit of influence.
The Nero Opaco Enzo was recently redone
Is Matte Black more difficult to maintain than a glossy shade? Perhaps, but the finish looks impeccable in the presentation photos. Well, the odometer, which sat at just 3,559 miles (5,730 km) at the time of cataloging, may have helped with that.
Or it might’ve been the recent cosmetic restoration done by Carrozzeria Zanasi, the specialist that handles all of Ferrari’s hypercars, Tailor Made offerings, and Icona series few-offs. For a total of EUR110,000 ($113,314 at the current exchange rates), the specialist fully repainted the Nero Opaco car, while replacing multiple interior and exterior bits like the glass engine cover, the light clusters at both ends, and cabin switches.
Prices for the Ferrari Enzo have been increasing in the past years, albeit at a moderate pace. Nowadays, an “average” value for one of these 400 halo cars would sit around $3.3 million, but you should probably expect to pay a premium for this black swan.
However, keep in mind that the arrival of the LaFerrari’s successor, which will take place by 2026, should cement the Enzo’s role as the final naturally aspirated, non-hybrid, mid-engined V12 Ferrari hypercar.
