The only Ferrari Enzo delivered in matte black paint from the factory is set to be auctioned by RM Sotheby's.
Per the auction listing, the vehicle belonged to a member of the Brunei royal family. That's the kind of influence it takes to convince Ferrari to sell you its premier hypercar in a unique color from the factory. The Enzo left Maranello on October 15, 2004, finished in Nero Opaco—that's Italian for Matte Black. The color has since become a popular choice for modern Ferraris, but this Enzo was the company's first hypercar to wear the striking black finish.
RM Sotheby's
The Enzo itself is a special vehicle, as you'd expect of the vehicle named after the company's founder. Only 400 examples were built. It boasts a naturally-aspirated 6.0-liter V12 engine that offers 651 horsepower and a scintillating redline of 8,200 rpm. It's paired with the F1-style automated manual transmission, which sends drive to the rear wheels.
The body of the Enzo was crafted in carbon fiber, with the car's distinctive lines the work of legendary Pininfarina designer Ken Okuyama. It diverged from Ferrari's previous efforts on the F40 and F50, and eschewed a rear wing to focus on ground-effect aerodynamics instead.
As for this one-of-one example, the Nero Opaco paintwork was matched with a Nero leather interior and Nero carpets. For those that don't speak Italian, that's black, black, and black. The red instrument cluster stands out as a pop of color in the otherwise dark interior. The odometer read 5,730 km (3560 miles) at the time of cataloging for the auction.
RM Sotheby's
The car spent its early life at the London residence of the Brunei royal family. It was later moved to the Asia-Pacific region. It has undergone recent cosmetic restoration work at Carrozzeria Zanasi, Ferrari's official paint shop for hypercars, Tailor-Made vehicles, and the Icona series cars. Receipts for the work totaled over €110,000 ($113,000 USD), including the replacement of sticky interior switches, front and rear headlights, and the rear bonnet glass.
Notably, the paint shop also repainted the vehicle in its original Nero Opaco finish. That raises an interesting question as to the car's value. On the one hand, the car is special as the only car originally delivered from the factory with this paint finish. On the other hand, you're not getting that original paint, as the car has been resprayed. Ferrari collectors can argue this as their own unique offshoot of the classic Ship of Theseus problem.
RM Sotheby's
In any case, though, the car has royal provenance, low mileage, and a one-of-one status. Plus, it's a Ferrari Enzo. Those factors should bring in a mighty high bid when it goes to auction at the Sotheby's Sealed auction from December 5 to 7. There's no reserve, which means you could get lucky, but expect this one to sell deep into seven-figure territory. If you missed out on the only white Enzo sold earlier this year, perhaps buying this car will make you feel better.
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