Emperor Bao Dai’s Rare 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica

A very rare blue 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica with coachwork by Pinin Farina, one of 12 Series I 410 Superamerica coupes built, arriving at and leaving the 2026 Concorso Ferrari, organized by the Southwest Region of the Ferrari Club of America (FCA), on Colorado Boulevard in Old Town Pasadena. This car, chassis no. 0493 SA, was originally owned by Emperor Bao Dai, the 13th and last Emperor of Vietnam, who purchased it while living in France after being exiled by Prime Minister Ngo Dinh Diem. Finished in its original shade of blue with ivory roof, it has undergone a detailed mechanical restoration by Ferrari specialists Patrick Ottis and Bill Attaway and retains its original body, chromework, and interior. The Ferrari Classiche certified car was displayed at the 2023 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where it won the FIVA Postwar Trophy for best preserved and regularly driven cars.

Imagine arriving at a bar where a few guys are chatting about their cars. One guy boasts that his car's been featured on Jay Leno's Garage. Another notes that his car was previously owned by a famous actor. You nonchalantly join them and comment that your classic V12 Ferrari was originally owned by the last reigning emperor of Vietnam. Yea, they'll let you do rest of the talking.

As far as tying a car into world history, this is about as crazy as it gets. I honestly thought emperors were gone long before automobiles came into existence. (Maybe if my grade school teachers incorporated cars into social studies classes, I would have paid much more attention.) And I had always assumed that when a ruler lost his kingdom and got thrown into exile, he probably lived in a rather miserable state. Yet this emperor, in his miserable state, somehow had the means to buy himself a brand new Ferrari. Sure, he may never have imagined that the car would someday end up in America with a dog in the passenger seat. But he certainly had good taste - and apparently lots of money, too. Perhaps living in exile isn't all that bad after all!

Would you have bought a new Ferrari while living in exile after your empire was overthrown? Leave a comment on YouTube and let me know!