What's the news?
It just wouldn't be a proper motor show without a wildly expensive, dramatic looking and stupidly limited edition Lamborghini to drool over. So all hail the Centenario, revealed in Geneva, of which just 40 will be made at €1.75 million (plus taxes) each. Yikes.
Exterior
The Centenario will be split into 20 coupés and 20 roadsters. That kind of sounds like you might be able to buy one, if you had enough money stashed away in a really, really fat mattress somewhere, but you'll be sorely disappointed if so: all 40 of these have already sold. Well ahead of its Geneva unveiling, we might add.
This lunatic creation has been created to mark a special year. In 1916, Ferruccio Lamborghini was born, so you can probably now guess where the Centenario's name comes from. We could tell you that it's made almost entirely from carbon fibre. We could tell you about all the air channels that filter cooling goodness to the mighty engine. We could tell you about its splendiferous aerodynamic qualities. But you wouldn't read any of it, would you? Come on, just look at it! We'll say we love its scissor doors, gargantuan rear diffuser, evil Y-shaped rear lights and its massive 20/21-inch front/rear alloys. As if you care; you're just staring at the pictures, aren't you?
Interior
It's a cabin that is really bespoke, as the clients can specify exactly how they want it. Suffice it to say, the basics incorporate carbon fibre sports seats, a glorious-looking steering wheel, loads more carbon on the door panels, some Alcantara draped here and there and plenty of connectivity/infotainment software. Two optional cameras allow your driving experiences to be recorded.
Mechanicals
It possesses the most powerful V12 engine the company has yet made, the Centenario equipped with 770hp and a rev limiter raised from 8,350- to a giddy 8,600rpm. Light the Lambo up, if you're one of those extraordinarily lucky 40 who own one and you're comfortable risking a massive investment, and you'll see 0-100km/h in 2.8 seconds and 0-300km/h in just 23.5 seconds. Its top speed is not much further off, Lamborghini quoting 'more than 350km/h' although not saying precisely how much more we're talking about. Thank its weight of 1,520kg for that performance, which bestows it with (gulp) 507hp/tonne.
Keeping all this on the road is a permanent four-wheel drive chassis, with rear-wheel steering added to give the Lamborghini more agility. Colossal brakes can rip the car from 100-0km/h in 30 metres and from 300-0km/h in just 290 metres, while magnetorheological suspension and Lamborghini Dynamic Steering (LDS) are included. A seven-speed sequential manual gearbox has the unenviable task of transmitting all the motor's normally aspirated grunt to the road.
Anything else?
It's a fair old goodbye from outgoing Lambo president and CEO Stephan Winkelmann, who's off to Audi. He said: "The Centenario is a car that perfectly combines tradition and innovation. It looks to the future while honouring the legend that is Ferruccio Lamborghini. It is the most fitting tribute to Ferruccio in his centenary year: a man who created an exceptional brand, believed that anything was possible, and produced extraordinary, iconic cars. The Centenario is a super sports car for Ferruccio Lamborghini and the future he and we believe in today."
All 40 Centenarios will be delivered from autumn 2016 throughout 2017, and this madhouse creation follows in a long line of wonderful Lambo specials, such as the Reventón, Sesto Elemento, Aventador J and Veneno; all of which have gone on to increase in value.