Lambo unveils topless Centenario
Ferrucio’s 100th anniversary celebrated in stunning style
IN THE rarefied supercar world some things fast and Italian are more equal than others, and so it is with Lamborghini’s new Centenario roadster.
One of the star attractions at last week’s Monterey Car Week in California, it’s the drop-top version of the Centenario coupé that was unveiled at the Geneva motor show in March. One of Lamborghini’s rarest creations, the Centenario commemorates the 100th anniversary of the birth of Lamborghini’s founder, Ferrucio Lamborghini.
And what a way to commemorate a distinguished Italian sportscar legacy. The two-seat supercar is based on the Aventador but has a full car- bonfibre body, a tweaked powertrain, and a different interior. Only 40 wellheeled buyers will have the chance to buy one, with 20 coupés and 20 roadsters to be built.
Like the coupé, the roadster is powered by 6.5-litre V12 engine rated at 566kW of power and 690Nm of torque, laying it down via all-wheeldrive and a seven-speed automated manual transmission. It will scorch to 100km/h in just 2.9 seconds according to Lamborghini, just onetenth slower than the coupé - while both versions will top out at over 350km/h. A rear-wheel-steering system turns the rear tyres in the same direction as the fronts at high speeds to increase stability. At low speeds the rears turn opposite to the fronts to make for a smaller turning circle and aid manoeuvrability.
The coupé retails for 1.75 million euros (R26.7-million) and the roadster for 2 million euros (R30.5-million), but even at those prices they’re probably already spoken for. So just look and admire ...