Lamborghini Centenario blows our minds with 770 horsepower

As far as platform is concerned, no one steals the show better than the Lamborghinis. Sticking true to its image, background and custom , the Italian sports car manufacturer’s all new Lamborghini Centenario sportscar stole the show at the 2016 International Geneva Motor Show.

This special edition from the raging bull brand has been unveiled to celebrate the centenary of the automakers founder, Mr Ferruccio Lamborghini, hence the ‘Centenario’ moniker, which was derived from the word ‘century’.

As the legend goes, Mr. Ferruccio Lamborghini a successful tractor builder in northern Italy, founded this iconic company after he took his Ferrari 250 GT for a service, complaining about its gearbox only to be told he knew nothing about sports as he was but a tractor manufacturer. Infuriated and feeling like his technical expertise had been insulted, Ferrucio stormed out with the resolve to build a superior sportscar. In many ways he did, and the Lamborghini Centenario is a perfect example of that.

2016, is the year of Ferruccio’s 100th birthday, so to mark the milestone, Lamborghini built a limited-production supercar as a tribute to the company’s founder. The Centenario, was reportedly shown to prospective buyers as a 3D hologram model during the 2015 Monterey Car Week and has now officially made its debut at the Geneva Auto Show. Only 40 of these cars will be put into production, out of which 20 units will be convertibles and the remaining 20 will be coupes. By the way though, all 40 cars have already sold out at $1.9 million.

Outgoing Lamborghini president and CEO Stephan Winkelmann said: ‘It is the most fitting tribute to Ferruccio Lamborghini 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.’

Power and performance of the lamborghini centenario

The Centenario is a car that perfectly combines tradition and innovation. Powering this beast is a 6.5-litre petrol V12, which has been tuned to deliver 20 extra horsepower than the Aventador LP 750-4 SV, on which it is based. Upraded to provide an output of 770 hp (566 kW) and with the engine speed limiter raised from 8,350 rpm to 8,600 rpm.

Lamborghini Centenario

The highly responsive engine, even at low revs, provides the unmistakeable resonance and characteristics that only a naturally aspirated engine can. The grunt is transferred to all four wheels with the help of a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. The car is offered with paddle shifters, which assist the driver in accelerating it from 0-100 kmph in under 2.8 seconds. Centenario is capable of accelerating well over 350kmph and accelerates to 300kmph in a matter of 23.5 seconds. The Centenario’s is the most powerful engine produced by Lamborghini to date.

Interior – luxury and functionality of the Lamborghini centenario

The luxurious interior can be finished to each Centenario client’s specification. Sports seats in lightweight carbon fiber are included, with new stitching that features on the length of the dashboard, steering wheel, sunvisors, rocker covers, and the new inner door panels made of carbon fiber and Alcantara.

Functionality and connectivity are essential features of the Centenario. Including satellite navigation, a high definition 10.1 inch touchscreen connects the Centenario driver to both the car and the outside world. Users may browse the internet, connect to email and social media and use online applications such as web radio. Apple CarPlay is included, allowing a safe, effective way to make calls, request directions, play music and access the functionality of an iPhone.

The infotainment system includes a sophisticated telemetry function. The Centenario provides ultimate performance, both on road and, should an owner wish, on track: as evidenced by space for two helmets in the front trunk. The highly sophisticated telemetry allows speeds, times, lateral and G forces to be recorded and even compared between different occasions and different drivers. Two optional interior cameras allow the drivers’ experiences to be recorded.

Exterior of the Lamborghini Centenario

Since this is a tribute to Ferruccio Lamborghini, we expect the Centenario to feature a subtle design compared to the automakers other limited edition models so as to align with their founding father’s artistic preferences.

In comparison to the original rendering of what we thought the Centenario would look like, the car is certainly much more aggressive than expected. The front end is vaguely reminiscent of the Lamborghini Veneno but more refined in some areas. Up front, there is that huge, yellow front splitter and the vents in the front fascia – these vents are actually functional and channel air over the front axle to create downforce at higher speeds. The front hood and headlights resemble those of the Aventador, but the hood is more aggressive with that large, raised area in the middle, and the headlights are stretched farther toward to the middle of the fascia.

Lamborghini Centenario

To the sides, the yellow side skirts provide for more dominate aerodynamics. I specifically like the way they extend away from the body a bit, with those race-inspired fins in the front and rear. Above the side skirts, we see normal Lamborghini design cues, but more pronounced than ever. Those large air intakes and the sharp body lines on the door give the car a sculpted look. If you move farther back, the rear wheel arches are almost integrated into the rear end, and extend outward from the body, providing a unique overhang over each of the rear wheels. The yellow stripe along the top of the door, with the help of the yellow body kit, helps to set off the full carbon fiber body.

Moving to the rear, I don’t know what I noticed first – that muscular rear decklid, or that insane rear diffuser. The rear decklid has functional vents that also help on the aerodynamic front, and just behind that is an extendable wing that functions at higher speeds to help keep this baby firmly planted on the road. That wind, depending on which driving mode is chosen, can extend outward by up to 150 mm and rotates up to 15 degrees. That rear diffuser literally dominates the rear and optimizes air flow distribution with those large fins. A triple exhaust outlet sits in the middle of the diffuser, and the arrow-shaped taillights almost seem to be floating above the upper fins and stretch across the full width of the rear end.

I truly love the Lamborghini Centenario, It’s aggressive and sleek, it’s a car that perfectly combines tradition and innovation and is the most powerful Lamborghni made till date. I still think this is one of those “look at me” type of cars. It is one of those cars that you stop to look at when you walk by – not because you have never seen it before, but because the design is just so intense that you have to stop and take it all in for a minute, It’s no wonder it was sold out long before its debut. There is a lot going on with the body, and for this car that is a good thing. It pays a good tribute to the man who created the brand.