Lamborghini Centenario video preview - limited edition carbon fibre supercar explored
A carbon fibre Lamborghini supercar with an even more powerful V12
Lamborghini has given the name Centenario, which means centenary in Spanish, to its latest supercar. This year marks 100 years since the birth of Ferruccio Lamborghini – the company’s founder.
To celebrate him properly, Lamborghini has created this carbon fibre special edition. The Centenario will be limited to just 20 coupés and 20 roadsters. It will be powered by Lamborghini’s V12 but now with 759bhp and a higher rev limit of 8600rpm.
As with all modern V12 Lamborghini’s the Centenario will be four wheel drive. This helps it reach 0-62mph in an astonishingly quick 2.8secs and a top speed over 217mph.
The Centenario’s body and monocoque chassis are both made from carbon fibre, this hasn’t been seen on a Lamborghini since their V10 powered Sesto Elemento. The top half of the body is made from gloss carbon fibre, while the lower half has been left matt. Despite an abundance of carbon fibre the Centenario weighs 1520kg, only 5kg less than the Aventador SV.
Some of the weight saved by carbon fibre will have been added by the Centenario’s rear wheel steering. Given the success that modern rear wheel steer systems have had on the handling of cars, making them both more agile and more stable, it might be worth the extra weight.
There’s been a significant amount of attention paid to the aerodynamics of the Centenario. The large scoops on the front bonnet channel air through the front bodywork and help create downforce over the front axle. The headlight casings also allow air to flow through them.
At the back is a massive rear diffuser, which helps create downforce. There’s also a deployable wing that extends 150mm from the body and can change its angle of attack by up to 15 degrees for even more downforce.
The air ducts forward of both the front and rear wheel arches make for an odd looking wheel arch radius, which is not dissimilar to those of a Lamborghini Countach. These ducts send air to the radiators to aid cooling. The wheels also act as fans drawing air from the ceramic brakes to help keep them cool.
So how much does this carbon fibre limited edition Lamborghini cost? A snip at 1.75 million euros (plus taxes), 600,000 euros less than a Bugatti Chiron.
