On the 4th of May 1916, Ferruccio Lamborghini was born in Renazzo di Cento, Italy. One hundred years later, Lamborghini chose to mark the occasion by building the most powerful, most extreme production Lamborghini the company had ever made: the Centenario. Forty units were produced – twenty coupes and twenty roadsters – each priced at approximately $2.5 million USD at the time of release. Today, in 2026, those that have come to market have sold for considerably more.
The Centenario Brief
The Centenario was not designed as a commercial product in the conventional sense. It was a statement – Lamborghini’s answer to the question of what the company could build if cost and production constraints were removed from the equation. The result was a limited hypercar that drew from the Aventador’s platform and powertrain while pushing every dimension of performance and visual drama far beyond what the standard car offered.
The design came from Lamborghini Centro Stile and was kept strictly in-house. The result is dramatic even by Lamborghini standards: sharp edges, aggressive aerodynamic surfaces, and a rear section that incorporates an active spoiler extending from the rear body. The Centenario looks like a concept car that somehow received a production certification.
Engine and Performance
The Centenario uses the 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 from the Aventador, here producing 566 kW (770 hp) – the same output that would later appear in the Aventador SVJ. Torque is 690 Nm. The 0-100 km/h time is 2.8 seconds. Top speed is 350 km/h.
Four-wheel drive is standard, managed by a rear-wheel steering system. The rear-wheel steering was one of the Centenario’s innovations that later migrated to production Lamborghinis – the technology appeared first in limited form here before becoming part of the Aventador S’s formula.
Forty Made – The Numbers
Globally, 20 Centenario coupes and 20 Centenario roadsters were produced. All 40 were pre-sold before the car was revealed. Each customer worked with Lamborghini’s Ad Personam program to specify their individual car – no two are identical.
The base price was approximately 1.75 million Euros in 2016. In Australia, with LCT and all applicable duties, the delivered cost at the time would have been extraordinary. None were officially imported to Australia through Lamborghini’s dealer network for retail sale – any examples that appear in Australia have been privately imported.
What They Are Worth Now
Centenario values have appreciated substantially since delivery. In international auction markets and private sales, examples have changed hands for between $7 million and $10 million AUD equivalent, depending on specification, provenance, and current market conditions. Australian buyers looking to acquire one would need to budget for grey import procedures, compliance, and potentially SEVS registration, as well as the purchase price itself.
The Carbon Fibre Body
The Centenario’s body is entirely carbon fibre – not just the panels but the monocoque structure itself. This keeps weight to 1,520 kg despite the size of the car. The exposed carbon fibre finish available as an option produces one of the most striking production car finishes available at any price.
Historical Significance
The Centenario sits at the top of the Aventador-era limited production hierarchy, alongside the Veneno and the Sián. It is significant as the first Lamborghini to use rear-wheel steering in a production car, as a benchmark for what the Sant’Agata atelier can achieve outside normal commercial constraints, and as a collector piece that represents the absolute peak of a specific Lamborghini era.
Verdict
The Lamborghini Centenario is 770 horsepower, 40 units made, and a direct tribute to the founder of one of Italy’s most iconic car companies. It is among the most collectible Lamborghinis ever made – a car that does not appear on the open market often and, when it does, commands prices that reflect its rarity and significance.
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