Lamborghini introduces limited edition Centenario Roadster

Lamborghini Centenario Roadster 1

If you’ve been pining over a new Lamborghini, you’re going to have to look for something other than this new roadster. Lamborghini introduced the limited edition Centenario Roadster at Pebble Beach this weekend and announced they will only be making 20 of these beautiful beasts. All of them have already been sold at a starting price of 2 million euros!

This follows the introduction of the Centenario Coupé, with Lamborghini unveiling its latest one-off creation for fervent collectors and enthusiasts at Monterey Car Week in California.

“Lamborghini prides itself on the relentless pursuit of experimentation. We are proud to unleash Centenario’s further potential in the form of a classic roadster; the perfect harmony between innovation and timeless design. This unique engineering achievement is a befitting tribute to Lamborghini’s extraordinary past and a preview of its brilliant future. Centenario Roadster embraces the cutting edge characteristics of its coupé sibling and embraces the freedom of a true open-top super sports car for a pure drive experience,” said Stefano Domenicali, Automobili Lamborghini Chief Executive Officer.

It’s not just a beautiful vehicle. The new Centenario Roadster also boasts a V12 naturally aspirated engine with 770 horsepower, the most powerful built by Lamborghini, with a weight to power ratio 2.04 kg/hp. The 20 buyers should have some fun with this one!

Lamborghini Centenario Roadster 2

  

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Booth Babes at 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show

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We were back in Frankfurt this year on location for the motor show, and like before we have a great booth babe gallery for your viewing pleasure. As usual, the booths with the Italian cars had some of the most impressive eye candy with Lamborghini getting plenty of attention as usual, but there were great models at all the booths. The concept cars and new car models usually got the most attention in terms of beautiful women helping to show them off.

The 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show had some impressive new vehicles revealed like the Porsche 918 supercar and the Ferrari 458 Speciale, so check back for our coverage here and at Dashboard News.

  

Classic Lamborghinis at Pebble Beach

We were back at Pebble Beach this year for the 2013 Concours D’Elegance at Pebble Beach, and again we had the opportunity to participate in the Dawn Patrol as the owners of the amazing classic cars drove them onto the 18th hole at Pebble Beach just as the sun was rising. We saw a stunning variety of beautiful vehicles as the drove past us during the dawn Patrol and then on the fairway at Pebble as they were on display for everyone to see.

The Best of Show award went to the owners of a 1934 Packard as cars from this time period often take the top prize. Those cars are beautiful, of course, but we’re usually most interested in the classic post-war sports cars.

This year the Lamborghinis grabbed our attention as it was one of the featured brands as it celebrated its 50th anniversary. We certainly appreciate the modern Lambos as we’ve featured the new Aventador and drove the Gallardo on a track, so it was a treat to see some of the classic models up close.

The 1976 Lamborghini Countach LP400 in particular stood out with its bright blue paint job as you can see in the slideshow above. It’s hard to compete with the elegant sports cars from the 1960s, but the Countach offered up a radical design in the 1970s with its wedge-shaped, sharply angled look that had a huge impact on sports car design for a generation. You can also see how the cab-forward design of the Countach offered a dramatic contrast to the longer front hoods of the sports cars from the 60s. We made sure to get some photos with the iconic scissor doors opened up as well.

The Countach had some excellent company at Pebble with other iconic Lambos on hand:

1969 Lamborghini Islero S
1969 Lamborghini Islero S

1971 Lamborghini Miura SV Bertone Coupe
1971 Lamborghini Miura SV Bertone Coupé

1972 Lamborghini Espada Bertone Coupe
1972 Lamborghini Espada Bertone Coupé

1973 Lamborghini Miura SV Berlinetta
1973 Lamborghini Miura SV Berlinetta

You can see the evolution of the Lamborghini designs through the 60s into the 70s and also why these cars caught our eye. We’ll be posting more photos from Pebble Beach here and on our car site Dashboard News, but kicking things off with the Lamborghinis seemed like the obvious choice.

  

The stunning 2012 Lamborghini Aventador

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Ever since we profiled the new Lamborghini Aventador when it was introduced last year, we’ve been looking forward to the opportunity to photograph this incredible supercar. Thanks to Jose Morazan and Lamborghini Palm Beach, we had the opportunity to shoot a white 2012 Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 in an ideal setting in an airplane hangar with a Gulfstream G4 in the background. We were able to produce some amazing photos as you can see in the slideshow above, highlighting the fighter jet styling of Lamborghini’s successor to the Murcielago.

Heralded by the automotive press as the near second coming itself, this uber-exotic from the marquee that invented the term “supercar” once again delivers spot on. The Aventador boasts neck snapping 700 horsepower to all four wheels and hits 0-60 mph in under 3 seconds! It features world class suspension and body design dynamics, with moving carbon fiber air intakes and spoilers, all activated via on-board processors that analyze speed, road conditions and braking parameters within the driver-requested handling/performance program.

As you can see from the photos, the design of the Aventador is another leap forward for Lamborghini while also finding inspiration from the legendary Miura. It’s a stunning achievement for Lamborghini, as the Aventador is beautiful from every angle.

We had the unique opportunity to photograph the Aventador in a private hangar in West Palm Beach courtesy of IGT Enterprises with the charter company’s Gulfstream G4 in the background. IGT Enterprises President Tomas Bueno helped is position the G4 in the perfect spot to capture the best photos and perfectly compliment the Aventador. Lamborghini Palm Beach also supplied a black 2011 Gallardo 550-2 that Paul positioned in the background to compliment the shoot.

Finally, we had our new Featured Model, Katelin Dane, on hand to add the final touch. As you can see from the photo below and many of the photos in the slideshow above, there’s nothing like a beautiful women to compliment a design marvel like the new Aventador.

Special thanks is in order for our friends who helped make this shoot possible. Jose Morazan, General Manager at Lamborghini Palm Beach was kind enough to bring out the Aventador after inviting us to attend the drive event we featured last week. Lamborghini Palm Beach is the ultimate resource for anyone looking for new Lambos or used exotic cars! Contact Jose and he will take care of you.

Tomas Bueno was the ideal host as he opened up his airplane hangar and helped create the perfect setting. IGT Enterprises has the G4 pictured here along with other aircraft for the ultimate luxury experience for anyone looking to charter private jets. IGT Enterprises was formed by aviation professionals for the purpose of providing a higher level of service to the business aviation community, specifically to owner, operators, and users of business class aircraft. They help you identify your particular needs and develop a program suited to those needs.

Finally, we’d like to thank Byron Douglas and Trent Martinez from Exotic Composites for helping us coordinate this shoot. Look for upcoming stories on Bullz-Eye featuring the high-end products they offer for exotic cars like Lamborghini.

Enjoy the photos!

  

Driving Impressions at 135 MPH: Lamborghini Palm Beach presents the 2012 Gallardo

As we dropped into the back stretch on lap 4, I knew this would be the moment. Strapped into a screaming yellow 2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera, it was finally my turn to pass one of the other track cars and catch up to the lead pace Lambo. Following the pace car were me and three more Italian speed machines, all Lamborghinis with a total of about 1700 horsepower among them. I was in the second position among the four cars as the Lambo in front of me swung to the right, giving me a clear path to lift off. The stands to the left were a blur, not unlike a dash cam at Indy, as I paddle shifted at red line to second at 9000 rpms. Nothing can equal the wail of a Lamborghini at these engine speeds, and even with my insulated driver’s helmet and flame retardant mask, it was both deafening and intoxicating.

I mashed the petal with earnest, knowing that this car had a top speed in excess of 200 mph and I was on the longest backstretch of motor speedway in the Southeast United States. Ahead, the white Gallardo pace car taunted me to play catch-up with the other Lambo swinging aside to the right in a 135 mph blur as we hurled toward the hair pin right turn. The huge brakes produced physics-defying deceleration and I caught up (sort of) to the pace car and then rocketed again by the pits for the final lap. I now had the privilege of following the line the instructor found on the track, and I threw all here-to-known concern for life and limb and plowed into the turns. G forces in excess of 1.1 and 1.2 stunned me as we carved the S turns and sweepers past turn one. The Gallardo’s 570 horsepower V-10 goaded me on along with the state-of-the-art All Wheel Drive, ultra light carbon fiber body and Formula 1 speed paddle shifting technology. It all proved that there wasn’t anything I could do that would even mildly challenge this Lamborghini, as this beast was made for this kind of track. It’s as if it was saying: “Is that all you can do? Come on!” I knew then I was in the absolute pinnacle of sports car engineering and design, without peer world-wide. That was my welcome to Lamborghini.

I’ve driven many exotic sports cars so I was thrilled when Jose Morazan, General Manager of Lamborghini Palm Beach, invited me and Bullz-Eye.com to participate in this exclusive Track Day Event hosted by Lamborghini at Palm Beach International Raceway. The experience of driving Lamborghinis on a track far exceeded anything I’d experience in the past with exotic sports cars. In addition to the All Wheel Drive Gallardo described above, all of the guests at the event also got to drive a two-wheel drive Gallardo LP 550-2, which in some way was even more terrifying as it didn’t grip the turns like its All Wheel Drive counterpart.

One of the photographers at the event summed up the experience with a quote from one of the owners of Lamborghini Palm Beach. Erik Day once said about his experience behind the wheel of a Lamborghini on the track: “It’s the closest thing to having sex with a gun pointed at your head!” I have to agree as this summed up the fear and the ecstasy of driving this beast around these turns.

If you want to experience the pure exhilaration of driving a Lamborghini and owning one of these incredible machines, the team of professionals at Lamborghini Palm Beach can help make your dream a reality. Jose Morazan and his team are experts who can help you with new or used Lamborghinis along with all sorts of other used exotics. We were very impressed with their professionalism along with all the Lamborghini representatives that helped us at the track event.

The Lamborghini team stressed the driving experience. This was not a race or a competition, and safety was the primary concern. Yet even with all preparation and the well-designed track program, it still came down to driving these rockets on wheels around tight turns with four more Lamborghinis on the track as well. It was the experience of a lifetime.

Each driver had the opportunity to test two cars on the track, and I started with the 2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2. This more traditional Lamborghini layout adheres to the classic mid-engine/Rear Wheel Drive layout that made the marquee famous, and this raging bull was made to impress with 550 brute horsepower and Lambo’s unique E- gear electronically controlled shifting.

With a thumbs up from the pit crew chief we took off. A near vertical acceleration curve was created as we rocketed out of pit row, chasing the other test track Gallardos ahead of us. The first lap was a warm-up lap to let us get to know the car and the track, though at at breakneck speeds of 80 to 110 mph!. The pack of 4 showed no sign of trepidation, so I barreled ahead, through the sweepers, round houses, and S configurations to keep pace with them. The famous Palm Beach International Speedway back stretch came soon after the S’s, which gave me the opportunity to finally up shift to second, or dare I say third!

This car handled magnificently, with predictable over steer, both in left and right cambers. Yet I knew this car wouldn’t grip the track quite like the All Wheel Drive version, and I could feel the back end sliding just enough to scare the hell out of me as we raced through the tight turns. That’s why the purists and driving pros love this traditional model, but I was just trying to keep up without spinning out, so my stress level was through the roof!

This car was especially impressive, however, on the straight-aways. On the back stretch I saw the electronically controlled rear spoiler rise up as I got over 100 mph, planting this aerodynamic wonder even firmer on the raceway. With a stunning top speed of 199 mph and a thrilling 3.9 second 0-62 mph launch time, few words describe the power and presence of a classic Gallardo.

After five exhilarating laps, we switched vehicles to test out the more stout and athletic version of the 2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Superleggera. I was more comfortable with the track and this All Wheel Drive version would give me more confidence in the turns, yet that produced even more challenges as I pushed this one a little harder.

With equal part fear and lust, I shoehorned my way into the cockpit with the smell of ultra-heated brake pads lingering from its previous track run. Carbon fiber enveloped us and the lack of seat recline only reinforced the no nonsense approach to the driver/machine union Lambo engineers intended upon creation. Currently the most powerful V-10 sports car in the world and with state of the art All Wheel Drive, this car oozed performance and never failed to deliver. The lead pace car took off and we blasted out of pit row 0-80 in a tic over 4 seconds, a continuous rush all in first gear. The first of the 11 turns on this 2 mile track was a medium right sweeper, and the Gallardo laughed at me while I hung the sharp right with barely a yawn of effort . . . it’s as if it was saying, “Can’t you do better than .91 g lateral acceleration?” I immediately knew this car’s potential far out-paced my own, even in my wildest dreams. The pack started to spread out slightly, just in time for the big roundhouse right turn, leading to the wild S curves. I decided to now give up all hope of sanity and drive this car well beyond what I was truly believed was a speed that would spin us hard into the retaining wall. But this Lambo gripped the track unlike anything I’d ever experienced before.

Holding the wheel tightly to keep me from being flung to the far right hand door of the cockpit, I was amazed at the lateral 1.0 + G forces generated by this Italian wonder, all with absolute neutral steering. The All Wheel Drive geometrics redefines what you assume is physically capable in a road car, all while telegraphing minute and nuanced feedback through the steering wheel and chassis. Forgiving is not enough to describe the balance, and along with an all aluminum space-frame and carbon fiber body/chassis, this car can do no wrong. Now I had the confidence to thrash my way to the thrilling S curves, and nothing was like it! Clearing the S’s, we banked right into the Speedway back stretch, finally allowing me to paddle shift up to 135 as I described above and then within milliseconds slam on to the brakes, hauling the beast back to 25 and then hair pin right back to the pit row straight. Each lap give me increased confidence, and with that my lap times improving accordingly. Finally behind the pace car, I followed and learned his line, break points and shift timing, giving me the best lap time of the session. A seasoned professional Lamborghini test pilot, he politely didn’t waste me in his dust, although at the time it felt like break neck Indy speeds to me. Undoubtedly, this car has the best sounding v-10 engine anywhere; the wail is positively spine-tingling at 8,000 rpm redline.

With the weight savings of the Superleggera model, Lamborghini presents the driver with a 2953 pound rocket with 570 horsepower to play with, thus translating 0-60 lift-offs in a thrilling 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 202 mph! Its unique 5.2 lb/hp power-to-weight ratio and single clutch electronically managed E shift technology, Lamborghini once again offers sports car enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike an opportunity to live the automotive dream.

UPDATE: Here’s a fun video with clips from the event along with a photo montage of the cool Lambos: