Monterey Car Week quickly approaches and amid all the swanky soirees, Mecum Auctions will steadily auction off some of the most amazing cars on the planet, including this one-of-nine Lamborghini Centenario Roadster recently added to the auction slate. The wild and rare Lambo joins the likes of a Ford Shelby Cobra concept car nicknamed "Daisy" that should build on the crazy values seen among rare Fords these past couple of years, while another surefire hit will come in the form of an aptly named 1955 Mercury Monterey Woody station wagon signed by The Beach Boys. And yet, even if Daisy eclipses Mecum's dizzying $1.5 to 2 million pre-auction estimates, the Lamborghini Centenario's range of $2 to 2.5 million may still take home the (birthday) cake.
Celebrating Ferruccio Lamborghini's 100th Birthday
Lamborghini aficionados may be shaking their heads, absolutely certain that the brand began producing Ferrari competitors in the 1960s—you're not wrong. The limited run of only 40 Centenarios celebrate the 100th anniversary of founder Ferruccio Lamborghini's April 1916 birth, with 20 built in coupe form alongside 20 roadsters (only nine of which made it to the United States).
Lambo's Most Powerful Naturally Aspirated Engine At The Time
Mounted behind the cockpit, Lamborghini's most powerful naturally aspirated engine built up to that point displaced 6.5 liters with 12 cylinders and cranked out 759 hp to all four wheels—the rears of which also steered, in a first for Lambo. A seven-speed automatic gearbox allowed for a top speed of 217 mph, after whipping past 60 mph in only 2.8 seconds.
Hand-Painted Accents And Plenty Of Carbon Fiber
The coupe Centenarios received standard bare carbon on the exterior, while the base option for the roadster would have been Matte Grey—this car left the factory painted in Blue Cepheus Perlescent and Blue Hera, with hand-painted accents. The interior builds on the carbon-fiber theme with just about every surface either the exposed miracle material or Alcantara. This specific Centenario has been driven only 863 miles and received a service at the hands of Lamborghini Newport Beach in advance of the auction, while Mecum's listing strangely stipulates that the car "Must be sold to an out of state resident or license dealer," presumably in reference to California's strict smog testing requirements.
Sources: mecum.com and lamborghini.com.