The star of the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show was surely to be found on the Lamborghini stand, as the manufacturer unveiled its jaw-dropping Reventón. Based on the Murciélago LP640-4, the model’s striking new exterior and interior design was inspired by fifth-generation fighter aircraft. Production was limited to just 20 Coupés and approximately 15 Roadsters. Aside from launching a bona fide poster star, Lamborghini also kick-started a trend among its fellow supercar makers. Ferrari, McLaren, Aston Martin, and others would all, in time, release special editions for which the recipe involved dramatically reclothing their flagship offerings.

Given the highly successful formula, Lamborghini saw fit to give the succeeding Aventador a makeover of its own to celebrate 100 years since the birth of company founder, Ferrucio Lamborghini. In 2016, the firm launched the aptly named Centenario. Then, during that year’s Monterey Car Week in California, the Centenario Roadster was shown to the world.

The new model brought with it a new design direction. In contrast to the limited-run Veneno, the Centenario featured much cleaner surfacing for its carbon fibre panels. Testament to this, the rear wing was not a permanent fixture but instead retracted into the bodywork. Similarly, Lamborghini sought to remove any rear bumper to accentuate the diffuser and leave dramatic cut-outs that exposed the tyres. Naturally, the car was still an exercise in aerodynamics. The front gained double splitters, while bespoke fins on the wheels worked to extract hot air from the carbon ceramic brakes.

By utilising an upgraded version of the Aventador’s statement 6.5-litre, naturally aspirated V-12, the Centenario was the most powerful Lamborghini road car in history at the time of its launch. The engine produced 759 horsepower, which was transmitted through a seven-speed automated manual transmission and four-wheel drive to achieve a 2.8-second launch from 0 to 100 km/h. The top speed was rated at 350 km/h.

Just 40 examples of the Centenario were built, split equally between the Coupé version and the Roadster. The 2017 model year example offered here was supplied new to Japan for the owner of the country’s largest Lamborghini dealer. It has been kept in Tokyo as part of their private collection ever since. The odometer remarkably displays only 163 kilometres from new at the time of cataloguing. The Centenario is accompanied by a car cover, Lamborghini servicing gloves, tool kit, and battery charger

Benefitting from single ownership from new, this show-stopping homage to Ferrucio Lamborghini will appeal to marque collectors and enthusiasts. Given the incredibly short supply of Centenario Roadsters, the opportunity to acquire this barely driven example is not to be missed.