Images surfaced on the Internet yesterday that portray a rare and awesomely powerful Lamborghini Verde Scandal Aventador on its roof in the middle of the road somewhere in California.

A young driver – some reports say he was 17, others say 21 - was piloting the 691bhp Lambo at the time of the incident and witnesses suggest the stricken exotic had a mere 500 miles on the clock before it was rolled onto its roof.

The Verde Scandal part of the Aventador's name refers to the interesting green hue it is decked out in. According to official figures, this is (or should that be was?) the only one of its kind in the United States.

According to Carthrottle.com, the vehicle was up for sale for a whopping $500,000 (£310,000) earlier this year but prospective buyers are sure to stay away after the HPI check reveals that a youngster flipped it while racing along a twisting road.

Full details remain scarce at the moment but sources suggest that the car became 'airborne' after losing control on a California highway and then rolled onto its roof.

Images reveal the extent of the damage that could be life threatening for the rare machine. The B-pillar appears badly out of shape, while the suspension on the driver's has been completely buckled.