Aston Martin Rapide

Overview

The Aston Martin Rapide is a high-performance, luxury four-door saloon that blends Aston Martin's hallmark grand touring capabilities with the practicality of a larger vehicle. First introduced in 2010, the Rapide marked Aston Martin's entry into the four-door sports car market, competing against other luxury saloons with a unique combination of performance, style, and versatility.

The Rapide's design is based on the DB9 and carries over the brand's iconic styling cues, including the elongated hood, distinctive grille, and sleek, flowing lines that culminate in a sporty yet elegant profile. Its design was aimed at maintaining the visual athleticism of Aston Martin's sports cars, despite its larger, four-door configuration. The car's interior is lavishly appointed with high-quality materials, including leather, wood, and metal accents, offering seating for four adults along with a level of craftsmanship and attention to detail that is synonymous with the Aston Martin brand

Initially, the Rapide was powered by a 6.0-liter V12 engine, producing around 470 horsepower, allowing it to achieve 0-60 mph in just under 5 seconds, with a top speed of approximately 188 mph. This engine was mated to a six-speed Touchtronic 2 automatic transmission, providing a balance between performance and comfort.

In 2013 Aston Martin revealed Rapide S, building on the foundation of Rapide. The Rapide S saw an increase in power to 550 horsepower from the same V12 engine, reducing the 0-60 mph time to 4.7 seconds and increasing the top speed to 203 mph. The Rapide S also introduced aesthetic updates, including a revised front grille and interior enhancements, along with technical improvements to the chassis and suspension for better handling and performance.

Positioning the 6.0-litre V12 engine behind the centreline of the front wheels and mounting the eightspeed Touchtronic III transaxle at the rear concentrates the major masses of Rapide S within the wheelbase, achieving a nearperfect weight distribution. This had the twin benefits of optimising agility and delivering consistent, confidence-inspiring handling on all roads and in all weathers.

Limited to just 210 units and capable of doing 205mph, the Rapide AMR was peak Rapide. It was a four-door Aston Martin worthy of a racing team. At the heart of the Rapide AMR is a naturally aspirated drivetrain that draws much of its technology and character from the potent Aston Martin Vantage GT12. Larger inlet manifolds with tuned length dual inlet runners enhance the airflow into the 6.0-litre V12 engine and, combined with new engine and gearbox calibration, resulting in an increase in power. The legendary V12 puts out 630 hp while a new quad exhaust gave it the sound it deserved. The Rapide AMR’s aerodynamics were tuned to reduce lift while retaining a neutral balance and the extra aerodynamic bodywork such as the splitter, sills, rear diffuser and boot lid lip spoiler are all carbon fibre. The new bonnet with large ventilation inserts is also made from carbon fibre to minimise weight. 0-60mph took just 4.2 second.

In a significant departure from its traditional powertrains, Aston Martin announced the Rapide E, the brand's first all-electric model, in 2019. The Rapide E was developed in collaboration with Williams Advanced Engineering and featured an electric powertrain with over 600 horsepower and a range of over 200 miles on a single charge. However, the Rapide E was produced in very limited numbers, making it a rare and pioneering model within Aston Martin's lineup.