Aston Martin Rapide nears production, first official image released
Aston Martin Rapide – Click above to enlarge
The Aston Martin Rapide edges ever closer to production as a new image has just been released by the now-independent automaker. As was obvious from all the spy photos seen over this past year, Aston has retained much of the 2006 concept's original look. However, there are some details that have changed. Judging from this image, it appears that the sedan's shoulder now has a sharper crease than the original. A convex ridge now extends back from the front fender vents into the leading edge of the back doors.
One of the most obvious competitors to the Rapide is the new Porsche Panamera, and while the two cars share much in concept, they have diverged greatly in styling. Porsche went for function over form, ensuring that adult-sized rear passengers can fit comfortably and see out of the car. The sweeping greenhouse of the Aston looks like it might leave a tighter, more claustrophobic rear compartment. Also, Porsche calls the Panamera a gran turismo while Aston calls the Rapide a four-door sports car, an appellation far more fitting here than on a Nissan Maxima.
The 470-hp V12-powered Rapide will be built at a Magna Steyr factory in Graz, Austria starting late in 2009. Check out Aston Martin's press release after the jump.
[Source: Aston Martin]
ASTON MARTIN RAPIDE: THE WORLD'S MOST ELEGANT FOUR-DOOR SPORTS CAR
Gaydon, 15th April 2009. The Aston Martin Rapide has moved into the final stages of its development programme, on course for a public debut in late 2009, with the first customer cars due to be delivered in early 2010.
First revealed as the Aston Martin Rapide Concept at the Detroit Auto Show in 2006, the Rapide is one of the most eagerly awaited cars of the year. As Aston Martin's first true four-door production sports car, the Rapide encapsulates the core values of the brand within an elegant, high-powered sports grand tourer, with four full-sized seats, generous accommodation and luggage space and trademark Aston Martin performance.
Aston Martin Chief Executive, Dr. Ulrich Bez said: "The Rapide will be the most elegant four-door sports car in the world. It completes the Aston Martin range conveying our established attributes of Power, Beauty and Soul.
"In 2010 there will be an Aston Martin for every type of sports car customer regardless of the demands of their lifestyle. The Rapide is the most versatile, bringing a new benchmark of luxury and refinement to both driver and passenger."
The concept received worldwide acclaim for its design as well as strong expressions of interest from customers. Following the purchase of Aston Martin in June 2007, the production version of the Rapide was approved and development began in earnest. Underpinned by Aston Martin's VH (Vertical/Horizontal) extruded aluminium architecture, the Rapide retains the elegant, flowing proportions that are integral to every Aston Martin and remains remarkably faithful to the original design study.
The cohesive design language and elegant form of the Rapide ensure it is a perfect complement to the other cars in Aston Martin's line-up. From the outset, the Rapide was designed with no aesthetic compromise. "We wanted to make the most beautiful four-door sports car in the world," Aston Martin's Director of Design Marek Reichman stated when the concept was first shown.
The signature elements of Aston Martin's design language translate seamlessly to the four-door format, with key features such as the 'swan wing' doors – rising upwards and outwards as they swing open – facilitating access to the two beautifully trimmed individual rear seats. The bodywork flows effortlessly from front to rear, where a kicked up tail and strong rear shoulders wrap around the wheel arches to create the classic Aston Martin silhouette, enveloping the additional doors, seats for children or two adults on shorter journeys and functional luggage capacity.
Described by Reichman as a lithe 'long distance runner', compared to the sprinter-like poise of the V8 Vantage and the muscularity of the DBS, the Rapide's lines are a master class in maintaining purity of proportion and vision. Detail design is crucial, with Aston Martin's iconic side strake extended to run through the front doors before blending into the rear door, lending a sense of dynamic thrust to the Rapide's stance.
The Rapide has been subjected to Aston Martin's rigorous testing programme including extreme climate testing and dynamic performance trials at the company's new Nürburgring Test Centre to ensure it will display the brand's integral high speed abilities. The last stages of endurance testing are now underway with final sign-off expected later this year before a production car is debuted in September.
The Rapide will offer performance purity and the same level of sporting ability as all modern Aston Martins. Powered by a version of Aston Martin's 6.0 litre V12 engine producing 470bhp and 600Nm of torque and, hand built at the company's engine facility in Cologne, the Rapide's rear wheels are driven through a highly responsive Touchtronic gearbox. Performance figures have yet to be revealed, although early indications are that the Rapide will offer class-leading performance and dynamics, alongside new levels of refinement and luxury.
The Rapide will be built at a new production facility in Graz, Austria managed by the acclaimed vehicle manufacturer Magna Steyr and co-ordinated by a fully integrated Aston Martin team from the UK. The new production facility is closely modelled on the Gaydon factory and will combine a sophisticated modern production line with the Aston Martin traditional hand-finishing skills, a proud blend of craft processes and attention to detail. The interior will further develop Aston Martin's skilful use of genuine high quality materials, applied appropriately and effectively to ensure that form always follows function.
"Rapide will exceed expectations to deliver elegance and practicality in a form that will allow driving enjoyment and comfort beyond anything that exists today," says Dr Ulrich Bez, "The Rapide will exist in a class all of its own, a true Aston Martin with the high performance and dynamic excellence that defines the brand, and a luxurious sporting grand tourer without equal."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
JL 12:35PM (4/14/2009)
just awesome!!!!!
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Hike15 12:36PM (4/14/2009)
Looks like the best of the bunch to me, but also most expensive probably.
i dont think nissan will like the 4dsc being used by aston though.
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danny 12:40PM (4/14/2009)
That may be the closest thing to a perfect sedan profile I've ever seen.
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Throwback 1:37PM (4/14/2009)
I agree. It also looks like Tesla agress too. Check the profile of the model S
JDMlover 12:41PM (4/14/2009)
Looks like a Aston....big deal.
It's very bland for supercars...but it looks sleek none the less
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smythe 3:59PM (4/14/2009)
"its very bland for supercars", do you even know what the hell a supercar is?............. clearly not
Taglane 12:49PM (4/14/2009)
I will actually take a Panamera. I'm sorry, but it looks a little too dorky. Plus, the way this is described, it seems like a 2+2, which totally defeats the purpose.
Now if they would bring the Estoque...
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bssplayr 12:51PM (4/14/2009)
I don't tend to get overly excited about cars that I'll never have the slightest chance of owning, but this is one gorgeous car! Extremely well executed translation of the coupe into sedan form!
The Panamera doesn't even have a road map to FIND the league that this car is in.
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ken_aisin 12:51PM (4/14/2009)
Looks way better than the Porsche Panamera with optional trailer hitch and dealer installed TruckNutz.
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Salman Anjum 12:54PM (4/14/2009)
wow big deal. i really dont get why people get excited about aston design. The DB9 looks stunning but this is just a stretched DBS, which is a DB9 with a bodykit. and the other car in the range, the vantage, is just a shortened DB9. Aston have to come up with some new design language, its worse than bmws philisophy of the 80-90s. ill take an estoque instead, that thing looks like sex.
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BLS 12:55PM (4/14/2009)
I go to autoblog and then whamo pornography all over my screen.
And by porn I mean this car. In case anyone was confusseded.
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ken_aisin 2:21PM (4/14/2009)
Let me see if I can buy the domain name autoporn.com.....
JZeke 1:03PM (4/14/2009)
Even the skinniest of the uber-wealthy super model type will struggle to get out of this car with an iota of decency.
I guess this car is for the really slutty wealthy folk. Expect to see these parked in marinas wherever "Open" style yachts are docked (opens are the big, long ones with all the gorgeous people mostly naked on the foredeck -http://www.elmarine.com/royal-denship-80-yacht-charter.html).
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PumaGTO 4:35PM (4/14/2009)
"Even the skinniest of the uber-wealthy super model type will struggle to get out of this car with an iota of decency."
I say: Even better!
But seriosly... It´s obvious that this car will have internal space problems... It was ment to fit 3 supermodels and a driver, not 4 people.
Kattleox 1:03PM (4/14/2009)
Good profile really, but it seems a little bland compared to the Karma (and yes, I know they don't really compare in performance). As is true to Aston Martin, the price is going to be much higher than the realistic competition simply because it is an Aston. If I could get a Dinan M6 for much less, then the beauty of this car seems much lower. Just my opinion: Its very good, but not good enough for the likely 200k + price tag.
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BigEd 1:14PM (4/14/2009)
Gorgeous!
And, what BMW 6/7 could/should have been :-/
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Biomech 1:23PM (4/14/2009)
I kinda wish they stuck to the full red coloured rear lights, white doesn't look as good.
But who, cares... it's a 4-door ASTON! It's stunning.
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sibbe 1:37PM (4/14/2009)
oh my god! that car looks so gorgeous! truly awesome! better than the porsche panamera!
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sylvesterscott 2:02PM (4/14/2009)
This car looks great! A future, expensive, sultry star to grace every auction block for the next 100+years!
obviously i can't afford this car. But i would buy this over the Panamera any day! I understand Porsche's design language and that makes sense. But Aston isn't bothered with Form following Function. They know that this car will sell no matter what because it eeks with beauty and sophistication. Aston knows what it is doing and is doing it well.
I do wonder if they retained the chess set and champagne stuff in the back of the car! that would be awesome!..lol
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Abe 2:03PM (4/14/2009)
This is design perfection. I'm drooling.....
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