Aston Martin Rapide - 4 Door Aston concept based on DB9

[RazaBlade]

My sis kinda made me realise that lack of a few tenths of second to 60, or a bit less power will mean nothing when a car looks this good and functions as well!! I love Porsches to death, but Panamera will have to have a real hook to draw people away from this. But I still got my hopes high for the boys at Porsche....

[rev440]

Amazing! When I first heard of it and didnt see the pictures i thought the worse but this cars is beautiful.

[PerfAdv]

My sis kinda made me realise that lack of a few tenths of second to 60, or a bit less power will mean nothing when a car looks this good and functions as well!! I love Porsches to death, but Panamera will have to have a real hook to draw people away from this. But I still got my hopes high for the boys at Porsche....

A serious Porschephile wouldn't even consider this car over a Porsche. The newest Porsches aren't really targeted at the hardcore Porsche guys: Cayenne. Panamera buyer may be a BMW/Mercedes buyer looking for some exclusivity. The same niche Rapide wants to fill...so yah.

[mc_watson]

The panoramic roof adds a nice touch, a bit like the Maybach 62

[PerfAdv]

The panoramic roof adds a nice touch, a bit like the Maybach 62

Are panoramic roofs best suited to moderate climes? Even with the shades pulled the cabin would get really hot in hotter places.

[quattro_20v]

I dont think this car can compete with the super sedans of today... Astons are fast, but if u take off the limiter of a lot of german super sedans they would destroy any road aston. So I dont think why a longer DB9 would compete well and it probably has a higher price too. I guess u gotta go for the looks then.

[2ndclasscitizen]

the problem that the big fast mercs and BMW's have is that are just the top of the range. The QP and Rapide have so much more style and presence. When you see one of those you won't have to think, "I wonder if that's a 6 or 8, or a diesel" like you do with E/S classes and 5-series.

[henk4]

there are now some pics on the UCP coverage of NAIAS (go to the main page) that clearly show that the car is an afterthought and the glasshouse is very disproportionate versus the hood. They could have done a much better job....

[Dino Scuderia]

Agreed, the hood/nose is what bugs me most about it.

[Cyco]

Over at AMOC the guys who got to meet Mr Fisker when he was doing the design work there had it explained to them with the aid of some schetches why the DB9 looks so right (and is a 2 + 2*0.5s) and the 612, just isn't quite right. This Rapide would need a few more detail tweeks to get it as close to right as possible before release, but thats nothing unusual.

But I love the dash - it is stunning.

As a car it's performance won't have to match that of the M5 or the like to take sales away from them. Many of those are purchased because it is the top of the range, than for their performance, but this will get them for looks - If the most you are goint to ask from your M5 for no more than motorway cruising and the odd quick blat down a country road that the Rapide may not match the M5 at 100% its looks make up for it as it will stll be there with the guy in the M5 at 95%.

[henk4]

I think I would have preferred if AM had started with a clean sheet of paper. Problem of course is that Mr. Fisker has left the company. My yardstick is the Quattroporte which looks so much more balanced as it was apparently designed on its own and not as a stretched version of the existing Coupe. But here both the designs were in the same hand, that of Mr. PF (or one of his disciples)

[QuattroMan]

I think it looks really nice... but will it really be a true alternative or just another also-ran.

You say its better than the Panamera (which hasnt had any specs/photos attached yet) or the Flying Spur...in what way? Looks, performance??

Last time I checked, the Flying Spur was rated as a very nice car. And will the Aston engine be able to handle all the extra weight??

EDIT: Found some pics...

that is one sweet looking car,i dont see anything wrong it all i like it!thanks for the picture...

[RazaBlade]

Aston Martin Rapide gets the green light

Aston Martin boss Ulrich Bez has confirmed that the four-door Rapide saloon will be built.

In an interview this week, Bez hinted that the Rapide could be on sale in 2008 - beating Porsche's Panamera four-door to market by at least a year.

The Rapide was first shown as a concept at this year's Detroit motor show, and is based on the same VH aluminium monocoque platform that is used for the DB9 and V8 Vantage.

The close relationship of the Rapide to existing models - and the fact that the concept was a fully driveable car - suggest that the new four-door will require comparatively little development.

The Rapide will use the same 6.0-litre V12 as the DB9, with around 450-480bhp channelled to the rear wheel via a paddle-shift controlled automatic gearbox.

The new car is expected to cost around £160,000, and up to 500 a year will be built at Aston's Gaydon factory.

[carbrochuretom]

wooo...i want one

[Ferrer]

Another look-the-same Aston... what a surprise...