Aston Martin Rapide Spied On The Road

Aston Martin Rapide spied driving towards production / Copyright AUTOMEDIA

Alright, so what's up at Aston Martin? After previous owners Ford unveiled the Rapide Concept two years ago in Detroit, the project was shelved. Now that the new owners have moved in to the Gaydon headquarters, the Rapide was gassed up, then taken out for a winter cruise not even a week later.

We at WCF feel blessed to know that Aston Martin is serious about re-acquainting the public with the Rapide. With a DB9's platform and V12 engine - tuned to 480 horsepower - the Rapide should make a huge dent in the sales of the Audi A7, Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes CLS, Mercedes S, and the Porsche Panamera.

Four swan doors, four seats, five meters long, 5.2 seconds to 100 kmh means this car will make your head turn as it blows by you. The Aston Martin Rapide should see production in 2009 for the 2010 model year.

Source: Automedia

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Bristol411S3

IT NO WORK!

January 22, 2008 3:10 pm

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Bristol411S3

I wonder how they'll sort the rear door handles? This image seems to suggest they are keeping the same pop-out front door handles, but there is nothing showing at the rear.

January 22, 2008 3:20 pm

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4 replies

radmeister

Maybe its a 2.5 door like the RX8 where the back doors are only half and open suicide style once the front door is open.

January 22, 2008 10:10 pm

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dbehmoaras

the rear handles, if they want to succeed with the design, will most likely be hidden where the front and rear doors meet when closed: i'm projecting a suicide door situation where the front door must be open to open and close the rear; this desing is most commonly seen on mid-range double cab pickups like the dakota, vans like the ford e, and cheap hatches/coupes like the sunfire, saturn ion...although found on such cars, does not mean that the design is bad; frankly, (listen up german car makers) that's the best way to pull off the four door coupe--it has to look like a coupe

January 22, 2008 10:12 pm

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ck314

I don't agree with the handles being claoked, and thankfully none of its rivals have fallen for it, simply because the front doors are shorter than those of a 2-door coup??, and hence would look unbalanced. On the RX8 or a pick up it's okay because the rear doors are minuscule but would leave a huge blank gap on these big sleek cars.

January 23, 2008 10:48 pm

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dbehmoaras

i guess that's also valid--the suicide doors are plausible and theyll probably have the door handles in the push out style like on the db9

January 24, 2008 7:49 pm

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desiathate

cant not wait to see the final product ....... i would be so happy if it beats the Bentley Gt i am getting sick of that car and i hope they keep limited production ....... it looks nice so far.

January 22, 2008 3:20 pm

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mojammer

If it's based on a DB9, but bigger, then it should be more expensive. Meaning more than $150K. I doubt that's going to make it a CLS/Quattroporte competitor. It may compete with the S600 and S63 AMG. Panamera? Possibly.

January 22, 2008 3:21 pm

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2 replies

radmeister

Its not a limousine. The S600 and S63 are about 2ft longer.

January 22, 2008 10:11 pm

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ck314

and way taller

January 23, 2008 10:51 pm

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Same shape as the Db9 and V8 but nice!

January 22, 2008 5:28 pm

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Discover

looks like a long DB9.

January 22, 2008 7:58 pm

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rapide66

I feel they should change the front bumper a bit.

January 22, 2008 10:12 pm

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hofmeyer

i don't know about making the 4 door a hatchback. it seems like a slightly more upright rear window to create more of an illusion of a trunk, even if its a hatch.

January 23, 2008 4:20 am

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I think it's a good combination

January 27, 2008 2:05 pm

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astonmartindb9

great looking car for the family but would you honestly let you children sit in thye car of a car the expensive?

February 19, 2008 1:10 pm

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