Aston Martin Rapide la Frankfurt 2009

As the marque’s first production four-door sports car, Aston
Martin Rapide encapsulates core values of Power, Beauty and Soul;
four ‘swan wing’ doors provide access to cosseting sports seats
both front and rear bestowing occupants with ample accommodation. A
301 litre luggage compartment affords generous space for belongings
for all four passengers whether they be sports bags or indeed, sets
of skis, creating an Aston Martin which can be enjoyed on any
occasion, anytime, anywhere.

Aston Martin Rapide’s rear environment has been intelligently
packaged to create a space where passengers feel a part of the
driving experience with clear views to the front and sides. Comfort
and support is supplied in the form of two hand trimmed individual
seats and a personal face-level heating and air conditioning
system. Aiding the practicalities of everyday use, the luggage
compartment features a movable bulkhead to permit access from the
rear cabin while the rear seats fold flat at the touch of a button
to create a flat loading space increasing the luggage compartment
from 301 litres to 750 litres.

At the heart of every Aston Martin lies an evocative engine
providing effortless power and torque: Aston Martin Rapide features
a hand-built 6.0-litre V12 engine producing 470 bhp (477 PS / 350
kW) with peak power being delivered at 6000 rpm and 600 Nm (443
lbft) peak torque at 5000 rpm. A specifically tuned six-speed
Touchtronic 2 automatic transmission features as standard, allowing
the driver to change gear automatically or manually via the
steering column-mounted magnesium paddles.

First shown in 2006 in concept form at the Detroit Auto Show,
the Aston Martin Rapide project received an immediate green light
from Aston Martin’s new shareholders in mid 2007 following the sale
of the marque by the Ford Motor Company. In a little over two
years, Aston Martin’s design and engineering team have delivered a
new car from the ground up. Aston Martin Rapide has been developed
from the ‘V/H Architecture’ platform which already forms the
backbone to Aston Martin’s critically acclaimed line-up: the Aston
Martin DBS, DB9 and Vantage range.

Chief Executive, Dr. Ulrich Bez said: „Aston Martin Rapide is
the culmination of the Aston Martin range of sports cars, a car
that seals the revival of a truly admired marque. There is now an
Aston Martin for every taste and for every use.

„With Aston Martin Rapide, the entire family can enjoy their
Aston Martin together in unison, in an invigorating yet comfortable
environment, sitting low, with plenty of visibility from every seat
and with new levels of comfort, refinement and entertainment.”

Director of Design, Marek Reichman who led the in-house design
team which penned the Aston Martin Rapide said: „Like a race horse
standing still, you can see its power and elegance, the shape of
Aston Martin Rapide’s rear haunches are muscular conveying the
power that lies beneath while its low stance produces a powerful
look.

„There is a real sense of proportion with this car, akin to a
tailored suit; the new double grill gives more presence on the road
while the iconic signature side strake has been lengthened through
to the rear doors to enhance its lateral proportions in a subtle,
yet elegant way. The car’s purity makes it look right from every
angle.”

The Aston Martin Rapide suggests a new world of possibilities
for the Aston Martin enthusiast, a car capable of long distances at
high speed, providing both a driver-focused environment and refined
and cosseting interior for its passengers. The Aston Martin Rapide
turns every journey into an event.

The Aston Martin Rapide brings pure function to the Aston Martin
experience, a car that combines everyday practicality with elegant
form and exceptional power. „Now there is an Aston Martin for every
type of sports car customer regardless of the demands of their
lifestyle,” says Aston Martin Chief Executive, Dr. Ulrich Bez, „the
Aston Martin Rapide is our most versatile product, bringing a new
benchmark of luxury and refinement to both driver and
passenger.”

Within the flowing, muscular form of the Aston Martin Rapide,
four individual seats and a spacious luggage compartment present a
new type of rapid family transportation; swift, spacious, dynamic
and social. Four adults can enjoy the Aston Martin Rapide in
complete comfort, savouring the ride quality, the ambience of the
hand-trimmed cabin and the sensation of speed and dynamism derived
from the low seating position and excellent visibility.

The Aston Martin Rapide is also a practical family car, with a
highly bespoke interior offering myriad possibilities for
personalisation thanks to Aston Martin’s acclaimed craft skills.
From the highly detailed stitching on the leather, inspired by
saddle-making, to the hand-machined switchgear, aluminium speaker
meshes and metal door pulls, the interior is supremely tactile and
rewarding.

The Aston Martin Rapide features Bang & Olufsen’s acclaimed
audio system, developed in close collaboration with Aston Martin to
ensure the most accurate sound reproduction is achieved within the
cabin environment. Twin DVD screens integrated into the front seats
provide entertainment for the rear passengers, giving them the
opportunity to watch a film or create their own personal soundtrack
to accompany the drive. When music is shared, Bang & Olufsen’s
signature motorised tweeters rise from either side of the Aston
Martin Rapide’s dashboard, helping disperse the sound crisply and
precisely throughout the length of the cabin.

When the road becomes more demanding, Aston Martin’s sporting
heritage comes to the fore, ensuring the driving experience is
never less than sensational. The passengers can also enjoy close
involvement with the way ahead, thanks to a seating arrangement
that gives excellent forward visibility. ‘As a rear passenger
you’re seated inboard, slightly above the driver, looking through
the centre of the car,’ Aston Martin Director of Design, Marek
Reichman explains, ‘so you can see forward and experience the
driver’s view of the road ahead. As a result, even rear passengers
feel that they’re in a sports car.’

The Aston Martin Rapide also excels as an occasional
load-hauler, with individually folding rear seats – at the push of
a button – to allow the rear luggage space to expand to up to 750
litres, facilitating the occasional bulky impulse purchase, or
creating the ultimate long-distance holiday cruiser, able to
transport skis or hiking equipment, hatboxes or trunks across
continents with ease. The rear luggage compartment is accessed
through an opening tailgate and separated from the cabin by a
movable bulkhead that can be set to create a unified internal space
running from the dashboard through to the tailgate, or provide a
security cover for when the car is parked. Aston Martin offers a
bespoke five-piece luggage set for the discerning traveller,
tailored to precisely match your chosen interior trim.

Marek Reichman describes the Aston Martin Rapide as a lithe
‘long distance runner’, continuing Aston Martin’s tradition of
building high performance sporting grand tourers and distinct from
the sprinter-like poise of the V8 Vantage or the muscular stance of
the DBS.

The Aston Martin Rapide encapsulates the values of Aston Martin
in a sporting saloon, a four-door sports car with unrivalled
performance, extremely high levels of craftsmanship and
exceptionally elegant design. The Aston Martin Rapide is a car to
savour and share, a characterful, expressive sports grand tourer
that extends the Aston Martin experience to an entire family, a
group of colleagues or other performance enthusiasts. Beauty, power
and practicality have never been presented so seductively

First deliveries of the Aston Martin Rapide will commence early
in 2010 and will be available globally through Aston Martin’s 125
strong dealership network.