Rapide
Rapide

Rapide

(2009 - 2013) 2010MY, 2011MY, 2012MY

Following rave reviews of the Rapide concept, AM announced in 2007 that the Rapide would enter production by late in 2009. In the intervening two years, the Rapide was frequently spotted testing both on the roads around Gaydon and on the Nürburgring; videos were posted on the web by many people. What is of great significance was that the Rapide began life as the first Aston Martin production car to be built outside of the UK. A deal was made by AM with Magna Steyr to build the Rapide in a specialist facility in Graz, Austria, based on Gaydon and known as the Aston Martin Rapide Plant (AMRP). Whilst the AMRP was capable of producing around 2000 Rapide cars annually, production never actually reached such high levels.

Rapide

By early 2009, AM made available some new photographs that show what the Rapide production car will actually look like. It had certainly evolved from the concept, no longer just a stretched DB9, the Rapide had developed a look of it’s very own. Indeed the Rapide didn’t share any panels with the DB9 whatsoever. The headlights were larger than the DB9 extending further back along the wings and had V8 Vantage style integral LED indicators. A crease line extended along the doors beginning at the side strakes in a fashion seen on the V8 Vantage.

The production ready Rapide was eventually unveiled in September 2009 at the 63rd Frankfurt Motor Show with production starting shortly afterwards. Early production cars appeared at dealers during launch events in the early Spring 2010 with customers taking delivery of cars from April 2010. The Rapide was the first production 4 door Aston Martin since the William Towns styled AM Lagonda which ceased production in 1989. Although not badged as a Lagonda, the Rapide is certainly a true descendant of both the DB4 based Lagonda Rapide of the 1960’s and V8 powered wedge Lagonda from the 1970’s and 80’s.

Some photos on this page were taken at the Geneva Salon 2010 and show the car in the new paint finish of Silver Blonde. Others show a US demonstrator in Morning Frost White at the 2010 AMOC Lime Rock meeting.

Following the recession that began in mid 2007 and subsequent sluggish recovery, AM production in general decreased leaving spare capacity for the Rapide in the UK. Production of the Rapide was ended prematurely at the AMRP in Austria during the Summer of 2012 and was transferred to Gaydon from the Autumn of 2012. Production of the regular Rapide ended in early 2013 with the introduction of the Rapide S with 2872 examples completed. The UK built regular Rapide is therefore a particularly race beast.

  • Body/Coachwork:
    • Four-door body style with tailgate and 4 individual seats.
    • Extruded bonded aluminium VH body structure with aluminium, magnesium alloy and composite body.
    • Extruded aluminium door side impact beams
    • Single bi-xenon headlamps with integrated LED side lights and direction indicators.
    • LED rear lamps and side repeaters
    • Powerfold, heated, memory door mirrors
    • Front and rear parking assist sensors
  • Interior:
    • Full grain leather interior with Walnut facia veneers as standard.
    • Optional Mahogany, Piano Black, Bamboo, Tamo Ash and Nexus Alloy facias Centre console outer finish in Iridium Silver and inner finish in graphite
    • CFC free Front and rear climate control
    • Ten direction electrically controlled front seats (including height adjustment) heated (3 stage) as standard, cooled as an option
    • Organic electroluminescent (OEL) displays in white
    • Driver and front passenger dual-stage airbags. Front passenger side bags. Head protection airbags for front and rear passengers. Ten airbags in total
    • Bang & Olufsen 1000W audio system with radio, 6 CD autochanger, fifteen speakers. iPod and USB connectivity
    • Hands free Bluetooth phone system.
    • Rear seat twin screen entertainment system option with 6 disc DVD player and wireless headphones
    • Full colour 30Gb hard disc drive satellite navigation system
    • Alarm system interacting with the central locking system and PATS immobiliser system
    • Tracking device (UK only).
  • Engine:
    • Front mid-mounted all aluminium alloy 60° V12. Quad overhead camshafts with four valves per cylinder, Engine number prefix AM016/
    • Bore 89 mm. Stroke 79.5 mm. Capacity 5935cc.
    • Compression ratio 10.7:1 Max power 470 bhp @ 6000rpm Max torque 442.5 lb/ft @ 5000rpm
    • Fuel System & Ignition System: Multi-point sequential electronic fuel injection system
    • Fully catalysed stainless steel exhaust system with active bypass valves
    • Max Power 350 kW (470 bhp / 477 PS) at 6000 rpm
    • Max Torque 600 Nm (443 lb ft) at 5000 rpm
  • Transmission:
    • Rear mid-mounted ‘Touchtronic 2’ ZF 6HP26 six speed with ‘Shift by wire’ gear shift technology
    • Magnesium gear selection paddles and PRND buttons on the centre console
    • Alloy torque tube with carbon fibre propeller shaft, rear wheel drive
    • Final Drive, limited slip differential. Ratio 3.46:1
  • Steering:
    • ZF Rack and pinion , servotronic speed sensitive power assisted, 3.0 turns, lock-to-lock, 2.75 turns lock to lock from 2011MY
    • Column tilt and reach adjustments
  • Wheels and tyres:
    • Unique Aston Martin 10 paired spoke aluminium alloy wheels, front 8.5j X 20 inch, rear 11J x 20 inch in silver or graphite
    • Optional multispoke (20 spokes) diamond turned painted in silver or graphite
    • Front Bridgestone Potenza S001 245/40 ZR20
    • Rear Bridgestone Potenza S001 295/35 ZR20
  • Suspension:
    • Front – Aluminium independent double wishbone incorporating anti-dive geometry, coil springs, anti-roll bar and monotube adaptive dampers
    • Rear – Aluminium Independent double wishbones with anti- squat and anti-lift geometry, coil springs, anti-roll bar and monotube adaptive dampers
    • Adaptive Damping System (ADS)
  • Brakes:
    • Front Dual cast brake discs 390mm diameter with six piston calipers
    • Rear Dual cast brake discs 360mm diameter with four piston calipers
    • Optional brake caliper finish – black, red, silver
    • Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Anti-lock braking system (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Traction Control, Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA), Positive Torque Control (PTC), Electronic Park Brake (EPB),
  • Dimensions:
    • Length: 5019mm
    • Width: 1929mm excluding wing mirrors
    • Height: 1360mm
    • Wheelbase: 2989mm
    • Front Track: 1589mm
    • Rear Track: 1613mm
    • Kerb Weight: 1990kg
    • Fuel Tank Capacity: 90.5 litres, 88.5 litres usable
    • Boot Volume 223 litres, but upto 1029 litres with divider and rear seats folded
  • Performance:
    • Top Speed: 183 mph
    • Acceleration: 0-62mph, 5.2 seconds
    • CO2 Emissions, 355 g/kg
  • Price at launch:
    • April 2010 £144,950