2010 Aston Martin Rapide

First Drive: Aston Martin Rapide
The Collection Coral Gables March 4th 2010

The world’s most beautiful four-door sports car. This is how Aston Martin describes its newest creation and boy do I have to agree with them. Arriving at The Collection on a sunny winter morning, after a quick chat with one of the dealer reps, I was escorted to the arrival area and there it was, its black metallic paint radiating amongst a sea of fellow A-list cars parked alongside it. Having seen the Rapide in pictures before, I expected to be impressed by its sheet metal and poise but when seeing it in person, this machine is just absolutely stunning. As you walk around it, you can’t help but notice how great it looks from every angle. Instantly apparent is the classic machined aluminum side strake that in the Rapide had been extended to become a sculptural element of the bodywork as it flows right through the upper front doors. In keeping with the cars coupe-like appearance, there is a glass-to-glass connection between the front and rear doors, with the B-pillar hidden beneath the glass. This instantly makes you think you are looking at a DB9 coupe and I can imagine some future passengers mistakenly trying to enter the car like a two door coupe through the front door.

This car is definitely all about the details. The trademark grille is made from extruded aluminum and the wheels are 20 inches with brake calipers in red, black or gray. I also noticed that the headlights now have a row of LED direction indicators that look fantastic when shining bright. Walking to the back, the dealer showed me the hatch rear door that opens via a discreet metal button above the Aston Martin wing logo. The great thing about this Aston is that you can actually fit a 6-piece luggage set in the trunk for a weekend getaway.

Upon entering the cabin, you instantly feel like you are sitting in a bespoke two hundred thousand dollar sports car. The deep bolstered sports seats and dash are covered in fine grain leather and the rear features two full bucket seats with a center console with HVAC and seat controls plus the ability to recline for added trunk space. The center console and controls are straight from the DB9 and so are the driving instruments made from dark zirconium. The steering wheel is also the same, grippy one found in the DB9. Anyone who already drives a DB9/DBS will feel instantly at home with the Rapide. All the controls and knobs are fashioned from turned, solid aluminum with a silver anodized finish that just oozes quality. The roof is swathed in gorgeous Alcantara and for audio lovers including myself, Bang & Olufsen once again creates a visual feast for the eyes with its 15(yes that’s 15!) speaker grilles rendered in Iridium Silver trim that contrasts beautifully with the surrounding leather. The Danish audio system is B&O’s flagship BeoSound system with acoustic lenses that rise from the corners of the front dash as the car is started. This is truly one of the most fantastic interiors of any car that I have ever been in. All the other high-end manufacturers should study this cars interior design and material craftsmanship, which I believe is of reference quality.

So now came time for the real fun. After being handed the glass Emotion Control Unit, I inserted it into the glowing ignition port and the 6.0 liter V12 roared to life with a quick and throaty sound only an Aston V12 can make. At this point, the grin on my face grew and stayed there pretty much for the duration of the ride. Idle engine noise is discreet but you still hear it as an almost authoritative background soundtrack hinting at the power waiting to be unleashed. Once on the open roads of scenic Coral Gables, I noticed that the car felt very nimble for its size. The throttle response was good and I could go into manual mode which allowed for some quick downshifts to raise the rpm’s and let the V12 sing a little bit, YET, at the same time being rewarded with some sweet sounding down shifts as the throttle blipped. The steering had great feel and it did a great job of communicating the road below me. It should be noted that the paddle shifters are mounted on the steering column, so they don’t turn as you turn the wheel, making it easier to shift gears while mid turn. Turning was responsive while abundant grip was noticed thanks to the wide 295/35 rear tires and giving it gas, you could feel how smooth the power delivery was. With 470 hp on tap, the Rapid felt pretty quick and the pickup was just great, close to that of the DB9 coupe. After a few minutes on real world streets, I came to the conclusion that this car delivers the sporting characteristics of its DB9 siblings with taut and predictable handling that makes it an everyday driver while giving you the exhilaration of driving a sporting car. With its track-honed chassis, it’s perfect for a trip out with a friend on twisty roads or taking the family on the ultimate road trip. Before heading back to the dealership, I tested the breaking abilities of the Rapide and slammed on the breaks doing about 40mph. To my surprise, the cars deceleration was swift but controlled. Give credit to the 6 piston breaks that come standard with the car.

As we ended the test drive, I was made aware of what must be the finest option ever offered in a car: A Jaeger-LeCoultre timepiece that acts as a transponder to lock and unlock the car by just swiping your finger over the touch-sensitive zones in watch face. This is probably as close to James Bond as you can ever get! Serious props to whoever came up with that idea.
Bottom line, the new Rapide is Aston Martin’s first 4-door sports car that carries its core values of power, beauty and soul. With this car, Aston truly moves ahead into the 21st century with the most versatile and practical car it has ever created.

Specs:

• 4 door Sports car
• 6.0 Liter V-12 with 470 hp and 443 lb ft torque
• Est. base price $199,990 USD
• Avaliable June 2010.
• www.AstonMartin.com