Aston Martin Rapide spotted undisguised in parking lot

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Source: worldcarfans.com

Finally, we can now show you pictures of a completely uncovered Aston Martin Rapide, thanks to photographer Simon Gregg. Gregg submitted the photos to the good folks at CAR Online, who quickly posted the pics online.

Aston Martin Design Director Marek Reichman once said, "We wanted to make the most beautiful four-door sports car in the world." The British automaker seems to have come very close to achieving their goal.

Although the car is not expected to be introduced to the public until September's Frankfurt Motor Show, these photos show a car that will be stiff competition with rival Porsche. The $89,000 to $132,600 Porsche Panamera luxury sports car was recently introduced to the public with a 3.6 liter six cylinder generating 300 hp, a 400 horsepower 4.8 liter V8 engine, and a 500 hp turbocharged V8.

While pricing is unknown for the Rapide, it will come with a 6.0-liter V12 generating 470 horsepower and 600 Nm of torque paired with a responsive Touchtronic gearbox. Performance figures have not been released, but we expect the Rapide to post numbers that are in between the two Porsche Panamera V8 models. Those cars go 0-60 mph in either 4 seconds or 4.8 seconds, depending on which engine is chosen.

For photographer Simon Gregg, the looks of the car have completely exceeded expectations. "This new addition from Aston Martin is most certainly going beat the Porsche Panamera in the style stakes!" he told CAR Online. "It has the same aggresive look of the Vanquish from the rear and even offers the appearance of being a two-door car, rather than a four-door when viewed from certain angles."

Unfortunately, Gregg was not able to get pictures of the interior. He did say that vehicle has four individual seats, thanks to the center console which splits the entire cabin down the middle. "The facia and interior door panels share the styling found in the current DBS and V8 range. Rear access is via a Vantage-style rear hatch, which will make loading up very easy," he said.

Aston Martin CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez previously said, "The Rapide will exist in a class all of its own, a true Aston Martin with the high performance and dynamic excellence that defines the brand, and a luxurious sporting grand tourer without equal."

Zack Newmark
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Honestly? Yawn. It actually looks old, somehow. Maybe it's just because this is a production mule.
 
It looks like a DB9 photographed in the wrong aspect ratio.
 
Giancarlo
Honestly? Yawn. It actually looks old, somehow. Maybe it's just because this is a production mule.
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I think it's because we've already been seeing that exact styling all over the place in the DB9, DBS, Vantage and the DB7s to a lesser extent. I think it's time for Aston to move on a bit.

On the positive side, I think they have done a very good job of making the car look like a two door. A very well designed car. Too bad the only designing that went on was the profile.

I wonder how much room is in those rear seats...
 
Looks like it sits a little high, doesn't it? The wheels are too understated also. Wait till we see a BRG one and some other wheels...
 
The first thing that stood out to me was the awful wheels. The styling on the wheels is absolutely terrible and completely detract from the presence of the rest of the car. The chrome surrounding the windows also looks out of place on the dark colored vehicle. I do not know if it is just the picture, glare, or what, but the clear shroud over the one headlight looks weird.

Other than those comments, I think the car looks much like the rest of the Aston Martin lineup, which is not a bad thing. At least from a distance, I would be able to distinguish the Rapide from a DB9 or V8 because of the four doors.
 
My opinion remains the same as it was from the beginning, meh. The only car that made the four door "sports car" work is the RX8 and that was because its rear doors are short(horizontally-wise).
 
Giancarlo
Honestly? Yawn. It actually looks old, somehow. Maybe it's just because this is a production mule.
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Perhaps because it looks exactly the same as the concept, which was driven by Auto Express back in 2006.

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More importantly though, what the hell were Aston Martin doing leaving it parked in the car park of the Oxford Services?
 
I think some people forget that the DB9, DBS and Rapide are all variations of the same car. You wouldn't criticise Ford for making the Modeo ST look like a sportier version of the Mondeo and not completely different, likewise the DBS is the top sports version of the DB9 rane. The Rapide I suppose could be likened to the Mondeo estate, a bigger car but still looks like a Mondeo, so the Rapide, gain a bigger car still looks like the DB9.

The Rapide is just a stretched 4 door DB9, that's all it's meant to be just like the DBS is a reworked more racey DB9. The only model that is a different car is the V8 Vantage, which does still look similar but there are plenty of cues to tell the difference. Bascially that means Aston Martin have two model ranges that look similar. Hardly a big issue. That's be like having a go at Audi for having the A4 and A6 looking similar.
 
Dave A
Bascially that means Aston Martin have two model ranges that look similar.
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Except, last I knew, Aston didn't intend to market them as two model ranges. They were going to split it up into three: The V8 Vantage (and its variations), the DB9 (and the DBS) and the Rapide (I assume it will have variations as well). They have even flip-flopped in the past regarding how the DBS was positioned. Besides, the Rapide is considerably more than merely a stretched DB9 anyways, so your Mondeo analogy doesn't apply because they really are two entirely different cars.

Also, "those two model ranges that look similar" replaced two earlier model ranges that also looked similar, one of which was first in production in 1993, which was in itself based heavily on Astons from the past.
 
While I'm not overly fond of the window-surround chrome treatment (is it me, or is the rear end higher than the 2006 concept?), I agree with Famine... ain't broke, doesn't need fixing.

When you consider that it's going up against the Porsche Panamerica Uglicus...
 
I hate hate hate the rims. Loose them, shrink the headlight surrounds, and maybe you could talk me out of my imaginary Panamera.
 
It looks like the nose needs to be longer or the front overhang needs to be shorter... Otherwise I like it.
 

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