A LANE CHANGE FOR ASTON MARTIN
A lane change for Aston Martin - Luxury Travel Magazine
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A Lane Change for Aston Martin | |||||
| By: Joshua Dowling, Issue 45 – Summer 11 | |||||
| (Aston Martin Rapide) | |||||
| ASTON MARTIN HAS SUCCESSFULLY MERGED THE ONCE OPPOSING WORLDS OF SPORTS CARS AND SEDANS, WRITES JOSHUA DOWLING. | |||||
| Who’d have thought that not noticing the world’s sleekest four-door sedan could, in fact, be deemed a compliment? But in this instance it was. You see, while searching among a row of a dozen or so Aston Martins in the company’s secret bunker, I walked straight past the car I was looking for. Indeed, the Aston Martin Rapide sedan was so well disguised as a sports car that almost two decades as a motoring journalist briefly amounted to naught. Its elegant coupe-like silhouette, and the way the rear doors (and discreet door handles) hid into the bulging hind quarters, made it barely possible to distinguish the Rapide as a sedan – much unlike the last four-door Aston Martin, the rather elongated and rectangular Lagonda, which went out of production 21 years ago. And so we have a vehicle that is almost as long as a Holden Caprice limousine, yet almost as low as a Porsche 911. To say that it disguises its proportions well would be one of the motoring understatements of the year. Packaged neatly inside this body is seating for four. The back seats are individual racing-style seats (separated by a large console), with strong side support so that it feels like you’re being hugged in corners. Other luxury and performance brands have recently attempted to merge a sports car with a sedan – and erred on the side of the sedan. The result is an ungainly bulge in the middle, and a vehicle nowhere near as beautiful as the Aston Martin. So the Rapide, then, is more like a sports car the whole family can enjoy. Indeed, some of the biggest fans of the back seats are the owner’s little ones. According to the survey customers fill-in after owning the car for a few weeks, kids are huge advocates. Great, a new generation of backseat drivers… Of course, in addition to their striking looks, Aston Martins have also been about the way they drive. And the Rapide lives up to its reputation, and then some. Under the sleek, trademark Aston Martin nose is the same hearty 6.0-litre V12 that is also found in the British brand’s DB9 flagship sports coupe. Acceleration is adequate, as luxury car makers like to say. The official claim is 0 to 100km/h in 5.2 seconds, which is comfortably in sports car territory. But it’s fair to say the Rapide’s acceleration is more of a linear push in the back, rather than a brutal shove. This is likely to do with the fact that the Rapide weighs almost two tonnes, which is on the high side for a sports car. Even when sport mode has been selected (which sharpens throttle response and gearchanges) acceleration at overtaking speeds is more of a polite affair. Other cars in this class and price range are a little more responsive, and a little more brutish. Aston Martin says this is all very deliberate; it wants to pamper its customers, not frighten them. The way the Rapide steers is probably the highlight, though. It steers more precisely than a car of this size and weight ought to. Around town the length and width of the Rapide can feel a little intimidating (especially given the limited visibility thanks to the sleek windows), but on the open road it feels incredibly light and agile – just like a sports car should. The Rapide is a well rounded sports luxury car with broad appeal. No wonder, then, that two out of every three buyers have never owned an Aston Martin before. And, judging by the cleverness in the execution of this design, more customers will follow. Consider the bridge between sports car and luxury sedan conquered. | |||||
| Fast facts: Aston Martin Rapide | |||||
| Price: From $395,000 on-road. Engine: 6.0-litre V12. Power: 350kW. Torque: 600Nm. Transmission: Six-speed automatic. 0 to 100km/h 5.2 seconds. Top speed: 296km/h. Weight: 1950kg. Ecomomy: 14.9L/100km. | |||||
| Did you know? | |||||
| A showroom version of the Aston Martin Rapide competed in Germany’s famous Nürburgring 24 hour race in 2010. Clocking up more than 3,300km in a single 24-hour period, it finished second in class and 35th outright in a field of 123 finishers and 200 starters. In the ultimate torture and durability test, the car averaged 100 gear changes during every lap of the 25km circuit (one of the longest in the world). During the 19 pit stops for fuel and tyres, the brake pads were changed only once. | |||||
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