Aston Martin Rapide – World’s Most Beautiful Four-Door Sports Car

By Anthony Crawford | February 04th, 2010

Aston Martin will unveil one of the most eagerly awaited cars to special guests and customers in Australia and New Zealand during February and March.

The Rapide, which we first saw in Frankfurt last year, when it was revealed to the public for the first time, is the first four-door sports car in the world.

Powered by a hand built 6.0-litre V12 engine, the car features a specifically tuned six-speed Touchtronic 2 automatic transmission, Adaptive Suspension and a 1000watt bang & Olufsen audio system as standard fitment to all cars.

It will also seat up to four people and has a luggage capacity of 301-750 litres.

Priced from $366,280.00 (plus dealer delivery & on road costs), the Rapide is now on sale through Aston martin dealers with deliveries commencing from July 2010.

CarAdvice is attending the worldwide press launch in Valencia Spain next week and will file a complete review of the car from behind the wheel.

Our US based correspondent Mark Hacking, has already driven the car, and has confirmed to us that the car is sensational.

Andronicus

Very special. I hear the new James Bond film is going to feature this car. Basically the whole movie will be Bond ferrying people about – you know kids to school, mum to the doctors etc
Jazrod

Agreed – An absolutely stunning piece of machinery. Regardless of the fact that it’s a bit of every Aston (Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing), this vehicle is a masterpiece.
Nankano

Indeed it is a stunning looking thing, HARD not to stare at it!

Once again back seat leg room looks *tight*

I think its around the same sort of coin as the Bentley Cont. W12 sedan, and the Porker 911 sedan, so you can see who they will compete with.

Will you guys need any help in testing it? [I raise my hand first!]
Marcoz

most beautiful in 4door in the world? ah no… Maserati Quattroporte has that title in my opinion. And the first “is the first four-door sports car in the world” ahh no once again, maserati quattroporte has that again, and was at a time the fastest 4door in the world.

Martin

So you like the Daewoo rear lights, stick on side vents (that aren’t original, I saw the exact same thing on an old Ford Explorer, years ago), and Z4 headlights all mashed together then?

No thanks, the Maserati is dog ugly, and has too many cheap details about it that ruin the car as a whole, in terms of style. The Rapide is the best.

(I’m awaiting all the negative thumbs down and rebuttal’s to my comment)

Devil666

Aston Martin is still trying to get the Ford DNA out from years of manufacturer abuse, including the Ford Fiesta key fob that only made an exit a few years back.

I love hypocrisy.

http://www.caradvice.com.au Anthony Crawford

Marcoz,

That’s “four-door SPORTS CAR”. The Quattroporte is a Grand Tourer, not a sports car. The Rapide was engineered as a Sports car, like all other cars bearing the Aston Martin badge. So it is in fact the first four-door sports car in the world.

Shak

Ah what about the fugly Panamera. While the Rapide is the best looking four door in the world, it was not the first sports car four door.

Andrew Juma

Logged on to Car Advice, the page loaded and I ji$$ed in my pants.
KM

Stunning to look at. I just dont like what they have called it – doesn’t sound to good to the ear??

PS IMO the rear tailights of the Quattroporte looks very similar to the current KIA Rio hatch! Very funny but I can see the similarities

Brent

FWIW Aston often tend to stick with traditional names and Rapide is no different. It wasn’t made up for this new car in particular and harks back to the Lagonda Rapide from the 1960′s which funnily enough was a four door sports saloon.

Cheers,

Brent

Mat

I think one could argue many cars were engineered as a “Sports Car” or conversely a GT… and one could also argue there are other cars our there that are sports cars with four doors… ie RX-8… it is semantics of perception and definition by manufacturers. Claiming that it is the first or in fact a sports car or GT engineered from concept or not by anyone, manufacturer, motoring journo, car enthusiast is always going to throw up debates and arguments…

Regardless… One can certainly say yes it is a car, and it would be exceptionally hard to argue that it is not stunning!
Callous Aussie

There’s a black vanquish up here getting around. A truly stunning car from every single angle. Not many can make that claim. Their whole range is stunning.

*drool as I reflect*
Kirsten

The suicide door is a direct copycat from iconic Mazda RX8 4-door rotary sports coupe – Rapide is not the world’s FIRST 4 door coupe. The suicide door definitely wasn’t original at all.