The pinnacle of luxury. That is what Aston Martin advertised this car as. It’s quite a move away from Aston Martin’s brand image of motorsports, and high performance V12s. Think of this car as the Rolls Royce of Aston Martin. But whereas Rolls Royce can’t go particularly fast, this one can. This car is one of the lesser known Aston Martins mainly because it hasn’t been featured in any of the James Bond films. But even without the James Bond films, this car does compare to some of the other Aston Martin cars.
The car has four variations. You have the normal Rapide, the Rapide S, a more sporty version, the Rapide E which is an all electric version and the Rapide AMR which is the super limited full on race car version.
So, did Aston Martin’s new approach to their car stick even until now? Let’s dive right in for the answers!
Looks: 7/10
One look at the car and instantly you’d think “That’s an Aston Martin DB9” and you’re half right. Basically they based the design off of the DB9, changed some parts here and there and you have the Rapide. Put them side by side and a spot the difference game can take you an hour.
That said the DB9 wasn’t a particularly beautiful car since it followed VH Generation III platform ( Used in almost all the James Bond cars except for the Valkyrie and the DB5) but ever since it made its debut in James Bond it’s become iconic, which carries over to the Rapide. According to the designer, Mark Reichman, he wanted the “muscles to be visible through the skin” saying throughbred horse racing was the inspiration. Not sure if that carried on though…
Starting from the back you have the standard VH Generation III shenanigans, the same rear lights, the same rear bumper and the same exhaust pipe layout, even the same fuel tank positioning. The only difference i can see is of course the badge and the rear lip.The car is also a bit wider and longer than the DB9. Does it make the car more beautiful? Ehhh.. not really. The rear lip serves as a more functional addition rather than a pimp up and it doesn’t seem that much wider and longer. What do you readers think?
For the Rapide S, the only visual difference is the design of the rear lip in which it is raised up a little in the middle. Not much of a difference.
At the sides you have the usual Aston Martin gulwing doors, both for the Rapide and the S. Both the wing mirrors are the same.
Some slightly different features are the change of rims and weight reduction.
The biggest difference though is the front. For the Rapide S, the front grille is way bigger to account for the upgraded specs of the engine and the body.
That’s not the case with the Rapide AMR though, it has a complete visual overhaul.
The AMR is offered with a variety of colour schemes but the most notable one is this one. This shade of green you don’t get from a Rapide or a Rapide S. That racing stripe is unique only to the Rapide AMR. They gave it a new front and rear bumper made from carbon fiber, a new carbon fiber lip, bigger rims (The biggest ever fitted on an Aston Martin) and a new front grille.
I would’ve loved it if they replaced the lip with a GT wing and somehow improve the aerodynamics to make up for the downforce but well it already has a carbon fiber lip.
Still, it seems like there’s barely anything original with the Rapide in terms of the outside looks, but an Aston Martin is an Aston Martin and is still stunning to look at.
Modability: 5/10
This being an Aston, you do get some variety of options, just not much. The most you can do is increase the camber and put a GT wing on it. The other mods you can do are usually inside the hood for tuning the car, and even then since it’s electronically advanced, tuning is also extremely difficult.
Body kits for an Aston Martin are very scarce and you rarely ever see one.
So, you can mod it, but it just doesn’t have as much options as a Volvo or a Proton.
Engine: 8/10
Aston Martin wasn’t playing games when they called this car the Rapide because this car is really quick. The base model has a 5.9L Aston Martin Naturally Aspirated V12 engine generating 420 horsepower and 400 lbft of torque with a 6 speed automatic transmission. It’s acceleration from 0-60mph is 5 seconds, not particularly quick in a drag race, and it’s rear wheel drive, not much grip on wet terrain. But it does have a top speed of 303kph, quite the standard for the 2013 era.
The Rapide S was given a upgrade, generating 550 hp and larger torque, 602 lbft, meaning it corners easier than the standard Rapide. Acceleration improved too with a time of 4.9 seconds from 0-60mph. Top speed improved by 3kph, which really wasn’t a lot.
After 2015, the car became more up to date. They overhauled the transmission, slapping in an 8 speed automatic, upped the horsepower by 2hp and upped the torque by 10 lbft. Not much in terms of power upgrades but the two extra gears shaved off 0.5s from the 0-60mph time and increased top speed by a whopping 24kph!
The AMR however is a different story. Aston Martin basically focused on aerodynamics, brakes and suspension when building the AMR and it still isn’t better than the Rapide S. Despite the new grille, lamps, carbon fiber diffusers and bumpers, carbon ceramic brakes and Michelin Supersport tires, it still has the same 0-60 time as the Rapide S andhas a claimed top speed only 3kph faster than the Rapide S.
By this point, the Rapide S was somewhat on par with the Rapide AMR in terms of stats and it was also on par with Lamborghinis and Ferraris of 2015 which is basically a generation behind. But what really set it apart was the sound. It was one of the best sounding cars of the 21st century and boy tracking this car would be so much fun!
Practicality: 10/10
Considering this car was built for the pinnacle of luxury i was expecting quite a lot.
And boy did they deliver.
One look inside and you’re practically assaulted by the cream shade of the interior. This is a step back from the racey feel of the DB9 and more like the luxurious feel of a Bentley, maybe even a Rolls Royce. Of course, colours are customisable based on preference and Aston offers quite a lot of options.
What struck me is the leather, there’s a lot of stitched leather, more for the Rapide S than the Rapide, which further hammers it in your head that it’s a luxury sports sedan.
In the front you have a centre console that offers stereo, AC and a pop up sat nav and infotainment system. The Rapide S has the same thing, only with Bluetooth connectivity and Apple Car Play. You have the absolute pinnacle of all sound systems with Bang and Olufsen speakers, now those ain’t cheap.
You don’t get bucket seats like you would a Vulcan and you get the standard seat belt and not a racing harness. What makes the seats special is that the car comes standard with a TV screen! Something you only get standard in luxury cars. In other cases you’re gonna have to pay extra to get it bolted on and it just saps your car battery.
The AMRs interior is more racey but just as stunning.
The first thing that catches my eye is that green racing stripe on the ceiling, again, something you don’t see every day.
The car still has AC, radio and the sat nav. It still has the cup holders but everything else has been stripped out, there’s no TV in the back seats (because bucket seats) and the wood lining the original Rapide has been replaced with carbon fiber.
The boot size is very generous for a sports sedan, 886 litres!?!
Now that is just heavenly for a family planning to own this car. It’s more than most daily drivers like the Ford Fiesta and even the 2012 Honda Fit which my dad drives! that’s just astonishing! Hauling groceries would be a breeze for everyone.
A solid 10/10 for this category. Not only does it deliver in the brand image of luxury with the trinkets the car offers it has a massive bootspace and that seals the deal! Imma go get one myself!
Price: 7/10
But then there’s the price and people in America and Europe would be happy to know theirs aren’t too expensive.
Here in Asia, that’s a different story.
A new Aston Martin Rapide in the USA is about $200,000-$400,000, slightly cheaper in the UK at about 70,000 Pounds. Used they sell it as low as $5,000, a fair price to pay for a V12 engine topped with Bentley-like luxury.
As for Singapore….. more than a million dollars with COE, as much as a new Ferrari 488 in the USA.
The AMR version is super limited, only 250 were ever made so it’s incredibly rare. However, i did manage to find a new one in the USA selling for $260,000 which is not that much of a difference to the base model.
Overall: 9/10
From the outside it looks like a DB9 but on the inside, it’s like an FR (Engine in the front and rear wheel drive) Lamborghini Huracan fused with a Rolls Royce phantom, the best of performance and luxury. But has it lasted? Not exactly. As new cars like the V12 Vantage came out the Rapide became more and more unheard of. But since they’re still producing the Rapide i just hope people keep buying it.
God this is such an underrated car. Blending luxury and performance is tough but Aston Martin have been getting it right since 2013.
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