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2014 ASTON MARTIN RAPIDE S
(Update - 25 March, 2013, Irvine CA)
Aston Martin's new four-door sports car; the Rapide S is set to make its North American debut at the 2013 New York International Auto Show from
27th March where it will also be joined by the new Vanquish and DB9 offerings from Aston Martin.
After making its first appearance at the 83rd Geneva International Motor Show earlier this month, the new V12-engined, 550bhp Rapide S will make
its first public appearance stateside in New York ahead of first customer deliveries commencing in June.
Regional Director for Aston Martin The Americas, Julian Jenkins said: "We are delighted to bring the new 2014 Rapide S to the North American
audience for the first time along with the Vanquish and DB9 which together form the new and revised Aston Martin GT line-up.
"We are also joined in New York by our motorsport partners TRG (The Racers Group) who will be showcasing their new V12 Vantage GT3 and V8
Vantage GT4 race cars giving show goers a rare opportunity to see these racing machines up close."
The luxury four-door Rapide S has been redesigned and painstakingly re-engineered to reassert its position as the world's most beautiful, and
beautifully balanced, four-seat sports car. Extensive design and engineering improvements make the new Rapide S even more desirable and refined.
The Rapide S now boasts an even more assertive 'face' created by virtue of the striking new full grille.
The new front end design is matched at the back by a new rear deck profile which consists of a more pronounced boot lid 'flip'. The improved aerodynamic and aesthetic upgrades both reinforce the sporting nature of the Rapide S.
Changes under the car's sinuous skin are comprehensive, with the new AM11 naturallyaspirated 6.0-litre V12 powerplant delivering unprecedented power and improved in-gear acceleration.
Power from the new engine jumps significantly versus that of its predecessor: up by 17% or a massive 80bhp from 470bhp at 6,000rpm to a now very
substantial 550bhp at 6,750rpm. Peak torque increases, too, up from 443lb.ft (600Nm) to 457lb.ft (620Nm) at 5,500rpm. Meanwhile an even more
marked improvement in torque occurs lower down the rev range, as pulling power rises by more than 30lb.ft (40Nm) between idle and 4,000rpm with an additional 37lb.ft (50Nm) available at 2,500rpm.
Naturally, increases in power and torque lead to even swifter performance as befits a fourdoor sports car. The Rapide S shaves 0.4 seconds off its
0-60 mph time, which drops from the 5.1 seconds of the current car to just 4.7 seconds for the new model. Top speed climbs, meanwhile, to 190 mph.
The new Rapide S is on sale now priced at $199,950 USD (CAD $210,500) and the 113th New York International Auto Show commences on Wednesday 27th March at the Jacob Javits Center, NYC.
THE ASTON MARTIN RAPIDE S: MORE POWER, MORE BEAUTY, SAME SOUL
- Rapide S is the most powerful four-door Aston Martin to date
- Peak output jumps 17% as new 6.0-litre V12 engine produces 558 PS
- More assertive new look emphasises Rapide S' sports car character
The stunning new Aston Martin Rapide S is making its debut with yet more luxury and yet more power on offer in its quintessentially elegant four-door silhouette.
The iconic British car maker's new luxury GT has been sympathetically redesigned and painstakingly re-engineered to reassert its position as the world's most beautiful, and beautifully balanced, four-seat sports car.
Aside from the extensive design and engineering improvements, the luxurious new Rapide S – which replaces the outgoing Rapide in markets worldwide
– is now even more refined thanks to a range of additions to the four-seater's sumptuous interior.
Still instantly recognisable as an Aston Martin, of course, the new Rapide S now boasts an imposing and assertive new 'face', created by virtue of the impressive and striking new full grille.
Imbuing the new car with an even more sporting, forceful demeanour, the revised front end design is matched at the back by a striking new rear deck
profile which includes a more pronounced boot lid 'flip'. The aerodynamic and aesthetic upgrades both reinforce the sporting nature of new Rapide S and work to counteract lift at higher speeds.
Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ulrich Bez said: "The Rapide S is to me, without doubt, the most beautiful four-door sports car on the market today. This is, very clearly, the power of luxury in action.
"The car's stunning visual appeal is now matched by a much more powerful and yet more efficient engine – our exceptional new AM11 V12 – which increases massively both the excitement and performance potential of the Rapide S.
"It is a four-door sports car that uniquely combines luxury, style and sporting excitement in Aston Martin's most flexible and accommodating
silhouette. Purity of proportion and exceptional elegance are mixed with truly sensational dynamic performance – this is the four-door sports car in its
most versatile form and I am sure our customers around the world are going to love it!"
Engineered to excel
Changes under the new Rapide's skin are comprehensive, with a version of the new AM11 naturally-aspirated 6.0-litre V12 powerplant delivering unprecedented power and improved in-gear acceleration.
Power from the new engine jumps significantly versus that of its predecessor: up by 17% or a massive 81 PS from 477 PS at 6,000 rpm to a now very substantial 558 PS at 6,750 rpm.
Peak torque increases, too, up from 600 Nm to 620 Nm at 5,000 rpm. Meanwhile an even more marked improvement in torque occurs lower down the
rev range, as pulling power rises by more than 40 Nm between idle and 4,000 rpm with an additional 50 Nm available at 2,500 rpm.
Naturally, increases in power and torque lead to even swifter performance as befits a four-door sports car. New Rapide S shaves 0.3 seconds off its
0-62 mph time, which drops from the 5.2 seconds of the current car to just 4.9 seconds for the new model. Top speed climbs, meanwhile, to 190 mph.
The 5,935 cc naturally aspirated V12 boasts race car technology – developments derived directly from Aston Martin Racing's successful WEC GT
campaign – to maximise both performance and efficiency. The new AM11 engine thus boasts fully CNC machined combustion chambers and lighter, hollow, cam shafts.
Dual variable camshaft timing, knock sensing, even the fully catalysed stainless steel exhaust system – these are all engineering advances developed to preserve the V12's position as a mainstay of the Aston Martin range.
The engine is now even more efficient, too. Despite the very significant increase in peak power and torque, the Rapide S is appreciably more
economical than before. CO2 emissions drop by seven per cent – from 355 g/km to 332 g/km – while fuel economy now stands at 19.9 mpg on the official EU combined cycle.
A product of the latest generation of Aston Martin's world-renowned VH engineering philosophy, which debuted in 2003, the new car of course benefits from many elements of the current Gen4 VH architecture.
The carefully conceived engineering changes continue as the new Rapide now offers even sharper agility and even quicker responses to driver input.
The new AM11 engine – a key Gen4 component – has been lowered by 19 mm versus the position of the powerplant in the previous car, with a corresponding reduction in the sports car's centre of gravity.
The changes also lead to a tangible improvement in front end turn-in – no mean feat for a car that was already acknowledged as a leader in dynamic performance.
Aston Martin engineers at the company's global HQ in Gaydon have worked to revise the car's dynamic stability control (DSC) in line with its significant increases in both power and torque.
As befits the more sporting nature of new Rapide S the car benefits from the latest Gen4 iteration of Aston Martin's hi-tech Adaptive Damping System
(ADS). The system now offers three distinct settings: 'Normal', 'Sport' and 'Track', with the character of each being tailored to the nature of Rapide S.
The ADS automatically alters the suspension settings to ensure the driver has high levels of control at all times, with the ability to respond quickly to
different driving conditions. The different damping modes help to significantly broaden the character of the Rapide S, adapting its set-up to suit the
driver's precise requirements. Thus it can be a luxurious GT car in Normal mode with the capacity to morph into a more assertive sports car in Sport and Track modes.
The damper settings are determined by an electronic control unit which takes sensor readings from the car's systems, including throttle position,
brake position, steering wheel rotation and vehicle speed. This data establishes the prevailing driving conditions and the demands the driver is making on the car.
Head of Product Development at Aston Martin, Ian Minards, explains: "Growing the power in a luxury sports car is all very well, but maximising control
and 'usability' of that increased power is, just as much, the engineers' challenge.
"Balance, poise and control are the keys to a successful sports car and the dynamic improvements we have made with Rapide S showcase our efforts
to make this not just the most beautiful, but also the most beautifully balanced, car in its class."
He added: "Transmission calibration, ADS refinement, braking capability and engine output optimisation are among the many 'ingredients' which the
team here at Gaydon have used to create a sports car of unerring quality and excitement."
Meanwhile, as with the new DB9, the new Rapide S achieves compliance with the latest European pedestrian protection regulations courtesy of its innovative new front grille design.
The lowered engine, new bonnet, new front bumper construction and new grille combine to deliver a uniquely innovative approach to pedestrian impact protection.
The patent-pending design – which features a unique 'keystone' construction – enables the grille to move rearwards on impact, whilst the central and
outboard chin stiffeners give rigidity to the lower structure and support achievement of the leg impact regulations. Cut-outs on the front wing catwalks contribute to the achievement of the headform regulation.
The solution means Aston Martin can remain true to its design ethos, and avoid the use of plastic grilles and nose cone bumpers that stretch up in front of the bonnet.
First class cabin
As luxurious as it is thrilling, the new car now boasts a host of new luxury- or sports-orientated options, allowing buyers to more precisely tailor the
car to their specific style.
The new optional Carbon Exterior Pack, for instance, immediately dials up the Rapide's sporting attitude. Front splitter, rear diffuser, mirror caps and
rear lamp infills all fashioned from carbon fibre clearly signal the sporting nature of this 558 PS four-seater.
More pronounced luxury, on the other hand, comes from the new piano black interior pack that adds a deep, rich, mirror-like shine to the facia,
transmission tunnel centre plate and door handles of the Rapide S. A darker surround in the instrument binnacle and steering wheel with black
horn-push surround round off the pack's sumptuous additions. Luxurious blend headlinings in either tan or grey emphasise the luxury still further inside.
As would be expected of a modern Aston Martin, handcrafting is the order of the day in the Rapide S with the standard-fit pure glass transmission
selector switches in the centre console one small yet important example of the truly authentic, bespoke, nature of the car's cabin.
However those with a desire for a more sporting ambience in their sports car will not be disappointed. Optional duotone perforated red and black
leather makes its Aston Martin debut here – delivering a captivating visual combination that's unique to the new Rapide S.
Luxury is enhanced by the removal of extraneous 'noise' and the enhancement of desirable 'sound' – a fine distinction but one that helps the new car
deliver an aural experience like no other. Improved NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) characteristics are derived from the likes of the new bonnet lining and revised windscreen cowl.
Flexibility comes in the form of four seats – the rearmost two capable of accommodating adults in a uniquely sporting setting – while at the touch of
a button the individual back seats fold down to almost triple the Aston Martin's load space.
Options to further enhance the luxurious look and feel of the Rapide S include, subject to market, a reversing camera and twin screen rear seat
entertainment system with wireless headphones, remote control and six-disc DVD changer.
Those seeking the ultimate in luxury and personalisation can also consider the 'Q by Aston Martin' service which offers uniquely-tailored options for
individualisation. The Q service focuses on fashioning colour and materials with limitless boundaries precisely to customer choice and specification,
enabling owners to give free rein to the creativity and indulge their desire for bespoke luxury.
The new Aston Martin Rapide S will be available to order through the brand's 146 dealers worldwide
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