Built from 2010 to 2020 on the VH platform, the Rapide was Aston Martin's first series-produced four-door, with a V12, a hydrogen race and an electric concept.
Built by Aston Martin from 2010 until 2020, the Rapide opened the brand's four-door range. It shared the aluminium VH platform with the DB9, used a V12 engine, and later gained S and AMR versions. Production moved from Graz to Gaydon in 2012.
The Aston Martin Rapide was an executive four-door saloon that the British carmaker built from 2010 until 2020. It was the company's first series-produced four-door car, and it rode on the aluminium-rich vertical/horizontal (VH) platform that also underpinned the DB9. A front-mounted V12 drove the rear wheels, and the car later spawned the Rapide S, the Rapide AMR and an electric concept.
When did the Aston Martin Rapide go on sale?
Series manufacture began on 7 May 2010 at a facility in Graz, Austria, owned by Magna Steyr. The production version had debuted at the 2009 International Motor Show Germany in September, after official images were released in late 2008 and April 2009. The car was built in Graz until the arrangement changed in 2012.
The Rapide's development started in 2005, and a full-scale prototype was completed on 22 December 2005. It was displayed at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in January 2006,.
Aston Martin's first series-produced four-door, built on the aluminium VH platform, with a V12 that later reached 580 hp in the AMR.
Who designed the Aston Martin Rapide?
Marek Reichman was appointed lead design director in May 2005, and design work on the Rapide began that year under his guidance. Ulrich Bez, the chief executive, gave him the brief in the same month, and the initial project was developed within seven weeks by Reichman and a team of clay modellers.
Twenty-six engineers worked from August to December 2005 under Reichman and Ian Calnan, the general manager of prototype operations, to build the full-scale car. Reichman had studied Aston Martin's existing cars and sketched several four-door concepts before the brief arrived.
Why did Aston Martin build a four-door car?
The Rapide was Aston Martin's first series-produced four-door, so it opened a new body style for the brand.
The Rapide is often described as both a saloon and a four-door coupe. Its rear window slopes and narrows towards the back, and the rear flanks are wider than those of the DB9. The rear wings and a curvaceous design language stop the car from looking like a stretched DB9.
What is the VH platform?
The vertical/horizontal platform makes extensive use of aluminium to reduce weight. About sixty per cent of the Rapide's chassis and powertrain, including the engine, transmission and much of the front section up to the windscreen, was carried over from the DB9, which was the first car to use the VH platform.
The Rapide's chassis, bodywork and structure are built mainly from extruded and cast aluminium, while its roof is made of polycarbonate. The VH platform also underpins the DBS, Vantage, Virage and Vanquish.
The Rapide's tyres were Bridgestone Potenza S001 units, sized 245/40ZR20 at the front and 295/35ZR20 at the rear.
How much power did the Rapide V12 make?
The 5,935 cm3 (362 cu in) V12 produced 350 kW (470 hp) at 6,000 rpm and 600 N m (443 lb ft) of torque at 5,000 rpm. That gave a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) time of 5.1 seconds, with the car reaching 303 km/h (188 mph), with the engine mounted at the front and driving the rear wheels.
The base car used a six-speed Touchtronic II automatic transmission developed by ZF Friedrichshafen. Its carbon emissions rating was 355 g/km, and its average fuel consumption of about 19 mpg US (12 L/100 km; 23 mpg-imp) was considered inefficient.
Aston Martin Rapide specifications at a glance
The table below sets out the headline figures for the base car, the Rapide S and the Rapide AMR. Each row names the version it refers to, so the later high-output models are not read as the original V12.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Production years | 2010 to 2020, Graz then Gaydon |
| Base engine | 5,935 cm3 V12, 350 kW (470 hp) at 6,000 rpm |
| Base torque | 600 N m (443 lb ft) at 5,000 rpm |
| Base 0-100 km/h | 5.1 seconds; top speed 303 km/h (188 mph) |
| Base transmission | Six-speed Touchtronic II automatic |
| Rapide S (2013) engine | AM11 V12, 410 kW (550 hp), 620 N m (457 lb ft) |
| Rapide S (2013) sprint | 0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds; 306 km/h (190 mph) |
| Rapide S (2014 revision) | AM29 V12, 412 kW (552 hp), 630 N m (465 lb ft); eight-speed Touchtronic III |
| Revised Rapide S sprint | 0-100 km/h in 4.2 seconds; 327 km/h (203 mph) |
| Rapide AMR (2018) engine | 5.9-litre, 433 kW (580 hp), 630 N m (465 lb ft) |
| Rapide AMR sprint | 0-100 km/h in 4.2 seconds; 330 km/h (205 mph) |
| Rapide AMR production | 210 units |
| Rapide E projected | 449 kW (602 hp) combined; top speed 249 km/h (155 mph) |
How did the Rapide S change the car?
The Rapide S succeeded the original Rapide in 2013. Its upgraded AM11 V12 offered 410 kW (550 hp) and 620 N m (457 lb ft), which was enough for 0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds, with the car topping out at 306 km/h (190 mph). Its carbon emissions rating was 332 g/km.
The Rapide S received further revisions in August 2014. The AM29 V12 delivered 412 kW (552 hp) and 630 N m (465 lb ft), with 0-100 km/h taking 4.2 seconds and the top speed reaching 327 km/h (203 mph). An eight-speed Touchtronic III automatic transmission came with the update.
What was the Rapide AMR?
Aston Martin unveiled the high-performance Rapide AMR in June 2018, replacing the Rapide S. Its upgraded 5.9-litre engine made 433 kW (580 hp) and 630 N m (465 lb ft), and the car could accelerate from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.2 seconds, and its top speed was 330 km/h (205 mph).
Michelin Pilot Supersport tyres came as standard with 21-inch alloys, the biggest wheels yet fitted to an Aston Martin at the time. Its carbon ceramic brakes used six-piston callipers at the front and four-piston callipers at the rear, with 400 mm (16 in) and 360 mm (14 in) rotors. Only 210 units were made.
Did the Rapide go electric?
Yes, in concept and in development. Aston Martin revealed the Rapide E in October 2015 as an electrified version of the Rapide S, and at the 2018 International Motor Show the company confirmed that deliveries were scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2019. The electric version debuted at the 2019 Shanghai Auto Show.
The plan was to build 155 units at the St Athan facility in Wales, which would also produce Lagonda's future electric vehicles. Williams Advanced Engineering helped with research and development and supplied the electric system. The Rapide E was described as a research project after the programme was cancelled in January 2020.
How was the Rapide E going to work?
The Rapide E was to have been powered by a 65 kWh lithium-ion battery from HyperBat, a joint venture between Williams Advanced Engineering and the Unipart group. The pack would have held 5,600 cells and supported 800-volt power transfers. Two Integral Powertrain motors sat at the rear and drove the car through an Xtrac transmission with a limited-slip differential.
The combined output of the two motors was to be 449 kW (602 hp) with 949 N m (700 lbf ft) of torque. Projected figures included 0-100 km/h in under four seconds and a top speed of 249 km/h (155 mph). Prototypes were tested at the Nurburgring to check that power delivery stayed linear under strenuous conditions.
The projected all-electric range was about 322 km (200 mi) under the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure. The car could charge up to 297 km (185 mi) of range per hour on a 400-volt, 50-kilowatt charger, and it used low-drag wheels with low-resistance Pirelli P Zero tyres.
How did critics react to the Rapide?
Reviewers mostly praised the exterior and interior. Many described the Rapide as one of the most beautiful cars, and the Australian Financial Review called it the prettiest sedan money can buy. RAC Limited argued that the design alone might be enough to sway a buyer.
Practicality drew mixed comments. The rear cabin was not spacious, but four people could travel in comfort as long as the rear passengers were not tall. The rear window's slope had cut into rear head and shoulder room, and the rear doors were bulky at waist level.
What Car? praised the V12 as one of the largest engines on sale but called the eight-speed transmission less impressive. It also found the car unsettled by ruts and bumps, with Sport mode making the ride more uncomfortable. Its large wheels created road noise, although wind noise was effectively suppressed.
Did the Rapide race?
A Rapide was entered in the 2010 24 Hours of Nurburgring and finished second in the SP 8 class and 34th overall.
A Rapide S entered the 2013 race with a hybrid-hydrogen system from Alset GmbH. The 2010 entry and the 2013 hydrogen car were the two races recorded for the Rapide. The system let the engine run on hydrogen, petrol or both at once, and that car became the first to race the 24 Hours of Nurburgring on hydrogen fuel.
What was inside the Rapide?
The Rapide came with a tilt-telescoping steering wheel, bi-xenon headlamps, LED tail-lights and power front seats with memory. Leather and walnut trim with metallic accents completed the cabin, which also had cooling and heating systems. Several of these features were standard on the car.
The standard audio system was a sixteen-speaker Bang and Olufsen unit, with two tweeters that rose from the dashboard when the system was switched on. Connectivity included Bluetooth, satellite radio and compatibility with USB and iPod. The Rapide was also the first Aston Martin to replace the Volvo-sourced satellite navigation with a bespoke Garmin unit.
Why did output fall after 2010?
Production was halted temporarily in May 2011. In June 2011 Aston Martin cut annual output from 2,000 to 1,250 cars, reflecting weaker demand for luxury saloons. The company then ended its Magna Steyr arrangement in mid-2012, six years earlier than expected.
Government support was part of the relocation. A GBP 1.6 million funding package from the Regional Growth Fund helped move the car to Gaydon, and that award sat within a wider agreement to invest GBP 200 million in the economy.
Frequently asked questions
Why did production move from Graz to Gaydon?
Aston Martin ended its arrangement with Magna Steyr in the middle of 2012, six years earlier than expected. It relocated production to Gaydon in Warwickshire with a GBP 1.6 million package from the Regional Growth Fund, part of a GBP 200 million investment agreement.
How many Rapide AMR cars were built?
Only 210 units of the Rapide AMR were made. The car replaced the Rapide S in June 2018 and carried the 5.9-litre engine.
When did the Rapide go out of production?
The Rapide was produced in Gaydon until it was discontinued in 2020. Its electric sibling, the Rapide E, had been cancelled earlier, in January 2020.
What platform does the Rapide use?
The Rapide uses the vertical/horizontal platform, which is built with extensive aluminium. The same platform underpins the DB9, DBS, Vantage, Virage and Vanquish.
