Aston Martin Rapide 2010 Review - International

What we liked
>> Aston looks
>> V12 soundtrack
>> General refinement

Not so much
>> Not as sharp as a Panamera
>> Gearbox response
>> Rear seat comfort

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 3.5/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 3.0/5.0
Safety: 3.5/5.0
Behind the wheel: 3.5/5.0
X-factor: 4.5/5.0

About our ratings

Dr Ulrich Bez is fired up. The outspoken Aston Martin boss doesn't seem entirely pleased that a German journalist has brought a Porsche Panamera Turbo to the international media launch of the Rapide -- the Brit sportscar specialist's first four-door offering since the origami-inspired Lagonda.

"What difference does it make if a car is two seconds quicker around the Nürburgring? Or if it can brake from 100km/h in two metres less?" Bez barks. "With a car like this, what's important is how it makes you feel."

Is this the first admission that Aston Martin has already conceded the dynamic high ground to the Panamera? Perhaps, but Dr Bez – himself an ex-Porsche engineer and a keen racer to boot -- does have a point.

The Rapide won't be bought by hard chargers seeking to shave tenths off lap times. It's a mobile statement of style and social standing.

It may not deviate too far from the current Aston styling manual -- which seemingly dictates that each model should look like a virtual clone of its stablemates -- but it works. The thing is drop-dead gorgeous, and only someone with severe myopia or twin cataracts could dispute that.

The production reality follows just under four years after the concept was revealed at the Detroit motor show, and the shape has barely changed in the interim.

It's clearly a wise decision, because the Rapide is finding no shortage of admirers as we make our way out of Valencia. Other motorists virtually cause pile-ups as they engage in shameless rubbernecking, while villagers stand and gawk as we traverse their sleepy towns.

The Rapide will occupy a crucial niche in Aston Martin's line-up, broadening the marque's reach to target buyers who may otherwise have plumped for the aforementioned Panamera, or even a Maserati Quattroporte, Bentley Continental GT/Flying Spur or Mercedes-Benz CL 63 AMG.

The Aston could even conceivably sway shoppers who may be pondering splurging on a top-spec Range Rover/Porsche Cayenne/BMW X6/etc.

Australian deliveries of the suave sedan (technically it's a hatchback, seeing as it has a tailgate rather than a boot) start in July, and its $366,280 starting price puts it at the premium end of the luxury four-door segment, which is as you'd expect of an Aston.

A genuine four-seater it may be, but the best seat is the one behind the wheel as this is a driver's car rather than a limo for fat-cat tycoons.

The Rapide stretches over five metres from bumper to bumper, but rear-seat accommodation is still some way short of commodious. Clambering in and out between the high sidesill and low roofline calls for some contortions, and the slit-like windows mean the view out isn't exactly panoramic.

That said, most adults (barring basketballers) will find the rear pews comfortable enough for trips across town. For interstate journeys they're best reserved for children or petite types. Nestled between the two buckets is a high centre console (that doubles as an armrest) with twin cupholders and controls for the vents.

The rear seats also fold down individually, boosting luggage space from 301 to 750 litres, but the boot is a fairly shallow affair, so wedging in big, bulky boxes or suitcases could present a challenge.

Front-seat dwellers are better catered to, as there's much more stretching room, but somewhat disappointing is the hard surfaces that contact your knees and elbows.

The dash layout doesn't deviate from the Aston Martin style manual and, although there are some classy design elements, some of the knobs and switches have a slightly low-rent look and feel about them.

Also less than convincing is the decision to put individual auto transmission gear buttons (P, R, N, D) on the central portion of the dashboard, in lieu of a conventional transmission lever. It reeks of gimmickry.

Although larger than its DB9 and DBS stablemates, the Rapide is underpinned by the same VH (Vertical/Horizontal) aluminium-rich architecture and its propulsion comes from the company's familiar 6.0-litre V12 engine (in the same "high-torque" spec as the DB9).

Its outputs of 350kW and 600Nm are certainly respectable, but the peak torque figure doesn't arrive until 5000rpm, which means performance is linear, rather than being of the whack-you-in-the-spine variety.

The drive route at the international launch comprised a mix of fast freeway cruising and narrow, twisty, mountainous roads on the outskirts of Valencia. Aston bills the Rapide as a "four-door sportscar", and while that may be a slightly ambitious claim, it can be hustled quickly enough for something that measures five metres long, almost two metres wide and just under two tonnes in girth.

It's perhaps slightly floatier than a Panamera, and not quite as crisp in its responses, but there's enough there to reward enthusiastic drivers. Even on damp, greasy roads (which was the case during the launch), the Rapide feels agile and communicative enough, and the electronic nannies intervene relatively unobtrusively when your throttle leg gets a fraction leaden.

What's particularly impressive about the Rapide is its compliant ride and general refinement levels. Aston's boffins spent much time and effort on cancelling out wind and road noise, and double-glazed windows are one of the measures they've resorted to.

The frameless front and rear windows drop a fraction when you open the doors and seal shut when you close them, eliminating wind rustle from the flanks. However, there's still noticeable wind roar emanating from the A-pillars at freeway speeds.

My other gripe with the A-pillars is that the driver-side one obscures your view going into tight left-handers (in LHD cars; the opposite for right-hookers).

Cracking open the throttle rewards your ears with a rich V12 soundtrack, but curiously, the 'Hardly Green' car we drove on the second day sounded much better than the 'Magma Red' one we sampled on the previous day. Even allowing for the inevitable discrepancies from one car to the next it was somewhat surprising.

The ZF six-speed auto is controllable via tactile paddleshift levers, but it's often slow to downshift -- almost as though the transmission software needs to have a committee meeting to determine whether you've issued a reasonable request -- which can prove frustrating when you're in press-on mode.

In terms of overall dynamics, the Rapide earns an A-minus. It's competent and polished, but will probably be bested by the Panamera in a head-to-head comparison. However, where the Aston has it all over the Porker is in the aesthetics department. Where the Panamera looks bulbous and bloated, the Rapide is svelte and streamlined -- a bit like comparing a Savile Row suit with a set of overalls.

Verdict time: does the Aston stack up as a sound buying proposition, and if so who will buy it? There's no doubt the Rapide has emotional appeal, and it makes sense for anyone who might find a DB9 or DBS a bit limiting.

The four-doored newcomer is no less visually striking than its DB siblings, but it introduces a useful dose of practicality to the mix. The Rapide's biggest challenge will be staving off the more spacious and capable Panamera.

It all depends on what rocks your world... form or function?

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