SPY PICS: Watch out Panamera
Aston Martin's Rapide just might be most appealing of the new wave of sedans-that-aspire-to-be-coupesIs this not the most fabulous looking four-door ever? It makes the Rolls-Royce Phantom look like Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance on the move.
The car in question is the Aston Martin Rapide, caught while testing in Northern Scandinavia, by the master spy photographers at Carparazzi, recently released from the prohibition not to leave the country.
Aston Martin had been working on the Rapide, which was unveiled in concept form at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit two years ago. The company was all set to develop a production version, but that was put on hold as parent company Ford handed down the directive to stop spending money while Aston Martin was up for sale.
Consequent to the sale of the iconic British luxury sports car manufacturer, the consortium led by Prodrive chief Dave Richards gave the backroom boys approval to revive the project.
Carparazzi reports that the Rapide is based on the DB9 and is powered by a 480bhp version of the donor car's V12.
When it comes to market in 2010, the Rapide will square up to the Porsche Panamera and the Mercedes-Benz CLS.
-- with Carparazzi
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