Over the past ten years Aston Martin has transformed its business into a modern car company producing gorgeous supercars. The Rapide, however, marks an entry into a new, slightly more practical niche, and it's also the first Aston built overseas - at the Magna plant in Graz, Austria.
The Rapide is a large car at some five metres in length and weighing nearly two tonnes. Despite this, Aston insists on labelling it a four-door sports car, and to achieve that they've effectively taken a DB9 chassis and lengthened it in the wheelbase. Much of the mechanical content will be familiar to followers of the company: the 'VH' aluminium chassis promises strength and lightness, while the engine is the trusty 5.9 litre V12, here producing 469bhp and driving through the 'Touchtronic 2' 6-speed automatic gearbox.
Nevertheless, this is one Aston Martin where your first desire might not be to get behind the 'wheel, but to open one of the small rear doors and see what sitting in the back feels like. The answer is 'quite cosy' to say the least. Unlike the recent - and rivalling - Porsche Panamera, Aston has conceded ultimate space for the sake of exterior beauty.
What you get is two individual bucket seats separated by a high-set spar that contains the heating and ventilation controls. For taller passengers, both head and legroom are at a premium, and anyone over six-foot wouldn't want to do a long journey in this car. Having said that, they would still be happy to travel for say, an hour, and those of average height or younger children will find it fine. It also scores with a sense of occasion, often missing from some German rivals, thanks to smooth styling of surfaces, the rich and varied leathers and the small, bespoke details such as the magnetised aluminium grab handles.
In the front it's business as usual, which is mainly a good thing save the rather fiddly buttons on the centre console and the ageing sat nav system. Whether you're sitting in the front or the back, this Aston Martin instantly both surprises and impresses with its general refinement. Although the ride is reasonably firm, it is beautifully judged and never jarring, so both driver and passengers remain cosseted. Both wind and road noise are well suppressed, which means that whether you are jamming though the city or out on the motorway the Rapide is a relaxing way to travel.
So far so good then, but what about the 'sports car' bit of the deal? Well, select the 'Sport' button on the dashboard that sharpens throttle response and gear shifts, click the left paddle to change down a gear or two, and listen to the big V12 suddenly roar as the Rapide becomes altogether more enthusiastic. That the car has impressive performance is hardly surprising: with 0-60mph taking 5.0sec and a top speed of 184mph it's fast, although not as fast as some. But more importantly, the Rapide manages to shake off its weight and really entertain the driver.
The steering has a quicker ratio to compensate for the longer wheelbase, and although it's lighter than other Astons, it's wonderfully direct and communicative, helping you to exploit the grip and composure the Rapide offers.At £139,950, with a thirst typically in the teens for mpg, and undisclosed but no doubt plentiful C02 emissions, the Rapide is a purchase only for the few - intensified by it's limited accommodation compared to a typical limo. But then limos don't drive with the enjoyment this Aston Martin provides.
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