For decades, international men of mystery have faced one particularly vexing conundrum: Which one of the three potential paramours eyeing them across the baccarat table does he offer a ride home in the sexy two-seater he left parked outside. Thanks to the four-passenger Aston Martin Rapide, he no longer has to choose.
While many purists regularly express outrage that any model with room for more than the driver and a close personal friend could possibly be labeled a sports car, the Rapide proves that an automobile's sporting potential has little to do with the number of doors.
Based on the British luxury marque's sexy DB9 coupe, the four-door Rapide largely shares the downright gorgeous interior and athletic handling, which make it feel less like a luxury sedan and more like a true sports car that just happens to have an extra set of doors. There are a few downsides, of course, including tight quarters for rear seat occupants, dismal fuel economy and the fact that several competitors provide more performance bang for less money.
On balance, however, the Aston Martin Rapide remains one of the sexiest ways we can think of to move yourself -- and three of your new friends -- down the road.
Current Aston Martin Rapide
The Aston Martin Rapide is a four-passenger sedan that's propelled by a 6.0-liter V12 that puts out 470 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
There are two trim levels available. The base Rapide is equipped with 20-inch alloy wheels, xenon headlights, front and rear parking sensors, automatic climate control, leather upholstery and heated front and rear seats. You also get Bluetooth, a hard-drive-based navigation system and a premium Bang & Olufsen stereo with 15 speakers, satellite radio, an iPod/USB interface and an auxiliary audio input jack. Pony up for the top-of-the-line Luxe version and you'll get distinctive alloy wheels, custom paint and leather colors, front and rear ventilated seats, a rear-seat DVD entertainment system, a six-piece bespoke luggage set that matches the interior and genuine glass switchgear. Virtually all these features can be added to the base model.
As you'd expect from a car in this price range, the Aston Martin Rapide's interior is gorgeous, covered virtually everywhere you look with soft leather or genuine wood trim. The front seats offer good comfort and support, but in every dimension, backseat space is tight for a luxury sedan in this lofty price range. Other dings include speedometer numbers that are difficult to read and a navigation system that's out of date and difficult to use.
If the Rapide has a strong suit, other than its head-turning good looks, it's the driving experience. True, some of its competitors may be a little quicker, but between the engine's throaty growl and a 0-60 time of around 5 seconds, we're not sure anybody could find much to complain about here. Same goes for the car's suspension tuning, which delivers a nice blend of sports car handling and luxury sedan comfort that's bound to leave you and your passengers stirred, not shaken.
Used Aston Martin Rapide Models
Given the fact that the Rapide was just introduced in 2010, there have been few changes save for the addition of the Luxe model for 2011.
