Despite the piddling amount of miles their owners tend to accumulate on them, Aston Martins have always been intended for long-distance grand touring rather than the sort of high-adrenaline pavement-pounding that other exotic sports cars get. With rare exception, an Aston puts a priority on getting its passengers rapidly to their destination in comfort and grand style. Well, for two people at least. If you wanted to bring along anyone else, their age could not exceed their hat size, or in the case of two-seat models, it would probably be best if they were simply imaginary.
Times have changed, thanks to the 2011 Aston Martin Rapide. If it looks like a DB9 stretched to accommodate an extra pair of doors and seats, that's because it's pretty much exactly that. Under the skin is Aston Martin's customary bonded-aluminum unit body and rear-mounted transaxle, while the 6.0-liter V12 is shared with the DB9. The Rapide is much larger, however. Beyond the 9.8 inches of additional wheelbase, the Rapide is 12 inches longer overall and 10 inches wider. This sedan actually takes up more real estate than the Porsche Panamera, even though it looks smaller and sleeker.
So it's based on the DB9 and looks like the DB9, but does the Aston Martin Rapide drive like one as well? Well, to put it one way, the term "four-door sports car" has rarely been so apt. There is an agility that you just won't get in other super sedans, while at the same time, there's the same sort of ride comfort that has made Aston Martins such brilliant touring cars. Then there's the V12, which offers effortless thrust and the sort of grandiose noises that beautifully blur the line between muscular and sophisticated -- like Metallica performing with the London Philharmonic. Unfortunately, such sounds might not make up for the fact that cheaper ultra-luxury sedans like the 2011 Porsche Panamera, 2011 Jaguar XJ Supercharged and 2011 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG are notably quicker.
The Rapide has other disadvantages relative to its rivals as well. While its hatchback-style trunk and rear bucket seats provide a level of practicality that a GT coupe never could, the Rapide still doesn't deliver the sensible four-door function of a sedan. The backseat suffers from a lack of hip room, while leg- and headroom are only sufficient until you realize its competitors are limousines by comparison.
As such, the 2011 Aston Martin Rapide isn't quite a sedan in the traditional sense. Nevertheless, the addition of a respectable amount of convenience to the DB9's mix of performance, handling and stunning good looks creates the kind of package that might encourage even Aston owners to accumulate more miles.
