PORTFOLIO

The iconic DB9 has been recreated for 2013 with new styling

the power of four

Aston Martin Head of Exterior Design Miles Nurnberger explains how the Rapide S combines the presence of a four-door with the performance of a sports car

What makes the Rapide S "the world's most beautiful four-door sports car"?

The Rapide S is a sports car with four doors, to assist with ease of access to the rear seats, rather than a saloon car, which tries to look sporty, as is the case with many other manufacturers. It manages to retain the silhouette of a sports car through proportion and the sleek lines, which are Aston Martin's key design markers. These are then beautifully packaged, which is why when people look at the Rapide S what they see is a sports car rather than a four-door saloon car. The car combines luxury, style and sporting excitement like no other.

What are the main differences between the Rapide and the new Rapide S?

The most striking difference, which you can't fail to notice, is the face of the car. We wanted to build on the car's strong character and feed that through into its look. The full-height metal grille is something which is unique to Aston Martin and comes, to a certain extent, from the One-77 where it was developed in what we might call a wide-screen format. The new front-end design is matched at the back by a new rear deck profile, which consists of a more pronounced boot lid "flip". The improved aerodynamic and aesthetic upgrades both reinforce the sporting nature of the car.

What about its performance?

The Rapide S is more responsive than its predecessor, which is a very good car in itself. It has better steering and is more solid and quieter. Naturally, it also has the latest V12 engine and a noticeable increase in the torque. The Rapide S shaves 0.4 seconds off its 0-60 mph time, which drops to just 4.7 seconds. This all combines to make it more fun to drive and, for the size of car, it handles extremely well. I recently drove the Rapide S around Lake Como and took it up some of the narrow roads in the hills around the lake and it handles superbly through those tight bends and corners.

Is there anywhere else you would like to put the Rapide S through its paces?

I would drive from the UK over to Spa in Belgium. This route takes you through some nice, long European roads before you reach a tighter, windy section near your destination. You could finish, of course, with a few laps of the famous Grand Prix track there to really push the car to its limits.

Who is the new vanquish volante aimed at?

ENGINE

V12

CAPACITY

5,935cc

MAX POWER

558PS (550bhp) at 6,750rpm

MAX TORQUE

620Nm at 5,500rpm

TOP SPEED

190mph

ACCELERATION

0-62mph in 4.9 secs

BODY

  • Four-door body style with tailgate and four individual seats
  • Extruded aluminium bonded VH body structure
  • Aluminium and composite body panels
  • Extruded aluminium door, side-impact beams
  • Single bi-xenon headlamps with LED sidelights and direction indicators
  • LED rear-lamps and side repeaters

ENGINE

  • All-alloy, quad overhead camshaft, 48-valve, 5,935cc V12
  • Front mid-mounted engine, rear-wheel drive
  • Fully catalysed stainless steel exhaust system with active bypass valves
  • Compression ratio 10:9:1
  • Max power 410kW (558PS/550bhp) at 6,750rpm
  • Max torque 620Nm (457lb ft) at 5,500rpm
  • Acceleration 0-60mph in 4.7 sec; 0-100km/h (62mph) in 4.9 sec
  • Max speed 306km/h (190mph)

Transmission

  • Rear mid-mounted, Touchtronic II, six-speed gearbox with electronic shift-by-wire control system
  • Alloy torque tube with carbon-fibre propeller shaft
  • Limited-slip differential
  • Final-drive ratio 3.46:1

In-car entertainment

  • 1000W Bang & Olufsen BeoSound audio system with ICEpower® technology
  • Integrated Apple iPod® connector (requires Apple-supplied Lightning 4 adaptor for iPhone 5 compatibility)
  • USB connector with Waveform Audio Format (WAF), Windows Media Player (WMA) and MPEG (MP3) audio file compatibility
  • 3.5mm auxiliary input socket
  • Satellite radio system (USA only)
    • * Includes Traffic Messaging Channel (TMC) in Continental Europe
Artful design and sophisticated engineering combine with exceptional performance and dynamism in the new, perfectly proportioned V8 Vantage

Artful design and sophisticated engineering combine with exceptional performance and dynamism in the new, perfectly proportioned V8 Vantage, which has a choice of transmissions: a six-speed manual or optional seven-speed Sportshift™ II.

DETAILS

  • Two-seat, two-door coupé or soft-cover convertible
  • All-alloy quad overhead camshaft 32-valve, 4,735cc V8
  • Front mid-mounted engine, rear-wheel drive
  • Fully catalysed stainless-steel exhaust system with active bypass valves
  • Maximum power: 313kW (426 Ps/420bhp) at 7,300rpm
  • Maximum torque: 470Nm at 5,000rpm
  • Acceleration: 0-62mph (100km/h) in 4.9 seconds
  • Maximum speed: 180mph (290km/h)
  • Rear mid-mounted six-speed transmission (optional seven-speed Sportshift II™)
  • Alloy torque tube with carbon-fibre prop shaft
  • Limited-slip differential
A V8 Vantage with more power, sharper handling and an even greater response

Featuring aerodynamics and a supremely responsive chassis honed on the track, with our highest-performing V8 engine and rousing sports exhaust, the V8 Vantage S is a sporting driver’s dream.

DETAILS

  • Two-seat, two-door coupé body style
  • All-alloy quad overhead camshaft 32-valve 4,735cc V8
  • Front mid-mounted engine, rear-wheel drive
  • Fully catalysed stainless-steel exhaust system with active bypass valves
  • Maximum power: 321kW (436Ps/430bhp) at 7,300rpm
  • Maximum torque: 490Nm at 5,000rpm
  • Acceleration: 0-62mph (100km/h) in 4.8 seconds
  • Maximum speed: 190mph (305km/h)
  • Rear mid-mounted six-speed transmission (optional seven-speed Sportshift II™)
  • Alloy torque tube with carbon-fibre prop shaft
  • Limited-slip differential
The latest incarnation of a classic model bloodline that sits at the heart of the Aston Martin range.

Combining a V12 engine with our lightest sports-car body in a package of pure aggression. An even lighter chassis, an even more powerful engine, an even more responsive transmission combine to produce the V12 Vantage S—the most ferocious Aston Martin ever made.

DETAILS

  • Two-seat, two-door coupe body style
  • All-alloy quad overhead camshaft 48-valve 5,935cc V12
  • Front mid-mounted engine, rear-wheel drive
  • Fully catalysed stainless-steel exhaust system with active bypass valves
  • Maximum power: 321kW (573Ps/565bhp) at 6,750rpm
  • Maximum torque: 620Nm at 5,750rpm
  • Acceleration: 0-62mph (100km/h) in 3.9 seconds
  • Maximum speed: 205mph (328km/h)
  • Rear mid-mounted Sportshift™III seven-speed transmission with electronic shift-by-wire control system
  • Alloy torque tube with carbon-fibre prop shaft
  • Limited-slip differential
The latest incarnation of a classic model bloodline that sits at the heart of the Aston Martin range.

IN BRIEF
The latest incarnation of a classic model bloodline that sits at the heart of the Aston Martin range. The “DB” moniker has adorned some of Aston Martin’s most iconic cars, a badge that signifies engineering excellence and the highest quality of craftsmanship.

DETAILS

  • Two-door coupe body style with 2+2 seating configuration
  • All-alloy quad overhead camshaft 48-valve 5,935cc V12
  • Front mid-mounted engine, rear-wheel drive
  • Fully catalysed stainless-steel exhaust system with active bypass valves
  • Maximum power: 421kW (517Ps/ 510bhp) at 6,500rpm
  • Maximum torque: 620Nm at 5,500rpm
  • Acceleration: 0-62mph (100km/h) in 4.6 seconds
  • Maximum speed: 183mph (295km/h)
  • Rear mid-mounted six-speed transmission with electronic shift-by-wire control system
  • Alloy torque tube with carbon-fibre prop shaft
  • Limited-slip differential
The limited-edition V12 Zagato combines elegance and raw power in one stunning design

A masterful blend of art, technology, craftsmanship and pure adrenalin. With all carbon-fibre bodywork sculpted to aesthetic and aerodynamic perfection, and a V12 engine of great potency, Vanquish defines a new breed of Super GT.

DETAILS

  • Two-door coupe or volante body style with 2+0 or optional 2+2 seating configuration
  • All-alloy quad overhead camshaft 48-valve 5,935cc V12
  • Front mid-mounted engine, rear-wheel drive
  • All carbon-fibre bodywork
  • Fully catalysed stainless-steel exhaust system with active bypass valves
  • Maximum power: 421kW (573Ps/565bhp) at 6,750rpm
  • Front mid-mounted engine, rear-wheel drive
  • Fully catalysed stainless-steel exhaust system with active bypass valves
  • Maximum power: 421kW (573Ps/565bhp) at 6,750rpm
  • Maximum torque: 620Nm at 5,500rpm
  • Acceleration: 0-62mph (100km/h) in 4.1 seconds
  • Maximum speed: 183mph (295km/h)
  • Rear mid-mounted six-speed transmission
  • Alloy torque tube with carbon-fibre prop shaft
  • Limited-slip differential