RE: Spy Pics Update: Aston Rapide And DBS 'R'

[Lebigmac]

not sure if it a valid result but when I check the car I get this back

Free Car Check Report for KX09KTJ

Vehicle Identification
Manufacturer: Aston Martin
Model: Not available
Year: 2009
Colour: Black
Fuel Type: Petrol
Engine Size (CC): 5935
VIN: Not available
V5C Issued: Not available

Tax

Tax Status: Licence Not Due
Expiry Date: 01/05/2010
Registration Date: 01/05/2009
6 Month Cost: £104.50
12 Month Cost: £190.00



6litre and 190£ TAX for a year ?? Hybrid ?!

[LukeBird]

Be interested to see where Aston direct the DBS 'R'...

[loltolhurst]

ganser said:

so disappointing to see so little imagination in the design. why is the 'family design' such an important concept? surely broad design themes are enough. i think people have enough brain power to recognize a car as an AM without having to produce identikit cars. how frustrating must it be for a car designer. i guess people in the market for a car like this are very conservative and don't want anything radical. if i had the funds to splash out i would want something individual.

mind u there are limits!:

[Ricky944s2]

Right, just gonna throw this out there, self-confessed porsche fanboy here and I understand the stick the Panamera is getting about being a stretched 911,

now, what part of that Aston DOES NOT scream 'Stretched DB9' ???????

It is just as generic as the Porsche (IMO) Anybody else??

Rant over, runs for cover. . . .

Edited by Ricky944s2 on Tuesday 11th August 17:17

[cgt]

Zod said:

I wonder why they changed the rear plate position of the Rapide to match the V8, rather than the DB9 and DBS. I have a marginal rpefernce for the latter treatment.

huh???

[elster]

Lebigmac said:

not sure if it a valid result but when I check the car I get this back

Free Car Check Report for KX09KTJ

Vehicle Identification
Manufacturer: Aston Martin
Model: Not available
Year: 2009
Colour: Black
Fuel Type: Petrol
Engine Size (CC): 5935
VIN: Not available
V5C Issued: Not available

Tax

Tax Status: Licence Not Due
Expiry Date: 01/05/2010
Registration Date: 01/05/2009
6 Month Cost: £104.50
12 Month Cost: £190.00



6litre and 190£ TAX for a year ?? Hybrid ?!

No it is not a production car, so they pay basic rate. Same as all concept, pre production, etc

[Zod]

cgt said:

Zod said:

I wonder why they changed the rear plate position of the Rapide to match the V8, rather than the DB9 and DBS. I have a marginal rpefernce for the latter treatment.

huh???

DB9 and DBS have the plate between the rear lights. V8V and V12V have it below the lights, as does the Rapide in these shots.

[Zod]

Ricky944s2 said:

Right, just gonna throw this out there, self-confessed porsche fanboy here and I understand the stick the Panamera is getting about being a stretched 911,

now, what part of that Aston DOES NOT scream 'Stretched DB9' ???????

It is just as generic as the Porsche (IMO) Anybody else??

Rant over, runs for cover. . . .

Edited by Ricky944s2 on Tuesday 11th August 17:17

I don't care that it's generic. It looks good, whereas the Panamera is ugly.

[ewenm]

Ricky944s2 said:

Right, just gonna throw this out there, self-confessed porsche fanboy here and I understand the stick the Panamera is getting about being a stretched 911,

now, what part of that Aston DOES NOT scream 'Stretched DB9' ???????

It is just as generic as the Porsche (IMO) Anybody else??

Rant over, runs for cover. . . .

It does scream stretched DB9 but, unlike the Panamera, that hasn't produced an ugly car. The Panamera is getting stick because it's looks are somewhat challenging.

[Altrezia]

Crikey. I am so bored of the current look of Aston Martin cars. They all look the same. They're getting as lazy as Porsche.

[Ricky944s2]

ewenm said:

Ricky944s2 said:

Right, just gonna throw this out there, self-confessed porsche fanboy here and I understand the stick the Panamera is getting about being a stretched 911,

now, what part of that Aston DOES NOT scream 'Stretched DB9' ???????

It is just as generic as the Porsche (IMO) Anybody else??

Rant over, runs for cover. . . .

It does scream stretched DB9 but, unlike the Panamera, that hasn't produced an ugly car. The Panamera is getting stick because it's looks are somewhat challenging.

In your opinion, Im in the minority here that I like the Panamera. Can I ask if you like the design/styling of the the 997??

[ewenm]

Ricky944s2 said:

ewenm said:

Ricky944s2 said:

Right, just gonna throw this out there, self-confessed porsche fanboy here and I understand the stick the Panamera is getting about being a stretched 911,

now, what part of that Aston DOES NOT scream 'Stretched DB9' ???????

It is just as generic as the Porsche (IMO) Anybody else??

Rant over, runs for cover. . . .

It does scream stretched DB9 but, unlike the Panamera, that hasn't produced an ugly car. The Panamera is getting stick because it's looks are somewhat challenging.

In your opinion, Im in the minority here that I like the Panamera. Can I ask if you like the design/styling of the the 997??

Indeed, only my opinion. 997 is better than the 996 but still rather too soft for my palate. I much prefer older 911s. Not saying any of these are bad cars, but just that I don't like the styling. In my opinion, Aston have done a better job stretching the DB9 than Porsche has done with the 911. The rear end of the Panamera looks to heavy to my mind, as if the rear-engine space needed on the 911 has been carried over to the front-engined Panamera. A stretched Cayman-shape may have looked better with the rear seats occupying the mid-engine space.

[loltolhurst]

if u had 15 mins with it on the train with a professional photographer why just 2 crappy pics??? the drivers bribed you didnt they.

[amare32]

Makes the Panamera look utter utter sh!te.

Edited by amare32 on Tuesday 11th August 19:43

[JumpinJack]

loltolhurst said:

if u had 15 mins with it on the train with a professional photographer why just 2 crappy pics??? the drivers bribed you didnt they.

I was gonna say! And is that guy in the DBS(R...),third pic waving? or giving you the finger??

[trackdemon]

Tony*T3 said:

Missed the 'money shot' on the Rapide..... needed a nice clear side on shot like that of the silver DBS.

Yup, I know.... unfortunately we literally never got side on to the Rapide for any more than a very brief moment and the lense (even @ 10mm!) wasn't wide enough to get it all in - we passed the DBS to get as close as we did but there was other traffic stopping us getting closer. Sorry about that!

JumpinJack said:

loltolhurst said:

if u had 15 mins with it on the train with a professional photographer why just 2 crappy pics??? the drivers bribed you didnt they.

I was gonna say! And is that guy in the DBS(R...),third pic waving? or giving you the finger??

Fair point chaps (except for the bribes LOL!), with a simple answer: We went in under the guise of 'enthiusiasts' in the hope we'd get info So decided not to stroll down there with 2 camera's, tripods, lighting kit and start snapping away

The guy in the DBS is actually waving, I think they found our chase efforts quite amusing

Edited by trackdemon on Tuesday 11th August 23:03

[oilman151]

I'll have one of each with extra nuts, chocolate and a double flake in each!!!!
Superb machines.
Car appreciation is purely individual, not everybody likes the same thing, thankfully. So we end up with choices. Personally I've always loved Aston Martins and I particularly love the DB9. Being up close and personal with one is quite a unique experience, which I sure Porsche, Lambo, and Ferrari owners feel too.
The Rapide takes a successful design and adapts it for a slightly different purpose - namely to carry 4 people in comfort, quickly. (I defy anyone to carry 4 individuals in a DB9 in comfort, no matter how small). I believe its directed to a slightly different market to the V8 Vantage, DB9 and DBS customers.
It's all down to personal taste, but I'd have a Rapide in my garage any day.
ANT

[PascalBuyens]

Ricky944s2 said:

ewenm said:

Ricky944s2 said:

Right, just gonna throw this out there, self-confessed porsche fanboy here and I understand the stick the Panamera is getting about being a stretched 911,

now, what part of that Aston DOES NOT scream 'Stretched DB9' ???????

It is just as generic as the Porsche (IMO) Anybody else??

Rant over, runs for cover. . . .

It does scream stretched DB9 but, unlike the Panamera, that hasn't produced an ugly car. The Panamera is getting stick because it's looks are somewhat challenging.

In your opinion, Im in the minority here that I like the Panamera. Can I ask if you like the design/styling of the the 997??

Not just in his opinion. Seen a Panamera at the Nordschleife 2 weeks ago, and it looked "Yuk"... No other words for it. You'd have thought after 40-ish years of reusing the same theme, they'd finally have a designer who could make seomting new, but they missed it completely, if you ask me.

As for the Rapide, looks just lovely to me.

Then again... I've never had a thing for Porsche, AM (and English cars in general) always had a plus for me

[Marquis_Rex]

"so we naturally gave chase in order to grab a couple of 'on the road' shots through the windscreen of our XFR. We were lucky to have 500bhp under the bonnet as the Aston drivers weren't hanging around for a photo call, but after a few minutes of hot pursuit Steve had a couple of shots in the bag"

This kind of carry on can be very annoying when you're trying to get an honest days vehicle calibration/testing work done!

[Podie]

Marquis_Rex said:

"so we naturally gave chase in order to grab a couple of 'on the road' shots through the windscreen of our XFR. We were lucky to have 500bhp under the bonnet as the Aston drivers weren't hanging around for a photo call, but after a few minutes of hot pursuit Steve had a couple of shots in the bag"

This kind of carry on can be very annoying when you're trying to get an honest days vehicle calibration/testing work done!

Yeah, but how many times have you read about the "new [car]" only for the press to be so far wide of the mark it's funny...