RE: Aston Martin Rapide - First Drive

[julian64]

bertie said:

julian64 said:

BMW 850, can be bought for about 5K in any classifed mag. BMW had this techology in the early nineties. Reinventing a complicated wheel they aren't.

OK, I give up, it must be you who knows how the system works and has the spec and not me.

Very little point in you getting exasperated and quoting your 'spec'. I poked fun at the pretentious way they talked about window rubber. You countered with 'its cutting edge technology'. I simply said it isn't, its all been done before 20 years ago, and on much less expensive cars, with no leaks, no wind noise, and no fuss.

If you want me to explain how it can be done I can draw you a picture. I had my 8 series in pieces a number of times for door related problems.

[red_slr]

Meh.
Not really doing it for me...

[fatboysonny]

I want one...........

Hang on, I can't afford one. Damn you wealthy people. LOL.

Edited by fatboysonny on Monday 8th February 18:25

[Webber3]

bertie said:

The front and rear glass abuts each other with no center pillar so the outside is glass front to back and they seal against each other. There are multiple drop positions for the glass depending on the sequence of door opening and also the speed, plus the side glass is double glazed, trust me, simple it isn't!!

Wouldn't want to own this car out of warranty!

[cramorra]

chelme said:

140K,

Leaves alot of scope
1: Vantage plus CLS
2: 911 + CLS
3: Panamera or Maserati plus real fun car (Exige/Caterham any other track rocket or a Boxter if you want to pose...)
All option possible with a bit of change....

Can it really be worth this much - looks great, though

[kambites]

cramorra said:

chelme said:

140K,

Leaves alot of scope
1: Vantage plus CLS
2: 911 + CLS
3: Panamera or Maserati plus real fun car (Exige/Caterham any other track rocket or a Boxter if you want to pose...)
All option possible with a bit of change....

Can it really be worth this much - looks great, though

I very much doubt that anyone will buy one as an only car.

[e36er]

I think they could have done a lot more with the Rapide, it just looks like an overweight DB9. I know manufacturers like to keep similar styling cues across the range but they're taking the proverbial with the Rapide. I'd take a 612 in a heartbeat over this. A little imagination wouldn't go amiss!

[McAndy]

I'm really not getting on with the way this looks in photos. Will any be at a Sunday Service or GW Breakfast Club soon? I want to like it, but I just looks like a not such a good effort at their lovely but now slightly repetitive family look . Please tell me it's better in the flesh?! QP for me for now...

[infradig]

I know there must be a good reason,but why isn't it called the Lagonda Rapide? Do Aston Martin have such a low opinion of their potential customers intelligence to think they wouldn't understand,and buy something else by mistake.

[glazbagun]

infradig said:

I know there must be a good reason,but why isn't it called the Lagonda Rapide? Do Aston Martin have such a low opinion of their potential customers intelligence to think they wouldn't understand,and buy something else by mistake.

They have sucha low opinion of their customers that they'll stick the AM badge on a tarted up IQ and expect them to pay £20K for it.

[vintageracer01]

Gun said:

was8v said:

What did you use to resize those images - MS Paint?!

Could we have a nice hi-res image of this please



Would look great as a wallpaper.

YES, PLEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAASE.

This pic as a hi-res wallpaper, please.

[vintageracer01]

LuS1fer said:

I've never really understood this hero worship of Ferrari. I liked the 246GT but not really anything since.

Finally, some kind of a soul mate!

I never got this Ferrari worshipping of what ever visual crap they came up with, either.
(And I think since the Daytona there was nothing worth mentioning)

And HERE is Aston Martin and shows everybody what a beautyful machinery a company can produce
if you only have the right talented people and the will of pulling it through.

Just fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[syncro.]

Love it, but I think I'd prefer different colour rear clusters, look a tad "Lexusy" to me, just a minor thing though!

[cramorra]

Just looked at the pictures again; 4 seater sportscar....

Its a hatchback, just like the Panamera - and nothing rally wrong with this, why do car designers not call things by there name....

[vintageracer01]

Zod said:

Crazy ideas are filling my head of chopping in two cars for one of these. I know it's not practical (although it's not as impractical as the DB9), but it's just lovely.

Just do it !!! (You live only once.)

I think it will take a long time until this design will be bettered by someone. (If ever)

[vintageracer01]

Hooty said:

Wouldn't someone be mad not to have an XFR instead of this?

If one cannot afford the AM Rapide, as probably most of us, the XFR is the next best solution!!!

[Sandy59]

I know I'm in the minority, but I actually think the Panamera looks 'fresher', and is a proper adult 4 seater which I thought was the whole point of this type of car ??

[LuS1fer]

Sandy59 said:

I know I'm in the minority, but I actually think the Panamera looks 'fresher', and is a proper adult 4 seater which I thought was the whole point of this type of car ??

I'm not sure there's any real point to this type of car. Surely on that basis, Porsche should be making an MPV?

What galls me is that the Aston design is pretty timeless. If this car had a Ferrari badge on it, people here would be ejaculating all over it's bonnet. Aston have taken their trademark DB design and stretched it to retain it's elegant proportions and offer a bit more room. What's wrong with that?

People who whine about "another Aston clone" need reminding that the reason they keep it is because it's already a classic and it has achieved this in a far shorter time span than the 911, a 50 year old concept and the best selling car of it's type practically. Aston have stretched a DB9 successfully, Porsche tried to stretch a 911 and failed.

Aston have out-Italianed the Italians. it's better looking and more beautiful than any Ferrari or Lamborghini. Oh yes...and it's BRITISH!

[Belfast Boy]

LuS1fer said:

I've never really understood this hero worship of Ferrari. I liked the 246GT but not really anything since.

Me either, yes there are some nice cars, but there are some god awfull ones 575 california etc.(to look at) only ever drivin the Tessarossa a short distance and a 365 around Beckenham.

This Rapide is nice but a bit like Lotus its a case of O.K we spent a fortune developing this chassis lets milk it to death, so are there going to be estate versions of this, maybe a pick up?

[simonrockman]

glazbagun said:

infradig said:

I know there must be a good reason,but why isn't it called the Lagonda Rapide? Do Aston Martin have such a low opinion of their potential customers intelligence to think they wouldn't understand,and buy something else by mistake.

They have such a low opinion of their customers that they'll stick the AM badge on a tarted up IQ and expect them to pay £20K for it.

It's a shame that Aston Martin have given up on their naming convention. There was something special about the convertibles being called volante and performance versions being called vantage. My initial reaction to the performance comments here is that there should be a vantage version, but you can bet that will now be called an 'S' or some such.

I hope they do a shooting brake.

EVO suggested that Aston Martin was stuck in as much of a design rut as Porsche, albeit a much more attractive one. I guess they are doing Aston Martin the favour of ignoring the Lagonda concept and the Cygnet. I've heard whispers that the Cygnet is looking quite a bit more expensive than the £20k, perhaps £10k more. Not that I think it matters it's daft at any price.

I really like the Aston Martin shape, indeed I think it looks even better, longer.

Simon