Wednesday 2nd April 2008

Aston Rapide Spy Shots

New four-door Aston spotted testing at the 'Ring

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Picture: Dale Lomas

The much-anticipated Aston Martin Rapide has been spotted almost totally undisguised hammering around the Nurburgring.

Interestingly the car, snapped by PH photographer Dale Lomas, now has a full-length glass roof going from the windcscreen to the boot.

This arrangement was seen on the Rapide concept and the car seems to retain much of the looks of that car.

Overall the car appears very much like a stretched DB9, and considering how good that car looks this is no bad thing.

[Baffled Spoon]

That looks really nice as a whole but I can't help feeling that the wheelbase looks too long and makes the car look a bit out of proportion.

[Agoogy]

Baffled Spoon said:

That looks really nice as a whole but I can't help feeling that the wheelbase looks too long and makes the car look a bit out of proportion.

Its that whole golden rectangle proportion thing...long wheelbases do help make overhangs look smaller and thereby improve the profile...but you need relevant width to keep it 'planted'.

This 'scoop' is 2 days old though? PH not at the forefront of motoring news then?

[jimmy_mac]

I agree with the proportion comments but feel I should reserve judgement until I see an undisguised version in a more flattering hue. That (Tungsten?) Gray does it no favours...

[PompeyM3]

Seems like the ideal family car to me .............

[Goochie]

The rear is going to look a lot like the new Jag XF !

[Kieran XJR]

It think it looks really good, albeit not very new and exciting though. It's a DB9 saloon by the looks of it.

[Steameh]

It doesn't look so bad, I dont particularly like the rear section though, looks a little wrong on this astons face.

Coming to a police force near you?

[agentsmith]

well I really like it - and given the extra length it has to carry it's pretty well executed so far.

<flameproof suit> I much prefer it to something like the 612 Scaglietti for example. </flameproof suit>

[Beefmeister]

Cue lots of people whinging about how all Astons look the same....


Who cares?! Just look at the damn thing, its gorgeous!

Aston Rapide Vs Porsche Panamera

or

Gisele Bundchen Vs Jade Goody

[corcoran]

hah. it looks like a 'cut-n-shut' :P

[Frimley111R]

Agoogy said:

Baffled Spoon said:

That looks really nice as a whole but I can't help feeling that the wheelbase looks too long and makes the car look a bit out of proportion.

Its that whole golden rectangle proportion thing...long wheelbases do help make overhangs look smaller and thereby improve the profile...but you need relevant width to keep it 'planted'.

This 'scoop' is 2 days old though? PH not at the forefront of motoring news then?

Not these days, they couldn't even cover the LR/Jaguar sale on the same day as everyone else!

[pd86]

for pre-production it looks good, obviously needs tidying up a bit and a few styling changes to perhaps distinguish it a little more from the db9 may also be a good thing (excluding the addition of 2 doors of course). off topic tho whats with all the graffiti on the ring?? someone must seriously not like driving/life to eb hanging around painting hearts ona race track, or do they just have crap security?

[Road_Terrorist]

Beefmeister said:

Cue lots of people whinging about how all Astons look the same....


Who cares?! Just look at the damn thing, its gorgeous!

Aston Rapide Vs Porsche Panamera

or

Gisele Bundchen Vs Jade Goody

You did pick the easy target

The upcoming 8 series and newer models of the QP & CLS should provide tougher competition in the beauty pagent.

I still think it looks odd though, will have to wait to see one in the flesh, I thought the QP was ugly until I saw one in real life.

[Tony*T3]

I think this will hit sales of that new Porsche Pamamera thing, which doesnt seem too well concieved in comparison.

[havoc]

So that's 4 Astons now which ARE all virtually the same...
...and people joke that Porsche's design team are lazy!!!


Yes, it DOES look good. But it looks exactly the same as the others, which is pretty poor show on the part of Aston...

[M3BHP]

I should know really but what is all the graffiti on the track about??

[Lawrence5]

Should have distinguished the looks from the DB9 - cheapens the DB9 image to my mind. Though it looks good a Lagonda badge and a new look would make it seem like a new era at Aston......

Not more cars that look similar "under new management" sticker needed on the back

[scotty_917]

Tony*T3 said:

I think this will hit sales of that new Porsche Pamamera thing, which doesnt seem too well concieved in comparison.

....and the price differential between the 2 will be £50-£80k depending on the Panamera entry model...comparison...hardly. You could get a new 997 AND entry Panamera for less than the price of the R-a-p-i-d-o.....

[I WISH]

A four door Aston ..... it just doesn't feel right.

I agree that it if the styling was sufficiently (but not wholly) differentiated from that of the DB9/S/Vantage/Vanquish .... and it was badged Lagonda Rapide .... then they may succeed.

Lagonda has a distinguised and stylish history .... be nice if some of that was resurrected.

< does this look like an Aston badge?

Edited by I WISH on Wednesday 2nd April 14:10

[flashygee]

It looks definately better as the Panamera.
And it has Tradition,the old V8 Coupe was
available as Lagonda Sedan with 4 Doors.
In these old Tradition i would like the Name Lagonda
Rapide.
AM for Sportscars,Lagonda for Luxury Sedans.
This would make AM very special.