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New Car Road Test | Aston Martin Rapide AMR

RAPIDE RESPONSE

The Aston Martin Rapide AMR gves brand loyalists four doors and enviable style. Jonathan Crouch reports.

Ten Second Review

The Aston Martin Rapide S is powered by a fantastic 6.0-litre V12 powerplant and backs that up with the fitment of a ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox, carefully tuned suspension, big brakes and smart electronics. The result is a Grand Tourer par excellence - and one that allows you to bring a couple of rear-seated adults along for the ride.

Background

Aston Martin's top brass, if they were allowed a moment of unfiltered candour, would probably admit they got the original Rapide wrong. Upon launch, the company claimed that it was a luxury limousine with sporting ability when required, but the truth of the matter was that there's just not enough space in the back seats for this car to measure up against luxury saloons. It was a sports car trying to be something it wasn't. And in this division, a sports car - whether it has two doors or four - needs proper power and presence. Aston better delivered with the restyled Rapide S in 2013 and the company subsequently went much further. With a whole host of engineering upgrades applied since the 'S' was originally launched, this model has really found its stride in this last AMR form. It's still small in the back, but now punches above its weight in other dynamic regards.

Driving Experience

The legendary V12 now puts out 603PS and 630NM of torque, while a new quad exhaust ensures a raucous sound befitting of the AMR badge. This endows the big Aston the sort of pace to mix it with the real powerhouses of the division and more recent changes harness that power more effectively. In has come ZF's eight speed 8HP automatic gearbox, widely regarded as the best automatic transmission money can buy. Gearbox software changes make for a truly comprehensive selection of available driving features such as 'Drive' and 'Drive Sport' modes along with 'Paddle Shift' and 'Paddle Shift Sport' options for more engaging, sporting, shift control.

The Rapide AMR also gets the latest Bosch Engine Management System, while a revised torque tube reduces transmission noise. The stability control has been retuned to suit the power deployment of the gearbox and the steering ECU has been tweaked to result in a more precise steering response. There are also uprated front brakes, a retuned brake booster and amended rear suspension bushes that are now 20 per cent stiffer than before. The Rapide AMR is still a serious performer, getting to 62mph in 4.4 seconds and it'll keep going to a breathtaking 203mph.

Design and Build

The Rapide AMR is an undeniably handsome thing and the current has benefitted from various detail changes that have kept it looking fresh. Outside there's a forged alloy wheel design, available in a variety of finishes, that saves almost seven kilos in weight. There are also various paint colour options including Diavalo Red, a shade once limited to the showstopping V12 Zagato.

Inside, the cars get a seris of desirable leather trim colour options including the blue-black Dark Knight, and bold Fandango Pink. There's also the option of a Duotone leather seat finish in Sahara Tan and Vibrant Red, as well as a range of headlining options that mix quilting with the finest leathers or Alcantara. One thing that hasn't significantly changed is the amount of space inside the car. A six footer sitting behind another will have trouble slotting in without sitting splay-kneed. Additional practicality is delivered by the two rear seats that fold flat at the touch of a button.

Market and Model

It's hard to know where to begin with the equipment included with the Rapide AMR. Clearly you'd be within your rights to expect a decent amount of gear when paying this much (around £195,000) but there really is a lot to take in. As standard the car's finished with the usual leather chairs and walnut fascia trim, parking sensors, cruise control, memory seats and powerfold door mirrors. Then it gets interesting. The Bang and Olufsen 1000W stereo isn't going to leave you wanting. There's iPod connectivity, Bluetooth, USB and AUX-in, a tracking device, satellite navigation, a boot-mounted umbrella and a glass key to start the car.

Options include diamond-turned 20-inch alloys, the carbon exterior and piano black interior packages, semi-aniline leather upholstery, a twin-screen rear seat entertainment pack, a colour-keyed steering wheel and alternative brake calliper paint finishes. With a few options added, it's likely that most cars will roll out of dealerships costing in the region of £210,000.

Cost of Ownership

By any objective measure the Aston Martin Rapide is extremely expensive to run. It's hard to know just where to start when cataloguing the costs. Depreciation is the big ticket item and at the moment there aren't any big four-seater cars that hold onto their value particularly well so that's no particular slur on the Aston. Nevertheless, you can expect your new Aston Martin to drop around £65k in value over 24 months of ownership.

Fuel economy has improved with the fitment of the ZF transmission. Fuel economy rises from a faintly embarrassing 19.9mpg on the combined cycle to a more respectable 21.9mpg. Emissions improve in turn, with carbon dioxide output dropping from 332g/km to a round 300g/km. Insurance is a top of the shop group 50.

Summary

Some might argue that Aston Martin has spent a lot of money in recent years improving the one part of the Rapide AMR that few had any real complaints about, namely the dynamics. That's as maybe, but so good is the ZF eight-speed transmission that it would be an asset to virtually any car and it has the allied benefit of improving fuel economy and therefore range, a handy commodity in any car with grand touring pretensions.

Most of all this signals a tacit admission on Aston Martins part that the Rapide model needed to change its focus. It's not a natural rival for the big supersaloons. The basic architecture of the vehicle means it's too small in the back for that. Instead, it's now being positioned as a sports coupe with occasional rear seat versatility. It's taken a long time to wriggle into that niche, but in the current Rapide AMR guise, it looks a car that's a good deal more comfortable in its own skin.

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