First Aston Martin Rapides bound for customers
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Aston Martin
9th May, 2010
A new chapter in Aston Martin’s modern era has begun; with the first
four-door Rapide sports cars leaving the Aston Martin Rapide Plant (AMRP) for delivery to eager customers.
Following a warm reception from customers and media observers alike, the Rapide is now set to reach customers
and Aston Martin’s 125 showrooms in 34 countries over the coming weeks.
First shown in 2006 in concept form at the Detroit Motor Show, the Rapide project received a green light from
Aston Martin’s new shareholders in mid-2007 following the sale of the marque by the Ford Motor Company. In a little
over two years, Aston Martin’s dedicated design and engineering teams have delivered a new car from the ground
up.
In parallel with making the Rapide a reality, Aston Martin and its specialist automotive partner, Magna Steyr
made a state of the art facility to ensure the Aston Martin Rapide achieves the same exacting standards set by the
marque’s model line-up at Aston Martin’s headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire (England). The result is a plant that
combines the very latest technology with time-honoured craftsmanship.
From the preparation of Rapide’s bonded aluminium body frame, to the painstaking six-stage painting process where
nine coats of paint are applied making Aston Martin’s paint finish the best in class, to the trim shop where
highly-skilled craftspeople shape and stitch 10 of the finest leather hides to provide the Rapide’s magnificently
upholstered interior, the AMRP is a centre of automotive excellence.
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Unveiled in production form at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2009 to worldwide acclaim, the Aston Martin
Rapide encapsulates the values of Aston Martin in a four-door sports car with unrivalled performance, extremely high
levels of craftsmanship and exceptionally elegant design. The Rapide is a car to savour and share, an expressive
sports grand tourer that extends the Aston Martin experience to an entire family, a group of colleagues or other
performance enthusiasts. Beauty, power and practicality have never been presented so well.
The elegant Rapide, functional yet luxurious, provides space for up to four adults combined with an engaging
driving experience synonymous with all Aston Martins. A 301 litre luggage compartment affords generous space for
belongings for all four passengers, ensuring an Aston Martin which can be enjoyed on any occasion, anytime, anywhere.
At the 'heart' of the Rapide lies an evocative engine providing effortless power and torque: a hand-built 6.0 litre
V12 engine producing 350 kW with peak power being delivered at 6,000 rpm and 600 Nm peak torque at 5,000 rpm. A
specifically tuned six-speed 'Touchtronic 2' automatic transmission features as standard, allowing the driver to
change gear automatically or manually via the steering column-mounted magnesium paddles.
The Rapide is on sale now via Aston Martin’s global dealership network. The Australian release of the new Aston
Martin Rapide is scheduled for late June 2010.
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