(January 23, 2013) The stunning new Aston Martin Rapide S is making its debut with yet more luxury and yet more power on offer in its quintessentially elegant four-door silhouette. Aston Martin says the new luxury GT "four-door sports car" has been sympathetically redesigned and painstakingly re-engineered to reassert its position as the world’s most beautiful, and beautifully balanced, four-seat sports car.



Aside from the extensive design and engineering improvements, the new Rapide S — which replaces the outgoing Rapide in markets worldwide — is now even more refined thanks to a range of additions to the four-seater’s sumptuous interior.

Still instantly recognizable as an Aston Martin, of course, the new Rapide S now boasts an imposing and assertive new "face," created by virtue of the impressive and striking new full grille.

Imbuing the new car with an even more sporting, forceful demeanor, the revised front end design is matched at the back by a new rear deck profile which includes a more pronounced trunk lid "flip." The aerodynamic and aesthetic upgrades both reinforce the sporting nature of new Rapide S and work to counteract lift at higher speeds.

Speaking of higher speeds, the Rapide S is endowed with with a version of the new AM11 naturally-aspirated 6.0-liter V12 powerplant delivering unprecedented power and improved in-gear acceleration.

Power from the new engine jumps significantly versus that of its predecessor: up from 441 hp at 6,000 rpm to 550 at 6,750 rpm.

Peak torque increases, too, up from 442 pound-feet to 457 at 5,000 rpm. Meanwhile an even more marked improvement in torque occurs lower down the rev range, as pulling power rises by more than 29 pound-feet between idle and 4,000 rpm with an additional 37 available at 2,500 rpm.

Naturally, increases in power and torque lead to even swifter performance as befits a four-door sports car. New Rapide S shaves 0.3 seconds off its 0-62 mph time, which drops from the 5.2 seconds of the current car to just 4.9 seconds for the new model. Top speed climbs, meanwhile, to 190 mph.

Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ulrich Bez said: “The Rapide S is to me, without doubt, the most beautiful four-door sports car on the market today. This is, very clearly, the power of luxury in action.

“The car’s stunning visual appeal is now matched by a much more powerful and yet more efficient engine — our exceptional new AM11 V12 — which increases massively both the excitement and performance potential of the Rapide S.

“It is a four-door sports car that uniquely combines luxury, style and sporting excitement in Aston Martin’s most flexible and accommodating silhouette. Purity of proportion and exceptional elegance are mixed with truly sensational dynamic performance – this is the four-door sports car in its most versatile form and I am sure our customers around the world are going to love it!” 

The new Rapide will be available in February. Prices have not yet been confirmed.