Aston Martin has officially launched the updated version of their 4-door sports sedan, the Rapide S, in India. Priced at Rs. 3.29crore, ex-showroom, Thane, the Rapide S is only available through the company's dealership in Mumbai - Performance Cars. The new Rapide S replaces the five year old Rapide, and gets some exterior updates, enhanced luxurious interiors and improved performance along with better efficiency.
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If four-door sports cars are not your thing, check out the track-only Vulcan supercar here!
In terms of exterior design, you would have to look closely to spot the differences. At the front, the Rapide S gets a larger grille, in fact, it is one of the largest grilles made by any car manufacturer which has passed pedestrian safety norms in Europe. At the rear, the Rapide now features a more pronounced boot-lid lip which makes the car look sportier and also increases downforce at higher speeds. New 10-spoke forged alloy wheels are also offered as standard, these look classy and are also lighter by 7kg each! A special Diavalo Red paint option is also available – this was earlier limited to the V12 Zagato model.
Inside, the Rapide S now features new leather trim colour options – including the Duotone Red and Black interiors you see in these photos – and a plethora of headlining options. There is, of course, the option for potential Aston Martin owners to spec their Rapides just the way they want it – with a little help from the company's 'Q'-division.
The feeling of luxury has also been improved, thanks to improved NVH-levels. This has been achieved by using new hood-lining and a revised windscreen cowl. Some additional equipment also enhances the luxury feel of the Rapide. While the rear seats of the Rapide can seat two adults in absolute comfort, these seats can also be folded flat into the floor for better space management.
Under the hood, the Aston Martin Rapide continues to be powered by a 6.0-litre, naturally-aspirated, V12 petrol motor – but in a new guise. Codenamed the AM29 – the motor has a peak power output of 560PS @ 6,750rpm (up from 447PS earlier) and 630Nm @ 5,500rpm (up from 600Nm earlier).
Coupled to the improved Touchtronic III single-clutch 8-speed automatic transmission, the Aston Martin Rapide has a 0-100kmph time of 4.4 seconds. The gearbox, developed by Aston Martin in collaboration with ZF, is lighter than the 6-speed gearbox on the older Rapide and is faster too. Larger ratios also improve top speeds which now exceed 320kmph. Aston Martin also claims an efficiency gain of 11 per cent in the new Rapide, thanks to the new gearbox.
The engine sits 19mm lower in the chassis in the new Rapide, this improves handling by virtue of lowering the centre-of-gravity. The addition of the company's adaptive damping system allows the Rapide to behave differently according to the drivers' wishes – it can be a mile muncher in 'normal' mode, and become a track monster in the 'sport' or 'track' modes. Larger front brakes, a retuned brake-booster and stiffer rear bushes also improve handling, the company claims.