AUTOS CARS CUSTOM

The Aston Martin Rapide has received a considerable power hike as part of a comprehensive mid-life refresh for the four-door saloon.

The extra power is reflected in the Rapide’s new name - it’s now known as the Rapide S - and means that the emphasis is now fully on making it a four-door sports car rather than a more luxurious, everyday GT. It made its debut at the Geneva motor show.

The biggest changes for the Rapide S are to its naturally aspirated 5.9-litre V12 engine. Power is up by 80bhp to 550bhp and peak torque jumps by 20lb ft to 620lb ft. Low and mid-range torque is said to have been improved considerably more than the headline peak figure suggests.

The extra power means that the claimed 0-62mph time for the Rapide S is 4.9sec, which is 0.3sec quicker than the outgoing Rapide, and top speed is up from 188mph to 190mph.

Despite the extra performance, fuel economy has improved by 0.9mpg to 19.9mpg. CO2 emissions drop from 355g/km to 332g/km.

Exterior styling changes are minimal, the most recognisable differences being a new front grille and a rear lip spoiler. A Carbon Exterior Pack can be specified, which means that the front splitter, rear diffuser, exterior mirror housings and rear lamp infills are made from carbonfibre.

Minor interior tweaks include a new piano black trim and optional ‘Duotone’ red and black leather upholstery. The rear seats can be folded flat to almost treble the load volume to just shy of 900 litres.

Like the rest of Aston’s range, the Rapide S is based on its familiar VH structure. This gets the latest ‘Gen4’ modifications, including updated adaptive dampers with three distinct modes (Normal, Sport and Track), revisions to its DSC system and adjustments to meet the latest safety regulations. The engine is also mounted 19mm lower than before.

The new Rapide S goes on sale next month, at prices expected to be close to the current car’s £150,000 despite the increase in performance.

Thanks to: Autocar