Autoblog UK

At the IAA, the British luxury carmaker Aston Martin is exhibiting the Rapide, which is to be released next year. The car certainly lives up to its name: under the bonnet of the four-door hatchback nestles a 6.0L, twelve-cylinder engine rated at 477bhp. The new Aston Martin will sprint from 0 to 62 mph in 5.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 190mph (303 km/h). The Rapide is almost 30cm longer than the DB9 Coupe and affords a lot of space for four people. Due to the car's sporty lines, the boot compartment is a little on the small side at only 303 litres. Aston Martin has done a fine job of combining the performance of a thoroughbred sports car with the luxury of a top-of-the-range four-seater at a cost of around 180,000 euros, £162,500. The Aston Martin Rapide is aimed squarely at competing with the Porsche Panamera and the Maserati Quattroporte.