The newAston MartinRapide S has been officially revealed and boasts even more power and torque than the previous Rapide. The Rapide S is the most powerful four-door Aston Martin to date and has been re-designed and re-engineered to offer a refined and balanced sports car experience.

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.”

New ?Aston Martin Rapide S offers class and superb performance

??Engine Capability

The new Aston Martin Rapide S is fitted with a more powerful and efficient AM11 V12 engine. The new 6.0-litre AM11 V12 engine produces 410kW, some 60kW more than its predecessor, with a maximum torque figure of 620Nm. Performance has improved and the Rapide S accelerates to 100km/h in 4.7 seconds compared to the 5.1 seconds achieved in the outgoing model. The new Aston Martin Rapide S will reach a top speed of 306km/h. In terms of fuel consumption, the Rapide S consumes 14.2-litres/100km on the EU combined cycle with a CO2 emissions figure of 332g/km.

The AM11 V12 engine position has also been lowered by 19mm compared to its predecessor and the result is sharper agility with a reduction in the car’s centre of gravity. The Rapide S also features an Adaptive Damping System (ADS) which automatically alters the suspension settings to suit the driver’s needs and that of the driving environment. The ADS has three settings including Normal, Sport and Track.

??Exterior Styling Features

The new Aston Martin Rapide S features a new full grille complemented by single bi-xenon headlamps with integrated LED side lights and indicators while the rear-end features clear LED lamps. The rear boot lid ‘flip’ has been re-designed to counteract lift at higher speeds. ?The Rapide S rides on 20-inch, 20-spoke silver painted alloy wheels. The Rapide S is also available with a new optional Carbon Exterior Pack which adds a front splitter, rear diffuser, mirror caps and rear lamp infills, all made from carbon fibre.

Interior Styling Features

The interior of the new Aston Martin Rapide S features pure glass transmission selector switches in the centre console while optional Duotone perforated red and black leather have been used for the first time in the Rapide S. The Rapide S seats up to four passengers while the automatic folding individual rear seats create additional space for luggage. A new piano black interior pack is available and adds a deep, mirror-like shine to the facia, transmission tunnel centre plate and door handles while the instrument binnacle gets a darker surround and the steering wheel is finished with black horn-push surround.

Additional options include a reversing camera and a twin-screen rear seat entertainment system with wireless headphones, remote control and a 6-disc DVD changer. Also on offer is the ‘Q by Aston Martin’ service which offers uniquely-tailored options for individualisation. The Q service focuses on fashioning colour and materials to customer choice and specification, allowing owners to get creative with the vehicle.

The new Aston Martin Rapide S will be available from its 146 dealers worldwide in February 2013 and prices will be announced closer to launch. It has not been confirmed whether the new Aston Martin Rapide S will be available in South Africa.