2010 Aston Martin Rapide Car

2010 Aston Martin Rapide Photo

Aston Martins have always unapologetically been about grand touring. Some car magazine somewhere has always managed to dog Astons for not being as sharply tuned as Ferraris or Porsches for harrowing all-out attacks on mountain passes.

2010 Aston Martin Rapide New Edition

Be it a 1963 DB5 or an '09 DBS, these iconic British cars have put a priority on getting their passengers to their destinations in comfort, quickly and in grand style.

2010 Aston Martin Rapide Interior

Well, they did for two people, anyway. Passengers three and four (if there were seats at all for them) would have to be 4 years old, without legs and/or very flexible. Enter the 2010 Aston Martin Rapide, a car that adds a pair of doors to the brand's grand touring tradition and successful DB9 platform.

2010 Aston Martin Rapide Exotic Car

Oh, there have been four-door Aston Martins before, but those Lagonda models were so bizarre, so atypical of the brand and ultimately so unpopular that you'd be just as likely to see Sasquatch cruising along on the freeway in a Smart Fortwo. The Rapide, on the other hand, won't be confused for anything but an Aston Martin.

2010 Aston Martin Rapide Car Wallpaper

The Rapide looks like a stretched DB9 with an extra set of doors and two adult-sized seats. That's essentially what it is. Under the skin is Aston's bonded aluminum chassis and rear-mounted transmission shared with every other car in the line. However, the Rapide has 9.7 additional inches of wheelbase, is a full foot longer and is 10 inches wider. It actually has a bigger footprint than the much bigger-looking Porsche Panamera, yet it weighs slightly less (4,299 pounds versus the Porsche's 4,343).

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