China launch of Aston Martin Rapide S at Shanghai Auto Show 2013

2013-04-21 02:15

(chinadaily.com.cn)

Luxury sports car maker Aston Martin's top executives unveiled the luxury four-door GT Rapide S in China on April 20 at the 15th Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition 2013.

China launch of Aston Martin Rapide S at Shanghai Auto Show 2013

The British super car maker Aston Martin's four-door GT sportscar new Rapide S makes its China debute on April 20, 2013, the media day of Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition 2013. Aston Martin Lagonda's top officers pose for a photo at the news conference at Shanghai auto show 2013. From left to right: Regional Director for Aston Martin Lagonda China Jenny Zheng Jinlan, Director of Design at Aston Martin Lagonda Marek Reichman, CEO of Aston Martin Lagonda Dr Ulrich Bez. [Hao Yan/chinadaily.com.cn]

The British brand reveals its strongest model range ever including a Centenary Edition Rapide S and a personalised 'Q by Aston Martin' Rapide S, Vanquish, the ultimate GT, new DB9 and the V8 Vantage celebrating a century of motoring achievement. The classic DB5 from Skyfall is also on show again for the Chinese public as part of Aston Martin's centenary presentation of Power, Beauty and Soul.

Rapide S, sympathetically redesigned and painstakingly re-engineered, represents excellent design and advanced engineering. The new Rapide S boasts an imposing and assertive new 'face', created by virtue of the impressive new full grille. Imbuing the new car with an even more sporty, forceful demeanour, the revised front-end design is matched at the back by a striking new rear deck profile which includes a more pronounced boot lid 'flip'.

Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ulrich Bez, said: "It is a four-door sports car that uniquely combines luxury, style and sporting excitement in Aston Martin's most flexible and accommodating silhouette. Purity of proportion and exceptional elegance are mixed with truly sensational dynamic performance. The Rapide S is to me, without doubt, the most beautiful four-door sports car on the market today."

Rapide S uses the new AM11 naturally-aspirated 6.0-litre V12 powerplant delivering unprecedented power and improved in-gear acceleration. Power from the new engine jumps significantly compared to that of its predecessor: up by 17% or a massive 81 PS from 477 PS at 6,000 rpm to a now very substantial 558 PS at 6,750 rpm. Peak torque increases, too, up from 600 Nm to 620 Nm at 5,000 rpm. Increases in power and torque lead to even swifter performance as befits a four-door sports car, making Rapide S the most powerful four-door Aston Martin to date.

Still instantly recognisable as an Aston Martin, Rapide S inherits the quintessentially elegant four-door silhouette from Rapide. The standard-fit pure glass transmission selector switches in the centre console represent the levels of craftsmanship of Aston Martin.

The new Rapide S is available to order in the Chinese market starting from the recommended retail price of 3,588,800 yuan (excluding tax).