2013 Audi A3

First Drive: 2010 Aston Martin Rapide Page 5

 
11 12,074 views Feb 4, 2010
Follow Marty

2010 Aston Martin Rapide

Rapide: Aural enthusiasm

The 2010 Aston Martin Rapide doesn't want for features--as it shouldn't given its $200,000 price tag.

For the money, Rapide buyers will get an impressive level of standard specification including good safety gear. Front, side and curtain airbags team up with traction and stability control, anti-lock brakes, brake assist, an electronic parking brake, front and rear parking sensors and even those available custom-fitted child safety seats in back. The stability control can be dialed off for track driving, too. As I've warned, visibility is an issue--thick A-pillars and low header make the forward view a concentrated effort; the sexy C-pillar blots out the rear quarter views. There's no rearview or surround-view camera available, and they would help immensely.

For luxury and convenience, the Rapide's standard features include a tilt-telescoping steering wheel, bi-xenon headlamps and LED taillamps. Leather and walnut trim are standard, with metallic accents; power front seats with memory and heating; Bluetooth; satellite radio; and USB and iPod connectivity.

Those audio inputs terminate in a cool-factor-10 Bang & Olufsen BeoSound system. It's the setup with the tweeters that rise from the dash, like little aural mushrooms. In all it puts out 1000 watts through 15 speakers, and does it with exceptional clarity, though you might want for a little more bass punch in your will.i.am.

The sour note in the cabin is the hard-drive navigation system; it's a bitch to use, since the controls are wheels and buttons on the center stack, since they're not logically arranged and since the small LCD screen doesn't have a touch interface. Just finding the way to zoom into a map can take a few aborted runs through all the controls.

The Rapide has a short options list. It includes your choice of trim from the whole forest, including mahogany, bamboo, ash, maple, olive and metal. There's a rear-seat entertainment system with twin LCD screens embedded in the front seatbacks and a six-DVD changer that fits into the trunk space and pairs with wireless headphones. Ventilated front seats can be specified. And from our conversations, it's a given the Rapide will at some point be offered with a panoramic sunroof, though none were brought to the first drive.



HI-RES GALLERY: 2010 Aston Martin Rapide




Tags:
Posted in:
 
Contribute
Send us a tip Comment Contact the editor
Follow Us

 

Have an opinion?Join the conversation!

  • Posting indicates you have read this site's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • Notify me when there are more comments
Comments (11)

  1. By  best micro m2 card Posted: 2/4/2010 8:55pm PST

    Aston Martin is still trying to get the Ford DNA out from years of manufacturer abuse, including the Ford Fiesta key fob that only made an exit a few years back.That’s “four-door SPORTS CAR”. The Quattroporte is a Grand Tourer, not a sports car. The Rapide was engineered as a Sports car, like all other cars bearing the Aston Martin badge. So it is in fact the first four-door sports car in the world.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  2. By Damien Thomas Posted: 2/4/2010 9:21pm PST

    best micro m2 card, how is the Rapide more of a sports car than the Porsche Panamera?
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  3. By  anywhen Posted: 2/5/2010 7:58am PST

    wow ... what a brilliant looking car - breathtaking!
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  4. By cooldude Posted: 2/5/2010 9:57am PST

    what a car and the love the scenery.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  5. By akatsuki Posted: 2/5/2010 12:32pm PST

    Nice puff piece. If it is a sports car, put it up against a Z06 - oh wait, now it is a GT sedan - maybe an M5 and CTS-V - oh now it is a luxury autobahn cruiser with sporting pretentions...
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  6. fb_1217089638 avatar Aaron Colthorpe Posted: 2/6/2010 12:34am PST

    put it up agaisnt an amg s-class..... id get the aston.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  7. By Carlover Posted: 2/6/2010 1:14am PST

    007 can drive this car off Duty but on mission. I don't want to roll it or have the door taken off. It can have gadgets.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  8. fb_1217089638 avatar Aaron Colthorpe Posted: 2/6/2010 7:52pm PST

    at least theres more room for 007's lovers...=/
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  9. By The Queen's Snatch Posted: 2/8/2010 7:22am PST

    @Damien Thomas just stand next to a Porsche Panamera and you'll see why it is NOT a sport car.. something so big and heavy-looking is not meant to be "sporty".
    Heck, it's fast, but you won't be fooling anyone when you call it your sport car. lol
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  10. By Damien Thomas Posted: 2/8/2010 3:54pm PST

    @By The Queen's Snatch, Haha I get it now. I have never seen the Rapide (concept or production version) in person. I just assumed it was a similar size to the Panamera.
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

  11. By Jason Posted: 4/9/2011 4:47pm PDT

    Marty Padgett i must say you did an excellent review of aston martin rapide super two doors plus two baby seats... We are in the generation that know how matters and Aston Martin can't compare it Know How to Germans...because aston has a too Low Know How..at least they should have kept in silence...
     
    Post Reply
    Vote
    Bad stuff?

 

Have an opinion?Join the conversation!

Connect with Facebook

Motor Authority. Now with your friends.

Discover stories your friends read.
Share stories more easily.
You control what you share.
Learn more

Research New Cars

Go!


More from High Gear Media

 
 
MotorAuthority
  • Follow Us
  • Twiiter
  • Facebook
 
 
© 2011 MotorAuthority. All Rights Reserved. MotorAuthority is published by High Gear Media. Stock photography by Homestar, LLC. Send us feedback.