Aston Martin Rapide Getting Sportier and More Powerful Next Year, but No S Model Planned

There are few instances when a 470-hp, 5.9-liter V-12 is considered substandard. The reality for Aston Martin is that its sedan trails a competitive set that includes the 518-hp Mercedes-Benz CLS63 AMG, the 500-hp Porsche Panamera Turbo—which beat the Rapide handily in a comparison test—and the BMW M6 Gran Coupe that’ll debut soon with the same 560-hp twin-turbo V-8 from the standard M6 coupe and M5 sedan. What’s worse for Aston is that not only is the Rapide underpowered in its segment, it’s also expensive—the aforementioned competitors start below $140,000, while the Rapide’s sticker takes off from $212,110. Although the Rapide isn’t likely to get any cheaper, it is about to get more powerful. Read full story »

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Dave Kennedy Loris Kessel Bruce Kessler Nicolas Kiesa