After giving the world (and us) a brand new Vanquish, Aston Martin's continued by facelifting its four-door wonder, the Rapide. And it just got better. And mouthier, which you may or may not consider better.
A 17% power rise comes thanks to CNC machined combustion chambers and lighter, hollow camshafts in the overhauled 6.0-liter V12, meaning that from now on, 558 horsepower helps get the kids to school in time after you sleep in. Dual variable camshaft timing, knock sensing, and fully catalysed stainless steel exhaust system are the other gizmos under the hood. There is also more torque at lower revs, while the peak output climbs to 457 ft-lb. That gives the Rapide S sub-5 second sprints to sixty with its Touchtronic 2 six-speed transmission, while the top speed is now 190 mph, making this the fastest four-door Aston ever.
The redesigned grill is so massive that the Rapide S probably won't fit in your rearview mirror. No worries, it won't stay behind you for long anyway. Hidden by that terrifying cooling device, the V12 also sits 0.74 inches lower to the ground, which should make the car handle even better than before, especially when coupled with the Adaptive Damping System. In case you turn it to "track mode" and make a mistake, the great news it that its scary face is not only better for pedestrians, but also features a new patent-pending construction which aids in saving your butt, too.
The interior is as luxurious and customizable as you would expect, while on the outside, you will have to go to Mansory for more bits made of carbon fibre. But the most important Rapide quality remains the same:
It looks like a two-door Aston, something no Maserati Quattroporte or Porsche Panamera can say.