Rapide will beat Panamera

[DanCBJMS1988]

Rapide will beat Panamera



The Aston-Martin Rapide 4-door/4-seat sports car concepted at the Detroit Motor Show in January will go into production next year.

The new car adds a level to the current Aston Martin range, and has an all-aluminium architecture.

More from http://irishcarman.blogspot.com/2006...-panamera.html

[slowpoke]

:drool:

The new Astons are beautiful.

[RWD60]

next year??? i'm never gonna get the money together that quickly!!!! that is an amazing sedan... a true 4 door coupe/sports car... imagine if pontiac could get a Bonneville that looked like that based on Zeta... but for only 25-35k instead of this thing's likely 100k+ price

[mkaresh]

It's just a stretched version of the coupe they already sell, so no surprise it'll get done quickly.

[Bravada]

Once again - why not Lagonda???

[DanCBJMS1988]

This can help you out:

http://www.fordeurope.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=17368

[mgescuro]

Rapide will do well for Aston... at least for those who can afford an Aston. Would compete with Panamera efefctively... and would give people looking at Flying Spur another car too contemplate.

I'd go for a Rapide, personally.

[CADILLACSIXTEEN]

They do it so quicky because all of their cars are built off of the same platform

[Hudson]

I like all this comparison between Aston Martin (drool) and Porsche (ho-hum). But does anyone realize that the Rapide will be considerably more expensive than the Panamera? Sure, they're both high-performance four-door models offered by companies best known for two-door models, but they're not necessarily going to go head-to-head. Why isn't anyone pointing out that the Maserati Quattroporte (again, drool) is already on the market and will be nearing its second-generation (of the current iteration) by the time Porsche introduces the Panamera?

Originally Posted by Bravada

Once again - why not Lagonda???

I looked it up, as a fan of Lagonda. "Rapide" actually predates the Aston Martin Lagonda. Prior to the 1970s, Lagonda was its own brand.

[Bravada]

I understand that you're referring to 1960s Lagonda Rapide? This is really very nasty, to rip off poor Lagonda of their own name while it's lying dead! I understand they want to capitalize on the Aston Martin connection given that this 4-door is literally a stretched Aston Martin coupe, but Aston Martin Lagonda would be nice (and sound better to me than "Rapide").

When I hear "Rapide", I can't help thinking of this:



The present Quattroporte is the fifth-generation Quattroporte, actually. I never heard of any restyle planned, I guess in true Maserati tradition the new model will be really different and thus a legitimate sixth generation.

[syr74]

I would prefer to see this badged as a Lagonda as well. Aston Martin could build two models, one like the above and another based on the upcoming Vanquish. With the similarity in styling, not to mention the ultimate look at me four door design of the last fifty years, brand recognition would be no problem no matter how much better known the Aston Martin moniker is.

[Hudson]

I, too, would have prefered the Lagonda name. Perhaps they'll come out with a higher-level sedan to carry that name.

Originally Posted by Bravada

The present Quattroporte is the fifth-generation Quattroporte, actually...

Trust me, I've been a fan of the Quattroporte for quite a few years. Each "generation" of the 4Porte always seems to be removed from the previous one, which is why I mentioned the current sedan as the "current iteration."

[Bravada]

I don't think what you say is actually in contradition that I said. I just haven't heard a word of Maserati revamping the current QP, so I guess when they come up with a new one, it's going to be as removed from the current one as the present is from the TGV MkIV.

[Hudson]

Originally Posted by Bravada

I don't think what you say is actually in contradition that I said. I just haven't heard a word of Maserati revamping the current QP, so I guess when they come up with a new one, it's going to be as removed from the current one as the present is from the TGV MkIV.

I was not trying to contridict you. Just letting you know that I didn't mean that the current 4Porte was the "first-generation" of the name. And I'm sure you're right that the next 4Porte will be much more closely related to the current model than the current model is from any previous generation.

[Bravada]

Now I actually contradicted what you said, but something got lost in transmission - I hope and I believe the new Quattroporte WILL be as different from the present as the present is from the past.