"The Rapide is certainly a looker. The roofline moves at illegal
speeds, thanks to the greenhouse's acres of tumblehome and the
muscular haunches of the rear fenders' leading edge. Sure, the
Rapide is a hunkering, swaggering affair. But unlike the earth
hugging wedge of William Town's 1976 Aston Martin Lagonda, the
Rapide isn't a serious rethink of the traditional luxury sedan:
it's a Dachshund-ized DB9 with a significantly wider rear track. No
surprise then, that the Rapide so closely resembles the coupe
there's almost no difference from the front or rear."
Thetruthaboutcars.com, Dec. 2012
For consignment, a 2011 Aston Martin Rapide with a title verified
27,244 actual miles. This is a two owner car who, suffice it to
say, did not daily drive it. Yes, this is one we'd reserve for long
road trips where rear passengers are afforded plush accommodations!
This car has been maintained by the dealership.
Exterior
There might be a few who argue, but many agree, Aston Martin builds
some of the most beautiful cars in the world. Just as the Panamera
of Porsche took some time for the public to recognize, so too for
the Aston which takes the breathtaking two door coupes and adds a
set of doors. This one is bathed in miles deep Concours Blue paint
and instead of having contrasting tail lights, the futurist clean
lenses are like having crystal inlays on the rear deck. Even the
third brake light illuminates red, but presents like ice and
against the blue, it's fantastic. Elongated headlight housing is
cut perfectly into the front fender and Aston's distinctive grille
is front and center. The gold standard of accenting includes fender
vent trim that lights up, heat extractor hood vents in silver, and
of course, the steel winged logo. The 20-inch wheels show some
clear coat deglazing and some curb rash, and we note they are
wrapped in ZR rated tires with an early 2023 date code. Other
imperfections include some scratches and scuffs in several places,
rock chips below the lower grille, and a plethora of chin scrapes
on the same, and a few touched up chips.
Interior
There are interiors, and then there are Aston Martin interiors. The
door panels alone will take your breath as Blue Haze leather dances
with Cream Truffle leather, while the optional Tamo Ash wood
inserts take center stage. The silvery gray speakers and switchgear
are the encore and all four doors get a standing ovation from us.
Tall, sporty leather bucket seats with Rapide embroidery occupy the
front AND the rear and other than some minor patina creasing on the
fronts, the seating is in beautiful shape. A center console bisects
the seats in back where riders are afforded with cupholders, seat
and A/C controls, and rear screens in the front headrests. Up
front, the satin black steering wheel fronts an instrument cluster
that could have been designed by the world's best watchmakers;
clean, concise, and stylish, and situated behind glass. The center
gets more wood treatment and a handsome array of switches aligned
with a Bang and Olufsen Beosound audio system with CD. Plush dark
blue carpet below is matched by the plush tan headliner above and
the trunk is fully finished in thick blue carpet, including the
trunk lid. Wow.
Drivetrain
Artfully configured and taking up the entire bay is a 6.0 liter
DOHC V12 rated at an astounding 470 horsepower, normally aspirated
with fuel injection. It's mated to a Touchtronic 2 6-speed
automatic transmission that routes power to the rear axle with 3.46
gears.
Undercarriage
Attention to detail is evident underneath with strategic belly pans
vented where they need to be and there's even an NACA duct
underneath for airflow. Meanwhile, four wheel power disc brakes
with electronic brakeforce distribution are present, the dual
exhaust runs through all its original equipment including the
muffler, and suspension includes dynamic stability control and is
configured with Macpherson struts in front and double wishbone in
back.
Drive-Ability
Obviously, no complaints here. The car is a top tier touring sedan
that is comfortable, powerful, and grips the road with pitbull
intensity. All functions operate as they should and it's back to
indoor environments for this bit of British royalty. While Classic
Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time
of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be
working at the time of your purchase.
The window sticker comes with the car and along with the amenities
and options equipped, it also reveals a nearly $200,000 original
price. Needless to say, you can now be the beneficiary of some
normal depreciation.
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.
There is no guarantee of mileage. A $299 Dealer Administrative fee
is not included in the advertised price. All prices are before
state, city and county tax, tag, title and license fees. Out of
state buyers are responsible for all state, county, city taxes and
fees, as well as title/registration fees in the state that the
vehicle will be registered. Classic Auto Mall is not responsible
for errors and omissions. Please verify listings with dealer.
Vehicles may require VIN verification and/or safety and emissions
inspections to transfer ownership and register the vehicle in the
declared state of residence. Please check with your local DMV
office to ensure compliance with your states titling and
registration process.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and
we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host
Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends
in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and
automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune
in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy
listening. You can also watch on YouTube!
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