The best Rapide is the 2nd batch Rapide S which is the 2015 variant in terms of price vs value. (Not because I bought one, but it's because of this that i jumped onto the opportunity) 2010 Rapide had 470hp and the 6 speed transmission with black PRND plastic button and switches) 2013 Rapide S has 550hp and 620Nm and the 6 speed transmission with the glass PRND button and metal seat switches 2015 Rapide S has 552hp and 630Nm the 8 speed transmission and the glass PRND buttons and metal seat switches 2016 Rapide S has 552hp and 630Nm the 8 speed transmission but the new touch sensitive button dash had the clock deleted! I love my Rapide S so much that i daily drive it. The sound, the comfort, handling etc. And it's actually more fuel efficient than my Audi RS6 C7 and I suspect in the long run, it will be more reliable than the Audi due to the simple fact that it is pretty analogue for what it is.
Just got a 2015 Rapide S. I believe this is the best Rapide year. It also has Bosch engine management system (hopefully making it more reliable) and bigger brakes. It also has a carbon fiber prop shaft but I honestly don’t know the benefit of that! The new 8-speed transmission also features an ability to shift to the lowest gear by holding left paddle shifter. I don’t believe this was available in the 6-speed.
I owned a DB9 for 5 years and 43,000 miles, sold it and got a Rapide. Love it!!!! Agree the backseats are not roomy. But for short hops with friends for the evening it is fine. For daily driving it is perfect! The extra space, easy back seat access for briefcase and general stuff is great. The extra ground clearance vs DB9 is a game changer. Great car buy one !! ASAP
Love having my Rapide S in my line up which includes a Z4 M Coupe, Audi 20V ur quattro, and Honda Integra DC2 Type R. A Touareg V6S (MY19) does the heavy lifting. With young grandchildren the rear seats are genuinely useful, even taking full size car seats. And on trips away we find the extra luggage space so useful we can leave the Touareg at home! 2013, owned 6 months bought for £45,000, at 55,000miles. I'm in New Zealand. Yes, the Rapide has its limitations but it's got the performance and handling credentials to hold its head high alongside its brothers in the range, given its design brief. And with the longer wheelbase and imposing nose, has great road presence, attracting as much favourable attention as any Aston should!
@@stephenhunt6673 too early to tell yet. I'm going to need discs/pads all around in next 12 months. Luckily I have a brilliant indie who's very interested in Astons and a parts guru.
I'm a big believer in the idea that a "do everything" car doesn't really exist. I'm quite happy to have a few things to do different jobs well rather than rely on the "one size fits all" model. Rapide does look to be excellent value for money, but I don't get the impression that it excells at any one job in particular. To nail my colours to the mast, I made the very choice that you suggested in that I opted for a supercharged Range Rover and a 4.7 Vantage manual.
That was a really interesting video. It made me feel quite smug buying my 2013 Rapide for 51k with reasonable mileage. I love the car so much it’s my daily driver. I am fortunate that my kids are still quite young so fit in it snuggly and enjoy having all the toys. It makes them feel very special too.
Bamford, Never, Ever heard anyone with your wealth of British cars knowledge and experience, and your sledgehammer erudition with precision expression, delivery and nuance. Learning a lot about a lot from you. One "old-timer" question: long ago relatives and friends had and drove me around in Aston DB 3/4, Austin Healey 3000, MG-TD, MGA he supercharged, MGB-GT...brief comments?
I had a test drive in a low-mileage 2011 basic Rapide two weeks ago and was pleasantly surprised by its Jehkyl and Hyde personality. The suspension was harder than I imagined and visibility out of the back window was very poor and could have been better. Overall a great car and only £32k. Thanks for your commentary. Always informative.
Undoubtedly a hidden gem in the range. Not the obvious Aston, but goes well, sounds great inside and rides well. Here in the UK the NVH is notably easier to live with and it does have extended practicality over the coupes. Many have gorgeous interiors. I’ve toyed with buying one since a tester day some years back.
I have 2 cars, including a 2015 Rapide S and that arrangement is sub-optimal. When I drive one, I have FOMO about the other. So I am selling the other car and keeping the Aston. It satisfies me enough and it has enough character to form an emotional connection. I can take my daughter to school in it and I never feel like I am missing out. Every trip is special. Granted, it's not a lightweight handler, but the sound makes up for it on a windy road. Lower the windows, put the 8spd tranny into manual mode, flick through the gears at redline, and you forget it's a big car. Bottom line, no car is perfect, but we only have one life, so drive the best car you can afford EVERY time you drive!
As an Aston lover - with a wheelchair - I found the bootspace in my 2005 DB9 always problematic... the 'chair would just not fit in the boot, so the wheels would always have to come off and go on a rear seat. Not ideal! SO my realistic option has to be a Rapide. The additional performance AND economy puts an "S" at the top of my list! Ideally the quilted seats and headlining of a '15/'16 Shadow edition in a good colour over a tan interior is ideal but it may take another year's worth of depreciation to get below 60k which is the top end of my budget - though money is likely to be less of a problem than persuading my other half!!!
![The 4-Door V12 SUPERCAR People FORGET! [Aston Martin Rapide AMR]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/zWgzXlv-O0g/mqdefault.jpg)
The best Rapide is the 2nd batch Rapide S which is the 2015 variant in terms of price vs value. (Not because I bought one, but it's because of this that i jumped onto the opportunity)
2010 Rapide had 470hp and the 6 speed transmission with black PRND plastic button and switches)
2013 Rapide S has 550hp and 620Nm and the 6 speed transmission with the glass PRND button and metal seat switches
2015 Rapide S has 552hp and 630Nm the 8 speed transmission and the glass PRND buttons and metal seat switches
2016 Rapide S has 552hp and 630Nm the 8 speed transmission but the new touch sensitive button dash had the clock deleted!
I love my Rapide S so much that i daily drive it. The sound, the comfort, handling etc. And it's actually more fuel efficient than my Audi RS6 C7 and I suspect in the long run, it will be more reliable than the Audi due to the simple fact that it is pretty analogue for what it is.
I think the 2016+ with updated interior and 8speed has already bottomed out, at least stateside. I just don't see these prices going any lower.
Just got a 2015 Rapide S. I believe this is the best Rapide year. It also has Bosch engine management system (hopefully making it more reliable) and bigger brakes. It also has a carbon fiber prop shaft but I honestly don’t know the benefit of that!
The new 8-speed transmission also features an ability to shift to the lowest gear by holding left paddle shifter. I don’t believe this was available in the 6-speed.
I owned a DB9 for 5 years and 43,000 miles, sold it and got a Rapide. Love it!!!! Agree the backseats are not roomy. But for short hops with friends for the evening it is fine. For daily driving it is perfect! The extra space, easy back seat access for briefcase and general stuff is great. The extra ground clearance vs DB9 is a game changer. Great car buy one !! ASAP
Love having my Rapide S in my line up which includes a Z4 M Coupe, Audi 20V ur quattro, and Honda Integra DC2 Type R. A Touareg V6S (MY19) does the heavy lifting.
With young grandchildren the rear seats are genuinely useful, even taking full size car seats.
And on trips away we find the extra luggage space so useful we can leave the Touareg at home!
2013, owned 6 months bought for £45,000, at 55,000miles. I'm in New Zealand. Yes, the Rapide has its limitations but it's got the performance and handling credentials to hold its head high alongside its brothers in the range, given its design brief.
And with the longer wheelbase and imposing nose, has great road presence, attracting as much favourable attention as any Aston should!
Thanks Greg. I love the Rapid too,moreover the 1st gen. How are servicing costs?.
@@stephenhunt6673 too early to tell yet. I'm going to need discs/pads all around in next 12 months. Luckily I have a brilliant indie who's very interested in Astons and a parts guru.
I'm a big believer in the idea that a "do everything" car doesn't really exist. I'm quite happy to have a few things to do different jobs well rather than rely on the "one size fits all" model.
Rapide does look to be excellent value for money, but I don't get the impression that it excells at any one job in particular. To nail my colours to the mast, I made the very choice that you suggested in that I opted for a supercharged Range Rover and a 4.7 Vantage manual.
That was a really interesting video. It made me feel quite smug buying my 2013 Rapide for 51k with reasonable mileage. I love the car so much it’s my daily driver. I am fortunate that my kids are still quite young so fit in it snuggly and enjoy having all the toys. It makes them feel very special too.
I hope my dogs will feel the same - with a load-liner in place, of course!
Bamford, Never, Ever heard anyone with your wealth of British cars knowledge and experience, and your sledgehammer erudition with precision expression, delivery and nuance. Learning a lot about a lot from you. One "old-timer" question: long ago relatives and friends had and drove me around in Aston DB 3/4, Austin Healey 3000, MG-TD, MGA he supercharged, MGB-GT...brief comments?
I had a test drive in a low-mileage 2011 basic Rapide two weeks ago and was pleasantly surprised by its Jehkyl and Hyde personality. The suspension was harder than I imagined and visibility out of the back window was very poor and could have been better. Overall a great car and only £32k. Thanks for your commentary. Always informative.
I still like the original Rapide, when it first came out. The new one is a bit too overstyled. Aston are iconic cars, anyway.
Undoubtedly a hidden gem in the range. Not the obvious Aston, but goes well, sounds great inside and rides well. Here in the UK the NVH is notably easier to live with and it does have extended practicality over the coupes. Many have gorgeous interiors. I’ve toyed with buying one since a tester day some years back.
Happy to have found you!
Looking at one of these now and one of the best examples online at £72k so amazing that they still had depreciation
I have 2 cars, including a 2015 Rapide S and that arrangement is sub-optimal. When I drive one, I have FOMO about the other. So I am selling the other car and keeping the Aston. It satisfies me enough and it has enough character to form an emotional connection. I can take my daughter to school in it and I never feel like I am missing out. Every trip is special.
Granted, it's not a lightweight handler, but the sound makes up for it on a windy road. Lower the windows, put the 8spd tranny into manual mode, flick through the gears at redline, and you forget it's a big car.
Bottom line, no car is perfect, but we only have one life, so drive the best car you can afford EVERY time you drive!
Just had to let ours go 😢 such a beautiful daily drive. Bigger plans so she had to go 😢
I managed to get the in-laws in the back off mine. Shame.
As an Aston lover - with a wheelchair - I found the bootspace in my 2005 DB9 always problematic... the 'chair would just not fit in the boot, so the wheels would always have to come off and go on a rear seat. Not ideal!
SO my realistic option has to be a Rapide. The additional performance AND economy puts an "S" at the top of my list! Ideally the quilted seats and headlining of a '15/'16 Shadow edition in a good colour over a tan interior is ideal but it may take another year's worth of depreciation to get below 60k which is the top end of my budget - though money is likely to be less of a problem than persuading my other half!!!
I'm looking for Rapide S is it big difference between 6 & 8 speed?? Because the price is much different..
what extra horsepower can you easily achieve with a mulsanne ?
The Rapide is a LWB DB9,but looks awkward.
😔
The edit is just terrible. Constant cutting at each sentence makes it so hard to watch. It's ok to talk normally pal!! We don't need over editing