2019 Aston Martin Rapide S
- First registered in January 2019
- Exceptional Aston Martin main-dealer service history
- Only 25,000 miles and two owners from new
- A superlative example in fantastic colours
| YEAR | 2019 |
| MAKE | Aston Martin |
| PRICE | £62,500 |
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION
Among Aston Martin’s modern-era grand tourers, few combine performance, presence and genuine long-distance usability quite like the Rapide S. Conceived as a true four-door Aston Martin rather than simply a sporting saloon, it brought together the marque’s naturally aspirated V12 performance with accommodation for four adults — and this example, first registered on 4th January 2019 and having covered just 25,000 miles from new, represents a particularly attractive opportunity.
Finished in silver over a black quilted leather interior, the car presents in a suitably understated specification, allowing the elegant proportions and distinctive detailing of the Rapide S to speak for themselves. More importantly, its history is equally compelling. Just two owners have enjoyed the car from new, while its service history is exceptional, with maintenance carried out exclusively by Aston Martin main dealerships throughout its life — exactly the provenance one would hope to find when considering an example of this calibre.
At the heart of the Rapide S sits Aston Martin’s formidable naturally aspirated 6.0-litre V12, producing 552bhp and driving the rear wheels through an eight-speed Touchtronic III automatic transmission. It is a combination that gives the Rapide S remarkable breadth of ability: effortless and refined when covering long distances, yet capable of delivering the performance and character expected of an Aston Martin when the opportunity presents itself.
The Rapide S occupies an unusual position within Aston Martin’s recent history. Its four-door configuration made it one of the most practical cars ever to wear the famous wings, yet beneath that practicality remained the architecture, craftsmanship and naturally aspirated twelve-cylinder engine that defined some of the marque’s most desirable grand tourers of the period.
With just 25,000 miles recorded, only two owners from new and a comprehensive Aston Martin main-dealer service history, this example combines the qualities that matter most when selecting a Rapide S. Presented in an elegant colour combination and powered by one of Aston Martin’s great naturally aspirated V12 engines, it offers an increasingly uncommon combination of performance, craftsmanship and everyday usability — and an opportunity to enjoy one of the most distinctive four-seat Aston Martins of the modern era.
MODEL HISTORY
The Aston Martin Rapide marked the marque’s return to the four-door grand tourer, more than three decades after the extraordinary William Towns-designed Lagonda first appeared. Previewed as a concept in 2006 and entering production in 2010, the Rapide approached the idea very differently, combining four-door practicality with the proportions, performance and character of Aston Martin’s contemporary sporting models. Its design was unmistakably related to the DB9, stretching the familiar long-bonnet, short-deck silhouette into an elegant four-door form without losing the visual identity of an Aston Martin.
Beneath its long bonnet sat Aston Martin’s naturally aspirated 6.0-litre V12, initially producing 470bhp and driving the rear wheels through a six-speed Touchtronic automatic transmission. Built around the marque’s bonded-aluminium VH architecture, the Rapide retained the character of a traditional Aston Martin grand tourer despite its additional doors, with extensive hand-finished leather, individual rear seating and a cabin finished to much the same standards as its two-door stablemates.
The Rapide S arrived in 2013 as a considerably evolved version of the original car. Its V12 was uprated to 550bhp — later 552bhp — while revisions to the chassis, styling and suspension sharpened the car’s character. From 2015, the introduction of ZF’s eight-speed Touchtronic III transmission further transformed its performance, reducing the 0–60mph time to around four seconds and giving the Rapide S a top speed in excess of 200mph.
Produced in comparatively small numbers, the Rapide and Rapide S remain among the most distinctive Aston Martins of the modern era. Combining genuine four-door usability with hand-finished craftsmanship, rear-wheel drive and a large-capacity naturally aspirated V12, they represent a particularly unusual chapter in Aston Martin’s history.