if the Rapide doesn’t satisfy the power-hungry, speed demon in you, then one with the ‘S’ should. meet the 2014 Aston Martin Rapide S, an already beautiful luxury sports sedan given a mid-life makeover that had its 6.0-liter V12 engine pushing out an extra 80 ponies at 550 horses (558 PS or 410 kW) and a peak torque of 620 Nm (20 Nm more over its outgoing predecessor). now, how’s that for practicality? billed as the most powerful four-door Aston Martin to date, this new figures pushed the four-door ride from standstill to 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 4.9 seconds, shaving off 0.3 seconds off from the Rapide, and on its way to a top speed of 190 mph (306 km/h). bolstering this performance are lower mounted engine, CNC machined combustion chambers with lighter, hollow, cam shafts, dual variable camshaft timing, knock sensing, plus a fully catalyzed stainless steel exhaust system. despite the bump in power and torque, the S’s economy goes the opposite way: achieving 19.9 mpg on combined cycle. other improvements include revised dynamic stability control (DSC) to cope with its increase output, latest Gen4 hi-tech Adaptive Damping System (ADS) with three distinct settings (‘Normal’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Track’), a new front grille design that’s not only pretty but also complies with the latest European pedestrian protection regulations, a new bonnet, a new front bumper construction and of course, a luxuriously appointed and yet sporty interior that comprises of an all-new piano black interior, pure glass transmission selector switches, improved noise, vibration and harshness characteristics and foldable rear seats to temporary increase the Rapide S cargo space. the 2014 Aston Martin Rapide S will be rolling into the British marque’s 146 dealerships worldwide in February with pricing to be announced closer to the sale date. learn more about the 2014 Aston Martin Rapide S HERE.
