High on the highway: The new Aston Martin Rapide has been stretched considerably to make space for rear seats and doors

It’s very difficult to distract the attention of early morning walkers in Mumbai’s Marine Drive. On the morning I took the Aston Martin Rapide for a drive, however, they had enough reason to walk up to the car, examine it momentarily and quietly ask the question I’ve now become used to — “What is it?”

The Rapide is a front-engined supercar that has been stretched from the front and the rear to fit in a pair of rear doors and seats. In fact, the rear seats even offer an over-the-shoulder experience for passengers, quite rare in a supercar. On opening the tiny rear door, the process of getting into the rear seat involves positioning yourself at the correct angle, placing your foot into the bucket-like foot well and then lowering yourself onto the seat. Once inside, you have a commanding view of the driver and all the binnacles ahead of him.

The slightly tight rear seat is made worse by the relatively low roof and a high central console. But to counter the snug feel is the fact that you feel one with all the action because of your proximity to the driver. However, the Rapide is more about the Aston Martin experience rather than luxury or comfortable backseat travel.

Initially, there’s an overriding sense of being in an environment built to the highest standards — bar none. Attention to detail is terrific and even tiny bits like the slender felt lining on the sun visors make you gape in awe at the ambience Aston Martin has pulled off. The electronic handbrake lever made of heavy cast iron, the central console buttons that work the automatic gearbox and other detailing are exceptional.

Use the key fob to bring this Aston’s sublime engine to life and you will be pleasantly surprised. This motor has been tuned to suit the Rapide’s more soothing personality, developing 470bhp at 6000rpm. What sets this motor apart is just how effortless, smooth and responsive it feels. By 3000rpm, where other motors are beginning to get into their stride, this motor has already delivered a strong burst of acceleration — I involuntarily had to get my foot off the gas. You never require an additional bout of performance and the Rapide feels tremendously fast even in higher gears.

A squeeze of the pedal makes this car explode forward, tossing your head back, and the rear wheels and traction control system struggle to get power down to the road. The fabulous V12 engine garners a rough tone past 3500rpm, all the while pulling harder and faster. Even my hard-to-please photographer, Ashley, seemed impressed with the pace of this car, and upon seeing his disbelief at the notion that I was just using half-throttle, I got to a clear stretch of road and floored it.

The resultant boost plunged us further into our seats while we climbed to 5000rpm. Lane markings merged into a solid line, the push from the seatback got harder and the Rapide unleashed even more violence as I shifted into the next gear. The end of the road loomed, however, and I was forced to slam the brakes. This exceptional motor proves adequately that it does not leave you wanting in any department — be it performance, refinement or even braking.

The steering feel is incredible. It’s light and responsive at low speeds, but equally solid and weighty while cornering hard. Also included are adjustable dampers and a ‘Sport’ mode, which makes the car more performance-oriented by firming up the suspension and improving the gearbox response times.

The ride quality is very well-suited to Indian conditions, thereby allowing you to access a lot more of the potential that this Aston has on offer. Yes, some sharp edges result in a loud thump but the suspension does not crash through potholes. In some part, this is due to the bonded aluminum architecture, massively stiffened to compensate for the additional length. The car behaves much like a true sports GT. The turn-in is precise, body control is exemplary and the Rapide feels perfectly balanced in corners, with oodles of grip available.

The only downside to this magnificent 4-seater is its Rs 2.3-crore price tag. While it may not tick all the boxes and be a rational buy, finding a car that comes close to this beauty to share with your family or friends is almost impossible.

SPec check

aston martin rapide

Price: Rs 2.3 crore (est)
L/W/H: 5019/1929/1360mm
Engine: V12, 5935cc, petrol/ front, longitudinal
Top speed: 295kph
Power: 470bhp at 6000rpm
Torque: 61.24kgm at 5000rpm
Gearbox: 6-speed automatic
Brakes (F/R): 390mm ventilated discs/ 360mm ventilated discs