Rapide S 2013, V12 atmosphérique de 552 ch, quatre portes et grand tourisme authentique : voici pourquoi cette Aston Martin occupe un territoire unique.
Rapide S, or the quiet assertion of a philosophy: in 2013, Aston Martin refined its four-door sport saloon to create a singular grand tourer, faithful to the naturally aspirated V12 and discreet elegance. This article sets out what the S version genuinely brought to the 2010 Rapide, clarifies its positioning against the usual rivals, and explains why this masterstroke has never found a direct equivalent.
From the 2010 Rapide to the 2013 Rapide S: the 3 key technical changes
First and foremost, power. Launched in 2013, the Rapide S lifts output to 552 PS, according to Aston Martin’s pressroom and model sheet. The mechanical heart remains a naturally aspirated 6.0‑litre V12, the in-house AM28, set within an already proven architecture. The power increase is the most documented evolution and, on its own, redefines the model’s potential.
Second, the continuity of the platform. The saloon is built on the aluminium VH platform shared with the DB9 and DBS, and assembled at Gaydon. The move to the S badge brings no structural break: it consolidates a technical base common to the core of the range, guaranteeing rigidity and weight saving, without denying its grand touring genes.
Third, holistic fine-tuning. With no additional figures published here on aerodynamics or brakes, the essence lies in the overall honing that accompanies the power hike: an evolution by optimisation rather than a change of course. In short, the Rapide S remains a long‑legged Aston Martin, more assured, livelier, still hushed.
552 PS and a naturally aspirated 6.0‑litre V12: engine choice as an identity statement
In a segment won over by forced induction, the Rapide S proudly runs a naturally aspirated V12 of 6.0 litres. It’s a choice of character as much as of engineering: an AM28 with a linear delivery, shared with the VH family, which sets the saloon within the brand’s sporting tradition. In an age of headline‑grabbing spec sheets, it prefers mechanical nobility to showmanship.
This stance sounds and feels different. Where others bank on a tidal wave of torque, the Rapide S offers a progressive climb to the red line, a natural response and a soundtrack you don’t get from a blower. It’s a decision consistent with Aston Martin’s DNA, and one of the pillars of its enduring appeal.
By embracing this V12, the Rapide S positions itself clearly in the realm of the grand tourer rather than a record‑hunting saloon. It speaks of flow, reserve and poise, with 552 PS that seeks not demonstration but unruffled pace.
Four true seats in a 5.02‑metre body: the packaging compromise
With an overall length of 5,019 mm according to Aston Martin’s official data, the Rapide S aims for balance between style and usability. The stretched profile makes room for four real seats and a usable boot without tipping into a monolithic silhouette. It’s a delicate compromise: lengthening without burdening, accommodating without distorting.
The VH base, common to DB9 and DBS, allowed a low, taut profile despite the four doors. Inside, you find a true 2+2 conceived for travel, where the rear isn’t a mere occasional bench. Here, the sport saloon reads first as an elongated coupé, faithful to Gaydon elegance.
This architectural choice illustrates the Rapide S’s calling: not a traditional English limousine, not an ostentatious fastback, but a four‑door GT built to devour distances. A way of standing apart, in both form and function.
Rapide S versus Panamera Turbo and Maserati Quattroporte: a hard segment to defend
Up against the go‑to references – Porsche Panamera Turbo, Maserati Quattroporte – the Rapide S plays a different score. It doesn’t stack technologies to beat the clock; it asserts a grand touring proposition centred on a naturally aspirated V12, aluminium construction and a silhouette that prizes momentum.
Compared with these rivals, the Aston Martin saloon sets out another scale of values: an old‑school engine (in the best sense), a platform shared with the in‑house coupés, and a design that seeks purity rather than maximum functionality. On paper that can look like a weakness; on the road, it’s character.
Indeed, the Rapide S occupies a territory where coherence trumps one‑upmanship. It speaks to those who want a four‑door Aston, not a generic sports saloon. The market sometimes looked puzzled; enthusiasts saw a welcome rarity.
Production ended in 2020: why the saloon line had no successor
Rapide S production ended in 2020, with no direct four‑door successor announced. In the meantime, diversification happened elsewhere: the DBX, launched in 2019, opened Aston Martin to a broader SUV market, with the commercial appetite we now know.
This shift reflects a strategic priority. The Rapide S was a statement of style and engineering – N/A V12, aluminium VH, elegant four doors – while the DBX answers robust global demand. On one side, the singular piece; on the other, the range’s foundation. The decision is clear without denying what the saloon represented.
Still, history will recall the first four‑door Aston Martin since the 1930s, reinterpreted in the 21st century. An important milestone in the marque’s official timeline, and a parenthesis that deserved to exist in full.
Current market and collecting prospects for the Rapide S
In the landscape of prestige youngtimers, the Rapide S advances non‑negotiable strengths: a naturally aspirated V12, aluminium architecture shared with the marque’s GTs, and production ending in 2020. As turbocharging and electrification redraw the offer, this profile grows more desirable.
Demand is coalescing around clear criteria: the mechanical configuration and the authenticity of the Aston Martin experience. The lack of a direct successor bolsters the appeal of a model with no strict equivalent in today’s range.
For anyone seeking a different grand touring saloon, the Rapide S is a credible entry point into the Aston universe, with that extra soul only a V12 brings. Connoisseurs know it: some cars gain in use‑value before they gain in value, full stop.
Conclusion: why the Rapide S remains a lasting exception
From 2010 to 2013, the story pivoted on a simple, decisive adjustment: 552 PS and a confidently naturally aspirated V12. To that, the Rapide S added the elegance of four doors and the rigour of the VH platform, to sign a singular GT. Faced with more demonstrative alternatives, it chose measure and fidelity to Aston Martin’s DNA. That is precisely what makes it unique today, and likely desirable tomorrow.
- To explore the dedicated spec sheet and launch context, see the official Rapide S presentation and the Aston Martin past models page.
- For lineage and positioning, a useful overview can be found in the summary article on the Rapide.
Also on AstonLegacy.fr:
- The in‑depth model file on the Rapide, from genesis to maturity.
- Our back‑to‑basics take on the 2010 Rapide in four key points.
- The technical story of the aluminium VH platform of the DB9 and DBS.
