Saar: Limited to just 210 units, it is powered by a 6.0-litre V12 engine with up to 603PS/630Nm on tap.
After revealing the DB11 AMR last month, Aston Martin has now taken the wraps off the limited-run Rapide AMR. The Brits took their time to put it on sale as the Rapide AMR concept was showcased during last year’s Geneva Motor Show. Aston Martin says that only 210 units of the super sports saloon will ever be made.
When it comes to the AMR division, the first thing to focus on is performance. But it isn’t that straight-forward with the Aston Martin Rapide AMR. Why? Well, for reasons that we just don’t understand, Aston Martin has taken the liberty to offer a more powerful version of the 6.0-litre V12 engine to the citizens of the UK and EU. The naturally aspirated powerplant has 603PS/630Nm on tap for those who come from the aforementioned group. For the rest of the world, the same engine is detuned to deliver 588PS/630Nm.
No matter from which part of the world you order one of these, the engine will come mated to rear-mounted 8-speed automatic transmission. Power is routed to the road via the rear-wheels only, with the help of a limited-slip differential. Aston Martin claims that the Rapide AMR can reach 100kmph from a standstill in 4.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 330kmph. What is really surprising is that the Rapide S has 560PS/630Nm on tap from the same 6.0-litre V12 engine. Its performance figures aren’t all that different to what the Rapide AMR brings to the party.
Where the Rapide AMR does differ from its less powerful sibling is in terms of looks. The Rapide AMR becomes the first-ever Aston Martin product to flaunt 21-inch alloy wheels, which the company claims have been forged specifically to be very stiff and aid in brake cooling. Speaking of which, as standard, the Rapide AMR comes with carbon ceramic brakes on all four wheels and to make it as slippery through the air as possible, it rides 10mm lower than the Rapide S.
Back to the looks department, the Rapide AMR has a sporty front bumper with big circular LED DRLs at either end and a reprofiled grille to make it look meaner than it actually is. At the rear, the dual-exhaust setup has been ditched in favour of a quad-exhaust one, which is housed neatly in the dual-tone bumper. And, of course, there’s the unmissable contrasting strip that runs from the bonnet right up till the tailgate. Aston Martin will offer three design schemes for the exterior – standard, silhouette and signature.
For the cabin, the Rapide AMR is available with either the AMR line or Galena Silver welting and stitching. There are loads of AMR logos here and there, including on the seats and door sills. Both the full-length carbon fibre centre console and the Alcantara seats are the firsts for a Rapide.
As far as features go, the Rapide AMR comes with automatic headlamps and wipers, front and rear parking sensors, automatic climate control and tyre-pressure monitoring system. There’s also cruise control, a 700-watt sound system, 6.5-inch LCD screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, and front seats with memory function.
Price? At the current exchange rates, it is available for a smidge over Rs 1.76 crore in the UK, just over Rs 1.62 crore in the USA and nearly for Rs 1.82 crore in Germany. That said, it will be offered all over the world, but not in Russia and China (weird again!). Deliveries will begin during the last quarter of this year.
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