The GT sedan seems to be the hottest ticket on the market these days with Italians selling Quattroportes and now the Germans getting in on the action with the new Panamera, but the coachbuilders of England have not had anything to boast about until recently when they began work on a fast four door of their own in the $200,000 price range.
When the Aston Martin Rapide->ke1082 arrives in showrooms it will be wearing a $199,950 price tag and will come complete with the new car smell from Aston's Austrian facility. With over 200 man hours being deidcated to each Rapide and an estimated first year production run of 2000 units, give or take a few, the English craftsmen will deidcate 18,333 and a third days to making Rapides. With the hand built sports car experience that Aston Martin's employees have gained from over the years will certainly play in the new Rapide's favor.
Press release after the jump.
PRESS RELEASE
Aston Martin Announces Rapide Pricing for the United States
Irvine, 5th December 2009. As the eagerly awaited Aston Martin Rapide four-door sports car goes through final engineering and testing phases before being launched in early quarter two 2010, Aston Martin confirms US pricing.
The price of the Rapide will start from $199,950 in the US which features an impressive level of standard specification including: Bang & Olufsen Beosound audio system tailored specifically for Rapide, heated memory seats, dual cast brakes and Adaptive Damping System.
The Rapide is Aston Martin’s first production four-door sports car encapsulating the practicality of a car with extra doors and fusing it with the trademark sports car dynamics synonymous with modern Aston Martins.
Customer deliveries will commence in spring 2010, and it will be the first sports car to be hand-built at the Aston Martin Rapide Plant (AMRP) in Graz, Austria. The new 17,000 m2 building has been designed to reflect the quality levels established in Gaydon since 2003 permitting the fusion of modern technology, advanced
manufacturing processes and handbuilt craftsmanship. Each Rapide will take approximately 220 man hours to build and will benefit from timeless craft skills just like the existing range: DBS, DB9, V12 and V8 Vantage do at Gaydon.
It is anticipated that +/- 2,000 Rapides will be built in the first year attracting a high proportion of new customers to the brand. Core to this trend is the mix of huge attention to detail throughout the car, ample accommodation for up to four adults and the spacious trunk while maintaining Rapide’s elegant beauty and sports car profile.
The Rapide is on sale now available to order from the Aston Martin dealership network across North America.