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Aston Martin Will Replace Rapide With Electric Sedan In 2018

The Rapide is, in essence, a DB9 with a stretched wheelbase and two extra doors. Introduced in 2010 and based on the VH vehicle platform of the Gen3 variety, Aston Martin knows that the Rapide has to go and make way for all-new models. And one of those models is the RapidE.
Aston Martin RapidE Concept 11 photos
Photo: Aston Martin
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Introduced as a concept in 2015, the RapidE was developed with the help of Williams. The production model, Aston Martin says, will debut in 2018 and will boast Williams know-how. It’s only natural, then, that the head of the British outfit has high hopes for the all-electric sedan.

Speaking to Motoring, Andy Palmer underlines that “there’s a platform for the electric Rapide, so it has life in front of it, but the Rapide as you see it today is also going to be replaced by the DBX on one hand and the Lagonda on the other.” That’s a bit of a boo and hiss from my point of view, chiefly because only recently did Aston Martin introduce the Rapide AMR. In other words, the planet’s fastest four-door sedan.

The other problem is, the DBX is a crossover, whereas the Lagonda family is still in its infancy. Heck, the Taraf is uglier than sin for some people. The 5.9-liter naturally aspirated V12, however, has to go due to tighter and tighter emissions regulations. The upshot is that the powertrain will pack neck-snapping get-up-and-go. “600 kW or 800 hp” Motoring believes, but 600 kW convert to more than 800 ponies. The range, meanwhile, is expected to be around 320 km (almost 200 miles).

Whatever the future holds for Aston Martin, it’s worth remembering that the next-generation V8 Vantage is just around the corner. The DB11 is also due to receive a Volante version early next year, and soon after that, the company’s hypercar will go official sometime in 2018. Named Valkyrie, the high-performance bruiser will be gifted with a naturally aspirated V12 engine developed by Cosworth, the aerodynamic trickery of the Red Bull Racing team, and an F1-style KERS system.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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