Aston Martin Rapide: “Speed Racer, Party of Four”
It should not surprise you that luxury sports car maker, Aston Martin will be racing in the 24 Hours of LeMans this year.
What may surprise you is that they’ll be barreling down the Mulsanne Straight from behind the wheel of a 4-door car.
That’s right: Aston Martin wants to remind you that racing can be fun for the whole family. The team is running this classic test of endurance in support of their new Rapide model, which splits the difference between Aston’s exotic DB9 sports car and a high-end luxury sedan.
“The Rapide has the capability to carry four people in comfort but first and foremost it is a sports car and we will subject it to the same tests we would our other sports cars,” explains CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez.
Impressively, Aston plans to run their car as close to showroom form as possible. The only modifications to the Rapide will be a modestly re-tuned suspension, racing tires, and mandatory safety equipment.
Motorsports is deeply important to sports car brands like Aston Martin, Porsche, Lamborghini, Maserati, and Ferrari. Competition add legitimacy and, “subjects the car to the toughest possible assessment under public scrutiny,” according to Bez.
As a four-door, the Rapide is a surprising departure from Aston Martin’s tradition lineup of sports cars and could very easily be dismissed as a gimmick. But by subjecting the car to 24 hours of grueling abuse, the automaker is demonstrating it’s confidence in the vehicle and proving that the four-door concept deserves its place in the lineup.
