UK Edition
Aston Martin Rapide AMR review: a fitting farewell for Aston's mighty V12 engine?
The Rapide AMR is the last hurrah for Aston Martin’s 6.0-litre, naturally aspirated V12 engine, and for the petrol-powered Rapide. Has the company given it a fitting send-off?
Aston Martin’s AMR division takes standard Aston Martins, if you can call them that, and applies lessons learned from the company’s race team, and ultra-high-performance projects to create something extra special. The AMR cars get more power, tweaked suspension, improved handling and some bright colourways to help them stand out from the crowd. The Rapide AMR benefits from all of AMRs tweaks and then some.
Its 6.0-litre V12 engine has been given a power boost, now offering a staggering 595bhp and 465lb ft. Aston Martin reckons this means the Rapide AMR will clip 62mph in 4.4 seconds from rest, and manage 205mph. Both hugely impressive numbers, sure, but it’s just how it manages them that impresses.
In a hurry, with a raucous V12 at full chat, the car surges forward at a pace so brisk your breath takes a break en route to your lungs. It’s quick, then.
Giving a car outrageous power is one thing, but making it stick is another. The Rapide AMR is, mercifully, immensely grippy. All of its power meets the road via the rear wheels, and unless you turn the traction control fully off and nail the throttle it manages to keep traction and fire you off in to the distance with glee.
When it comes to corners, the grip is just as evident. Turning in at speed, you feel a hint of body roll as the car hurls its not inconsiderable 1,990kg around, but nowhere near as much as its weight suggests. The AMR team has done well to disguise its mass. Retuned geometry means it handles brilliantly. Direction changes are fast and smooth, and the steering, though not the best out there, is as communicative as they come.
Thanks to adjustable modes for the drivetrain and suspension, you can set the car up to your preference – you can stiffen the springs for a more sporting drive, and give the engine and gearbox a prod to make them angry. While the latter results in big power and much noise, the former is best kept normal on British tarmac as it can feel a touch harsh.
Whopping brakes take care of stopping duties rather neatly. If you’re in a hurry they can be stamped on to wipe off as much speed as needed in no time at all, but that doesn’t mean they’re a pain to use around town. This is an Aston Martin after all, it’s there to make life easy.
AMR has tweaked the Rapide’s eight-speed automatic gearbox as well, it’s now quicker to respond when you want it to. If you want to shift using the steering wheel-mounted paddles you can, and the change is fast and smooth enough that only the biggest curmudgeons would call this gearbox slow.
If fast driving is your thing, the Rapide AMR is an easy thing to drive very, very fast indeed. It feels smaller than its five-metre length as well. It’s a four seat supercar, for sure. That said, if you like the idea of having it as a car to do it all… you can happily pop everything in their standard modes and let it waft your around town with ease. And if subtlety is your thing, the lime green stripes on the prototype test car are optional, not essential.
While it has four seats, those in the back don’t have an enormous amount of space. The sloping roofline rather limits headroom, and the tight cabin means shoulder room isn’t ample.
Minor quibbles aside, the last naturally aspirated V12 Aston Martin is a truly impressive machine, and one that’ll put a lot of smiles on a lot of faces.
Well, perhaps not a lot – Aston Martin is only making 210 Rapide AMRs globally.
THE FACTS
Aston Martin Rapide AMR
TESTED 5,935cc V12 petrol engine, eight-speed automatic gearbox, rear-wheel drive
PRICE/ON SALE £194,950 (before customisation)/now
POWER/TORQUE 595bhp @ 7,000rpm, 465lb ft @ 2,000rpm
TOP SPEED 205mph
ACCELERATION 0-62mph in 4.4sec
FUEL ECONOMY 20.5mpg WLTP combined
CO2 EMISSIONS NEDC 305g/km
VED £2070 first year, then £140
VERDICT Limited run, gloriously loud, mercilessly fast, and truly special. The last naturally aspirated V12 Aston Martin may not be the GT you dreamed about as a child, but it’s a capable four seater with looks to kill.
TELEGRAPH RATING Four stars out of five
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