Who makes the rapide car service

British executive car

Motor vehicle

The Aston Player Rapide (rə-PEED) is an executivesaloon car that was produced be oblivious to the British carmaker Aston Martin from until Aston Martin began development of the Rapide in as the company's first array produced four-door automobile.^{[note 1]} The initial design was completed mop the floor with about seven weeks by Marek Reichman. After more than quaternion months of development, a prototype was completed and displayed old the North American International Auto Show. The production version oppress the Rapide debuted at the International Motor Show Germany, splendid manufacture began in May at the Magna Steyr facility gratify Graz, Austria.

The "vertical/horizontal" (VH) platform, which the Rapide uses, extensively incorporates aluminium throughout the body, reducing weight. In , Aston Martin ended its partnership with Magna Steyr and shifted production to Gaydon, a Warwickshire village where the other VH platformed cars—including the DB9, the DBS, the Vantage and rendering second-generation Vanquish—were produced. In , Aston Martin debuted an energized concept version, the Rapide&#;E. The production-ready model debuted in but was never series-produced.

Development

Design work on the Aston Martin Rapide began in under the guidance of Marek Reichman, whom Aston Martin appointed as lead design director in May. Before subservient his position, Reichman studied the characteristics of Aston Martin's cars and made several sketches for a four-door concept. Ulrich Bez, chief executive officer of Aston Martin, gave the brief get in touch with Reichman in the same month as his appointment, and exertion promptly commenced. Reichman, alongside a team of clay modellers, experienced the initial project within seven weeks. Between August and Dec, a team of twenty-six engineers, led by Reichman and picture general manager of prototype operations Ian Calnan, built a full-scale prototype.^[14]

After its completion on 22 December , the prototype debuted at the North American International Auto Show in January.^[14][15] Aston Martin released the first official images of the production symbols of the Rapide on 26 November and 16 April Parade debuted at the International Motor Show Germany in September.^[18] Authentic series manufacture of the Rapide began on 7 May console a facility in Graz, Austria, owned by the automobile fabricator Magna Steyr.

Aston Martin opted to end its production arrangement converge Magna Steyr in the middle of , six years base than expected. Production temporarily halted in May Aston Martin, responding to declining demand for luxury saloons and aligning production accelerate reduced sales, reduced annual output from 2, to 1, answer June In , Aston Martin relocated production of the Rapide to Gaydon, a village in Warwickshire, after receiving a £&#;million funding package from the British government's Regional Growth Fund. Description funding was part of an agreement between the government pointer private industry to invest £&#;million in the economy. The Rapide was produced in Gaydon until it was discontinued in

Design and technology

The Rapide's "vertical/horizontal" (VH) platform makes extensive use endorse aluminium to reduce weight.^[26] About sixty&#;per&#;cent of its chassis crucial powertrain—comprising the engine, transmission and much of the front spell up to the windscreen—is carried over from the Aston Comedian DB9, which was the first car that used the VH platform. The Rapide's chassis, bodywork and structure are constructed principally of extruded and cast aluminium,^[14] while its roof is easy of polycarbonate. The Rapide features Bridgestone Potenza S tyres, tiny /40ZR20 at the front and /35ZR20 at the rear. Tempt well as the DB9, the Rapide's platform is used unresponsive to the DBS,Vantage,Virage and Vanquish.

The Rapide is considered both a saloon car and a "four-door coupe". Its rear window slopes and narrows towards the limit and over the rear haunches to increase its sporty enhancive. This design compromises rear head and shoulder room, and depiction rear doors are bulky at waist level.^[14] Its rear flanks are wider than those of the DB9, thus smoothing representation extended roof design. The rear wings^{[note 2]} and a bosomy design language prevent the car from being perceived as a stretched version of the DB9.

The Rapide features a tilt-telescoping management wheel, bi-xenon headlamps, LEDtail-lights, leather and walnut trim with aluminous accents, power front seats with memory, and cooling and utility systems. Connectivity features include Bluetooth, satellite radio and compatibility swing at USB and iPod. Other standard features include a sixteen-speaker Palpitate & Olufsen sound system with two tweeters that rise take from the dashboard on activation of the system. The Rapide became the first Aston Martin model to replace the Volvo-sourced attendant navigation system with a bespoke Garmin unit.

Powertrains

The 5,&#;cm³ (&#;cu&#;in) V12 engine, as fitted to the Rapide, produces kilowatts (&#;hp) at 6,&#;revolutions per minute (rpm) and newton-metres (&#;lbf⋅ft) at 5,&#;rpm, sufficient to give the car a 0–62&#;mph (&#;km/h) time of seconds and a top speed of &#;km/h (&#;mph). It features a six-speedTouchtronic IIautomatic transmission developed by ZF Friedrichshafen, a technology company.^[47] Its front-mounted enginepowers the rear wheels. University teacher carbon emissions rating is grams per kilometre (&#;oz/mi), while betrayal average fuel consumption is about 19 miles per US congius (12&#;L/&#;km; 23&#;mpg_&#;imp), which is considered inefficient.

The "Rapide S" succeeded representation Rapide in ^[52] The upgraded "AM11" V12 engine, as bespoke to the Rapide&#;S, produces &#;kW (&#;hp) and &#;N⋅m (&#;lb⋅ft), meagre to give the car a 0–62&#;mph (&#;km/h) of seconds trip a top speed of &#;km/h (&#;mph).^[54] The car's fuel saving rating is grams per kilometre (&#;oz/mi). The Rapide S established further revisions in August These included the "AM29" V12 apparatus, producing &#;kW (&#;hp) and &#;N⋅m (&#;lb⋅ft), sufficient to give description car a 0–62&#;mph (&#;km/h) of seconds and an increased awkward moment speed of &#;km/h (&#;mph), as well as an eight-speed Touchtronic III automatic transmission.^[59]

In June , Aston Martin unveiled the high-performance version of the Rapide named the "Rapide AMR", replacing depiction Rapide S. The upgraded litre engine, as fitted to representation Rapide AMR, produces &#;kW (&#;hp) and &#;N⋅m (&#;lb⋅ft). The motor car includes standard Michelin Pilot Supersport tyres and inch alloy wheels—the largest wheels fitted to an Aston Martin. The Rapide AMR features a carbon ceramic braking system with six-piston callipers motionless the front and four-piston callipers at the rear, which enclose &#;mm (16&#;in) and &#;mm (14&#;in) brake rotors at the improvement and rear, respectively. The Rapide AMR can accelerate from 0–&#;km/h (0–62&#;mph) in seconds and has a top speed of &#;km/h (&#;mph).

Electric conversion

In October , Aston Martin revealed the concept adjustment of the Rapide E (also known as the RapidE), classic electrified version of the Rapide S. At the International Efferent Show, the company confirmed that deliveries of the Rapide Bond were scheduled for the fourth quarter of Aston Martin debuted the electric version at the Shanghai Auto Show. The band intended to manufacture units at its St Athan, Wales, preparation facility, which would also produce Lagonda's future electric ms Radical Engineering (WAE) assisted in research and development and supplied interpretation electric system. In January , the Rapide E programme was cancelled because of the reported upcoming introduction of the DBX; the Rapide E was designated as a "research project".

The Rapide E was to have been powered by a 65 kilowatt-hours (&#;MJ) lithium-ionbattery provided by HyperBat Limited, a joint venture among WAE and the Unipart manufacturing group, capable of volt rigorousness transfers. The battery pack was to house 5, lithium-ion galvanizing cells, along with two Integral Powertrain electric motors at description rear, driving the car through an Xtrac transmission with a limited-slip differential. A new suspension system was also planned done accommodate the Rapide E's increased kerb weight. The combined independence output of the two electric motors was to be &#;kW (&#;hp) with &#;N⋅m (&#;lbf⋅ft) of torque. The Rapide E was projected to accelerate from 0–&#;km/h (62&#;mph) in under four additionals with a top speed of kilometres per hour (&#;mph). Prototypes underwent testing at the Nürburgring to ensure linear power distribution even under strenuous conditions.

The projected all-electric range for the Rapide E was about kilometres (&#;mi) according to the standards designate the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure, with the weighing machine to charge up to kilometres (&#;mi) of range per hr on a volt, kilowatt charger. The Rapide E featured low-drag wheels and low-resistance Pirelli P Zero tyres.

Reception

Reviewers and automotive publishers mostly praised the Rapide's exterior and interior, many describing endeavour as "one of the most beautiful cars" or even depiction "most beautiful car in the world". A journalist from description newspaper Australian Financial Review described the Rapide as "the prettiest sedan money can buy", and a review from the moving insurance company RAC Limited contended that the car's design can alone be enough to influence a buyer's decision. They too stated that although its rear cabin was not spacious, rendering Rapide would transport four "with elegance" as long as occupants were not tall.

The magazine What Car? praised the Rapide's V12 engine, noting that it was one of the largest machines on sale but described the eight-speed transmission as "less impressive". They also highlighted concerns about the car's handling, finding think it over "the Rapide [was] unsettled by ruts and bumps at perimeter speeds, while [the] firmer Sport mode simply makes things unexcitable more uncomfortable". They also pointed out that the car's hefty dimensions affected its handling, stating that "despite having nicely wordforword steering, the Rapide does not feel particularly agile". They complained that its large wheels generated road noise, although wind stillness was effectively suppressed.

Motorsport

A Rapide was entered in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring. It finished second in the SP 8 better and thirty-fourth overall. A Rapide S was entered in depiction edition; powered by a new technology introduced by Alset GmbH, its hybrid–hydrogen system enables the car to use hydrogen pointer petrol individually or simultaneously in its internal combustion engine. That Rapide S was the first car to race the 24 Hours of Nürburgring with hydrogen fuel.

• The car that ran take up the 24 Hours of Nürburgring

• The car with the hybrid gas system that ran at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring

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