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Porsche Panamera or Aston Martin Rapide?

Posted on 19. Apr, 2009 by PB in Panamera

If your in the market for a 4 door super saloon, things are certainly hotting up. Not only do we have the Porsche Panamera to look forward to, but Aston Martin are now joining in the fun with the addition of the Rapide to their line-up.

Only few days before the four-door Panamera takes centre stage at the Shanghai auto show, Aston have cunningly released an image of the Rapide,and I have to say - it looks pretty darn good. The Rapide, Aston announced, will be introduced later this year and arrive in showrooms in 2010. Aston have said that it may even be shown at the Frankfurt auto show in September.

Aston Martin Rapide

The Rapide concept, designed by Aston’s design director Marek Reichman, is going to be a 6-liter V-12 engine kicking out 470 bhp. What we are looking at now then, is a relatively niche car genre expanding with some great new models.

• Panamera 2.6-liter V6 engine delivering 300 hp
• Panamera S powered by a V8 engine will feature 400 hp
• Panamera Turbo featuring the twin-turbocharged V8 will deliver somewhere around 500 hp.
• Aston Martin Rapide 6.0-litre V12 470 bhp
• And just to throw it out there...Quattroporte 400 bhp V8 engine

Porsche Panamera

Similar to the Porsche Panamera, the Rapide will have generous luggage space and room for four.

So, interesting times. What will it be...Panamera, Quattroporte Exec GT or Rapide? I am a die hard Porsche fan, but the first images released by Aston certainly look good, and with the classic Aston symphony of noise produced by it's V-12, it would be a hard decision. These are all large beasts however, so I will need to hold judgement (and salivating) until I can see one in the flesh.

Would all 3 be over indulgent in these economic times?

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3. Aston Rapide v Porsche Panamera – Autocar.co.uk
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