Aston Martin Racing Inspires New 4-Door Sports Car

Aston Martin unveils a 4-door version of the road-going DB11 AMR race car.

First shown as a concept at the Geneva auto show and displayed earlier this month at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Rapide AMR will be limited to a production run of 210 cars.

Aston Martin Racing (AMR) is a sub-brand drawing a direct engineering and visual link between the company’s successful race team and its road cars. As such the Rapide AMR is billed as a sports car capable of comfortably taking a team of race drivers to a circuit on the other side of a continent and then tackling the track when they get there.

The design of the new 205-mph (330-km/h) Rapide AMR has changed little from the concept shown in 2017, with a large grille reminiscent of the extreme track-only Vantage AMR Pro. The circular daytime running lights recall recent Zagato models.

The Rapide AMR’s aerodynamics have been tuned to reduce lift, with extra aerodynamic bodywork such as the splitter, sills, rear diffuser and trunklid lip spoiler all made of carbon fiber. The new hood with large ventilation inserts also is made from carbon fiber to minimize weight.

At the heart of the Rapide AMR is a naturally aspirated V-12 drawing much of its technology and character from the Aston Martin Vantage GT12. Larger inlet manifolds with tuned-length dual-inlet runners enhance airflow into the 6.0L engine and, combined with new engine and gearbox calibration, this results in more power.

The engine now puts out 595 hp and 465 lb.-ft. (630 Nm) of torque, while a new quad exhaust is tuned for racetrack sound.

To help harness all of this power and to launch from 0-60 mph (100 km/h) in just 4.2 seconds, the Rapide AMR has 21-in. wheels – a first for any Aston Martin – paired with ultra-high-performance Michelin Super Sport tires. The large, forged wheels have a multi-spoke design that is very stiff and aids brake cooling.

The suspension also receives considerable attention. The car rides 0.4 in. (10 mm) lower than a Rapide S and although the three stage-adaptive dampers remain, they have been re-engineered to create a car that is more focused, agile and dynamic.

The Rapide AMR will be available in three different design schemes. The Standard and Silhouette options offer four colors – Mariana Blue, Scintilla Silver, Lightning Silver and Onyx Black – with the Standard scheme adding AMR Lime accents to the splitter, sills and rear diffuser. The Silhouette scheme drops the Lime accents and instead adds a full-length contrasting stripe in China Grey or Clubsport White.

The Signature scheme matches Stirling Green paint with Lime accents and a Lime stripe. This draws the closest visual link to the Aston Martin Racing team and its race cars.

Each Rapide AMR’s interior reflects the design scheme chosen for the exterior, with either AMR Lime or Galena Silver welting and stitching. There is a full-length carbon-fiber center console and the seats are trimmed in Alcantara, both firsts for a Rapide.

The Aston Martin Rapide AMR will be available globally, except for China and Russia, and is available from £194,950 in the U.K., $240,000 in the U.S., and €229,950 in Germany, with the first customer deliveries in Q4 2018.