Why Aston Martin Will Never Build Another Sports Sedan Again

Exotic car Manufacturers like Aston Martin pride themselves on building exceptional cars that go like hell and turn heads, one such example is the Aston Martin Rapide. The British automaker is renowned for designing stunning sports cars such as the legendary Aston Martin DBR1, second generation V-12 Vanquish and the latest iteration of the DBS to name a few.

Although Aston Martin’s catalog is dominated by grand tourers, the automaker has produced luxury sports sedans that were ahead of times. Pioneering the lineage of Aston Martin sedans, the Rapide Lagonda set the stage for successive models including the Series 1 Lagonda, Lagonda Taraf and the Rapide.

Each sedan in the company’s lineup captures the quintessential Aston Martin DNA, combining innovation, elegance, and a driving experience that few others can match. Sadly, the Rapide might be the last luxury sport sedan seen by the British automaker as it transitions into the future.

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History Of Aston Martin Sedans

Aston Martin Lagonda Rapide – 1961 to 1964

Based on the underpinnings of the Aston Martin DB4 Coupe, the Rapide Lagonda is the genesis of Aston Martin sedans. The Lagonda Rapide was the brain-child of Aston Martin CEO David Brown, despite opposition to reviving a brand he had purchased in 1948 named the Lagonda.

Brown pressed forward and launched the four-door sedan Lagonda at the 1961 Paris Motor Show. The standard DB4 coupe had the chassis lengthened by 16 inches to make ample room for the extra doors.The design of the Lagonda Rapide is reminiscent of the 1960 and is one of the most iconic Aston Martin in history.

Styled by Carrozzeria Touring, the front end looks to have been inspired by the Ford Edsel. Only 55 examples of the Lagonda Rapide were ever produced and fewer remain today making the Lagonda one of the most sort after grand tourers in the world.

Aston Martin Lagonda Series 2

Aston Martin’s second act to produce a sedan came in 1974 with the introduction of the Aston Martin Lagonda. The new sedan spanned four generations with the Series 1 produced from 1974-1975. The Lagonda received a slight redesign for Series 2, minor changes were made for Series 3 and 4. By the end of production in 1990, only 645 units of the Aston Martin Lagonda were produced.

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Do Sedans Sell? Aston Martin Thinks Not

Aston Martin Rapide AMR – 2018

Sports sedans have always been the epitome of luxury, performance, and sophistication wrapped in an elegant package. The Rapide certainly had all the boxes ticked except one, sales. Sales have always been a primary indicator of the success of a product, according to data, Aston Martin Rapide sales haven’t been impressive, as buyer sentiment has moved from luxury sedans to crossover and SUV vehicles. Based on the VH Platform that underpinned the DB9 model and powered by a 6.0 liter V-12 engine, the Rapide had the looks and performance to match, how did it all go so wrong?

Even with buyer sentiment swaying towards SUVs, in the same period, the Rapide was in production, competitors such as the Porsche Panamera, BMW M5, and Mercedes – Benz E-63 S were performing great in sales. The Rapide like all previous Aston Martin Sedans is a story of great designs, good performance, and a mountain size of bad luck.

Despite its appealing esthetics, prestige, and exclusivity, the Aston Martin Rapide was marred by numerous problems that buyers had to contend with, some of the low points for the Rapide include:

• Outdated infotainment system compared to user-friendly systems found in other luxury vehicles.
• Limited rear passenger space meant the Rapide was tight for a luxury sedan in its class.
• High maintenance and repair costs compared to more mainstream brands.
• High-reliability issues also plagued the Rapide.
• Poor value retention as the Rapide depreciates faster than a cruise missile.

At least Aston Martin gave the Rapide a good send-off by giving customers the Rapide AMR. The AMR Rapide is a 205MPH road carver producing 580 potent horses from its 6.0-liter V12 engine.

Aston Martin Rapide Specifications

Built to commemorate Aston Martin’s return to LeMans in 2018 to defend their race win from the previous year, the Rapide AMR was limited to 210 units worldwide. With a large grille and prominent splitter up front, the Rapide AMR looked ready to replace the Vantage GT3 at the 2018 24 hours of LeMans.

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Focusing On The Big Sellers, DBX and DBS

Aston Martin DBX SUV – 2022

In 2020 Aston Martin released a new model called the DBX. The DBX essentially marked the beginning of the next chapter for the British carmaker. The brand’s first foray into the luxury SUV segment came at the right time as competitors Bentley and Rolls- Royce had their premium luxury SUV offerings on the Market. Bentley’s Bentayga had set the discourse for the existence of the uber-luxury segment, the introduction of the Rolls – Royce Cullinan in 2019 set up an all-British affair which Aston Martin gracefully joined with the elegant DBX.

The DBX was Aston Martin’s hit record. The SUV is the certified platinum that single-handedly has saved the automaker from certain death. In 2021 Aston Martin sold 4250 vehicles, of which 51 percent were attributed to the DBX. With these statistics, it’s fair to say Aston Martin was right, after all the DBX is the ultimate SUV and proves, sport luxury sedans do not sell when compared to an SUV.

Aston Martin DBX Specifications

Other models under the brand have performed much better than the Rapide ever did. The DBS and V-8 Vantage are staples of the brand that have consistently performed both on track and on the showroom floor. It’s hard to see Aston Martin revive the Rapide nameplate in the future given its abysmal sales compared to the DBS, V-8 Vantage, and DBX, we can only hope, don’t hold your breath on it.

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Aston Martin’s Push For Electrification

Aston Martin Valhalla – TBA

The push for electrified vehicles has intensified over the past few years, all manufacturers are rising to the change and Aston Martin is no exception. It is prudent for Aston Martin to develop electric and hybrid options for their line-ups as many of their competitors already have electric options available.

Glimpses of Aston Martin’s future were shown with the release of the Formula 1-inspired Valkyrie hypercar. Working with the Valkyrie as a template, the British marque presses forward with the Valhalla, the next model Aston Martin believes will lead the transition from internal combustion to hybrid to fully electric powertrains. At the heart of the Valhalla will be a hybrid powertrain pushing a combined power of 950 horsepower. It is likely variations of the Valhalla powertrain could find itself in some current models down the line.

With such high standards set by Aston Martin, it’s come as no surprise that the Rapide in all its elegance and was seen as dead weight and shed at the earliest opportunity. With newer models like the Valhalla and Valkyrie being introduced, we can only hope that Aston Martin introduces a new nameplate to usher in new bread of Aston Martin sport sedans, the likelihood of this dream becoming a reality is slim to none.