Bloody **** it's here (new shape QP)

[mjheathcote]

Agree on the Rapide. AM do £20-30k off without much effort.

There is one near me in light blue metallic. Does not look quite right.

Shame the DB9 does not have bigger back seats as it could do the job.

The rear seats are really unuseable . All good for Maserati of course!

 

[bigbob]

Indeed. I had two trips to the Aston Martin dealer before I had to admit defeat on that one.

 

[Blox]

There were pictures in the Times In Gear section yesterday too. Looks great from the front I think. I really don't like the rear though. Agree that it looks like a Merc from behind....

....And a diesel option....??

 

[Andyk]

Ian, never worth 80kish over your QP........

 

[Parisien]

The current QP is very....very good.......I dare say if they did that TG test where they took a 6 year old low mileage model and a new model, covered up all the giveaway emblems etc and you sat in passenger seat....you couldn't tell the difference!!!!!


P

 

[Blox]

Ian, never worth 80kish over your QP........

Which is a relief as I don't have the £80k+ for a new one...!

 

[hodroyd]

I have to admit the Rapide does look unusual, but I do like the DB9, very classy. I don't think the rapide is a threat to the QP for £'s for value.

 

[NickH]

The Rapide is the world's first and only four door two seater car.

It is impossible for a teenager or an adult to spend any time in the back of it. Indeed actually getting in and out of the rear if you are 6' or more involves entering sideways putting one leg in and lifting and twisting the other leg with your hands round the ankle. If there is anyone tall in the front seat don't even bother trying to use the rear. I'm an Aston collector and loyalist - if you cut me in half it would say Aston Martin - but the Rapide is no competition for the QP. The Rapide concept was unable to live with the realities and constraints of the Aston VH platform architecture - same reason there is no rear room on any of the AM models. The QP is elegant, highly practical and comfortable. It handles brilliantly and power is adequate (but could do with 500bhp). I love my QP Sport GTS and it always attracts a lot of attention (through gritted teeth) when parked outside the AM reception at Gaydon when attending regular meetings there...

 

[hodroyd]

Well said Nick..!!

 

[Simon]

The Rapide is the world's first and only four door two seater car.

It is impossible for a teenager or an adult to spend any time in the back of it. Indeed actually getting in and out of the rear if you are 6' or more involves entering sideways putting one leg in and lifting and twisting the other leg with your hands round the ankle. If there is anyone tall in the front seat don't even bother trying to use the rear. I'm an Aston collector and loyalist - if you cut me in half it would say Aston Martin - but the Rapide is no competition for the QP. The Rapide concept was unable to live with the realities and constraints of the Aston VH platform architecture - same reason there is no rear room on any of the AM models. The QP is elegant, highly practical and comfortable. It handles brilliantly and power is adequate (but could do with 500bhp). I love my QP Sport GTS and it always attracts a lot of attention (through gritted teeth) when parked outside the AM reception at Gaydon when attending regular meetings there...

Didn't AM expect a massive demand for the Rapide (which was conceived in the boom years) and set up a plant with Steyr in Austria which ended up being mothballed and production returned to the UK? As a kid the AM Lagonda was one of my favorite cars especially with the "then" hi tec LED speedo!

 

[fcz360]

The DB9 back seats are useless and the Rapide is not much better and after driving it I was not impressed, i actually looked to see if it was bigger in the back than the GTS, and it isnt by a mile, let alone the QP. I was told by the sales guy at Aston that he could get me one for 75K, so thats 100K drop in 2 years - blimey