Considering a Rapide S- How Practical Is it?
Discussion
I have looking to buy a V12 of some sort for some time and after going backwards and forwards with different options am considering a Rapide S.
The potential issue I have is that if I do go for a Rapide S I would want it to be a daily driver and replace my RS6, rather than a weekend car/something I do just 2-2.5k miles in, as in that case there are better and more attractive propositions. I currently have a 458 for fun/weekend use.
I've watched just about every Rapide S review I can find but would really like to hear from actually owners past or present on how they got on with the car long term and how practical it was/is for daily use?
I am looking at a late Rapide S- 2017-2018, so 8 speed ZF unit, Bosch engine management system, the most 'developed' version of the car possible which I think at the end of the life cycle meant a few further upgrades to sat nav unit, apple car play compatibility, etc. I don't do massive miles, 8k per year max in my daily and would keep the car for 3 years or so.
I'm planning to see a car in the coming 1-2 weeks. The main question for me is how good is it at the day to day stuff?
Mainly, are the rea seats usable by adults of size up to 5'10 from time to time? Can the boot hold one larger and one small suitcase plus a holdall type bag? What's the ground clearance like? I would need to take it to a multi story car park from time to time to would need ground clearance that's better than the Vanquish for e.g.?
I have heard/read that the rear visibility can be an issue? I know there is a reversing cam, and I would have a front camera added too.
It's a stunning car and obviously sounds amazing, is in budget and seems to offer at least a decent degree of usability. I don't expect it to be as good as the RS6 on that front it just depends on how big the compromise is...
Thanks in advance to anyone that can help!
The potential issue I have is that if I do go for a Rapide S I would want it to be a daily driver and replace my RS6, rather than a weekend car/something I do just 2-2.5k miles in, as in that case there are better and more attractive propositions. I currently have a 458 for fun/weekend use.
I've watched just about every Rapide S review I can find but would really like to hear from actually owners past or present on how they got on with the car long term and how practical it was/is for daily use?
I am looking at a late Rapide S- 2017-2018, so 8 speed ZF unit, Bosch engine management system, the most 'developed' version of the car possible which I think at the end of the life cycle meant a few further upgrades to sat nav unit, apple car play compatibility, etc. I don't do massive miles, 8k per year max in my daily and would keep the car for 3 years or so.
I'm planning to see a car in the coming 1-2 weeks. The main question for me is how good is it at the day to day stuff?
Mainly, are the rea seats usable by adults of size up to 5'10 from time to time? Can the boot hold one larger and one small suitcase plus a holdall type bag? What's the ground clearance like? I would need to take it to a multi story car park from time to time to would need ground clearance that's better than the Vanquish for e.g.?
I have heard/read that the rear visibility can be an issue? I know there is a reversing cam, and I would have a front camera added too.
It's a stunning car and obviously sounds amazing, is in budget and seems to offer at least a decent degree of usability. I don't expect it to be as good as the RS6 on that front it just depends on how big the compromise is...
Thanks in advance to anyone that can help!
My Rapide is a daily, rear seats are fine for occasional adults and children all the time. Boot is huge, it’s essentially a large hatchback. It’s the last of the NA V12’s, it’s pretty practical as a family car and ludicrously capable as a GT, get it bought because in 5 years these will be hens teeth etc..
Thank you for the feedback.
How do you find the ground clearance? That is something that is really difficult, perhaps impossible even to gauge on a 15 min test drive.
Is it alright in the average multi storey car park and over larger speed bumps?
I will make sure I sit in the rear seats when the front seats are in a standard position and go on a test drive sat in the rears so I have as good a feel as possible for them.
There was a run out version called the 'shadow edition', make just for the last 2 years of production apparently. Other than small bhp increase (13 I think, taking it to 565), adaptive dampers as standard, sports exhaust is mentioned as being standard on these too. Can someone shed some light on this as all the information I have come across seems really quite vague, do they really sound better and what sort of exhaust upgrade is it (if any..)
How do you find the ground clearance? That is something that is really difficult, perhaps impossible even to gauge on a 15 min test drive.
Is it alright in the average multi storey car park and over larger speed bumps?
I will make sure I sit in the rear seats when the front seats are in a standard position and go on a test drive sat in the rears so I have as good a feel as possible for them.
There was a run out version called the 'shadow edition', make just for the last 2 years of production apparently. Other than small bhp increase (13 I think, taking it to 565), adaptive dampers as standard, sports exhaust is mentioned as being standard on these too. Can someone shed some light on this as all the information I have come across seems really quite vague, do they really sound better and what sort of exhaust upgrade is it (if any..)
Chad_Hugo said:
How do you find the ground clearance? That is something that is really difficult, perhaps impossible even to gauge on a 15 min test drive.
Looking underneath is a good way to see ground clearance 
But if it's anything like a DB9, it's the front that will take the battering. It's so low I couldn't even get the case of my extension lead underneath! (part of the battery-not-going-flat technique I'm currently using).
It’s higher than the DB9 and Vantage, ground clearance isn’t an issue at all, even over nasty speed bumps that upset my Vantage.
I have two multi-storey car parks near me, 1 I can use use, the other I can’t, the “other” is also a struggle in the X5.
In terms of exhaust, the best bet is to get the cc-charger remote exhaust bypass, noise when you want it, calm when you don’t.
Best bet is to get out on a decent drive and get a feel for it. Buy the best your budget allows you. Recommend approved used as they can take some proper prep to get right, brakes are a biggie on these and watch for the age of the tyres as whilst many are well used, some are very low miles and may still be on original rubber.
Adaptive dampers were standard from launch, small increments in power won’t be noticeable as you don’t tend to rev them out - it’s not that kind of car. Biggest shift will be non-S (470bhp) to S (550bhp) and then the from the S to run-out AMR which is pretty special, but they look very dark inside IMHO and are significantly more expensive.
I have two multi-storey car parks near me, 1 I can use use, the other I can’t, the “other” is also a struggle in the X5.
In terms of exhaust, the best bet is to get the cc-charger remote exhaust bypass, noise when you want it, calm when you don’t.
Best bet is to get out on a decent drive and get a feel for it. Buy the best your budget allows you. Recommend approved used as they can take some proper prep to get right, brakes are a biggie on these and watch for the age of the tyres as whilst many are well used, some are very low miles and may still be on original rubber.
Adaptive dampers were standard from launch, small increments in power won’t be noticeable as you don’t tend to rev them out - it’s not that kind of car. Biggest shift will be non-S (470bhp) to S (550bhp) and then the from the S to run-out AMR which is pretty special, but they look very dark inside IMHO and are significantly more expensive.
Chad_Hugo said:
There was a run out version called the 'shadow edition', make just for the last 2 years of production apparently. Other than small bhp increase (13 I think, taking it to 565), adaptive dampers as standard, sports exhaust is mentioned as being standard on these too. Can someone shed some light on this as all the information I have come across seems really quite vague, do they really sound better and what sort of exhaust upgrade is it (if any..)
Hi Chad, Happy to put some thoughts into a reply. I own a Rapide S Shadow Edition in UltraMarine Black. There are only 2 colors for the Shadow Edition, and I opted for that one because of its deep blue metallic look that looks spectacular under the sun. The Shadow Edition is essentially every option thrown at the car during the last model year (before the AMR run) , mine is actually a 2017.5 (for North America) with very little in the way of customization. I think B&O Sound System, In-Seat Video and Carbon Fiber pack are really the only options to look for.
A couple things that make it special:
Last build of the Rapide S
The AM29 is the last iteration of the NA 6.0 V12 shared with the Vanquish:
With the performance pack HP bump (565HP) and valved airbox and sports exhaust (with black zircotec tips!) I find it has the best sound!!
One of the only car in its platform (w/ Vanquish) to have the AMi III w/ full Android Auto & Apple Carplay installed as standard ( via Service Action SA-15-0267V2 ). I use Waze all the time.
The overall refinement of the last year make the car special IMHO.
There are a couple Rapide S components that are not quite like what you see in the pictures owing to final years?. The rear tray deck doesn't have the 'metallic slats' you see in the PR. The trunk is missing the pulldown strap (for some reason?!) but it's a standard part easy to add-back in. The oil drain plug isn't at the same location (it's now to the side, not straight down) as previous V12s so the accesshole in the undertray is useless. The last year of the Rapide S saw the Engine Management system change from Ford to Bosch, so some of the handheld scanners that claim to support the vehicle don't do so completely. Things like Ignition coils and other engine related electronics component were changed from the Ford parts bin to the Bosch parts bin, (which is a good thing IMHO, as I can now buy NGK brand components instead of OE Ford or Chinese knockoffs.
If you come across a model you'd consider acquiring, I highly recommend running the VIN through to get the complete build sheet / options the car has (or DM me and I can give you the info) , other than that any question you may have, happy to give you info / picture / discuss!
I have copies of the Service Manual and Electronics Parts Catalog if you ever wanted to look through them.
Edited by UltraMarine on Sunday 1st January 17:12
Much of what needs saying seems to have been said above already. We use our AMR rapide as a daily and my good lady takes it work work many days.
No issues with speed bumps if they are approached at a slow speed as you would expect to have to do anyway.
The only real practical issue to consider is the length of the car! It is very very long meaning parking in bay’d car parks is always challenge and the car often sticks out over the back due to the length being great that the bay.
The length also means its easier than normal to clip a rear wheel on a curb when turning slowly - again usually unto tight car parks like multi story ones where the curbs are often tight.
Other that that small consession the cars are superb and very very practical. Two real read seats, Im 6ft and 14st and i easily fit in the back very comfortably.
AMi III is well worth getting so make sure you get a 2017 registered car or later to achieve that. Apple carplay and Andriod Auto and by far the slickest infotainment fitted to an AM, including the successor MB setup IMHO.
The shadow edition for sure it the best one to get if your budget wont stretch to an AMR, but if it will then Id seriously suggest finding and looking at an AMR. My enthusiam for the Rapide was so so until I saw my first AMR and from that point on, i knew we were going to get one at some point!
Had ours from new since June-20 and it never dissapoints. Visually just stunning inside and out and of course it comes with the 595bhp final version of the engine, as well as many dynamic chassis changes for an even sportier drive.
The full length GT12 style carbon fibre waterfall extends all the way through to the back, through the rear seats and in itself makes the interior a special place indeed. Get one with either the white or lime green contrast stitch and leather headliner stripe and it really lifts the interior. The all black ones are a bit dark as mentioned above, but then you could say that about 50% of spec’d Astons to be fair.
No issues with speed bumps if they are approached at a slow speed as you would expect to have to do anyway.
The only real practical issue to consider is the length of the car! It is very very long meaning parking in bay’d car parks is always challenge and the car often sticks out over the back due to the length being great that the bay.
The length also means its easier than normal to clip a rear wheel on a curb when turning slowly - again usually unto tight car parks like multi story ones where the curbs are often tight.
Other that that small consession the cars are superb and very very practical. Two real read seats, Im 6ft and 14st and i easily fit in the back very comfortably.
AMi III is well worth getting so make sure you get a 2017 registered car or later to achieve that. Apple carplay and Andriod Auto and by far the slickest infotainment fitted to an AM, including the successor MB setup IMHO.
The shadow edition for sure it the best one to get if your budget wont stretch to an AMR, but if it will then Id seriously suggest finding and looking at an AMR. My enthusiam for the Rapide was so so until I saw my first AMR and from that point on, i knew we were going to get one at some point!
Had ours from new since June-20 and it never dissapoints. Visually just stunning inside and out and of course it comes with the 595bhp final version of the engine, as well as many dynamic chassis changes for an even sportier drive.
The full length GT12 style carbon fibre waterfall extends all the way through to the back, through the rear seats and in itself makes the interior a special place indeed. Get one with either the white or lime green contrast stitch and leather headliner stripe and it really lifts the interior. The all black ones are a bit dark as mentioned above, but then you could say that about 50% of spec’d Astons to be fair.
Edited by AdamV12V on Sunday 1st January 23:46
krisdelta said:
It’s higher than the DB9 and Vantage, ground clearance isn’t an issue at all, even over nasty speed bumps that upset my Vantage.
I have two multi-storey car parks near me, 1 I can use use, the other I can’t, the “other” is also a struggle in the X5.
In terms of exhaust, the best bet is to get the cc-charger remote exhaust bypass, noise when you want it, calm when you don’t.
Best bet is to get out on a decent drive and get a feel for it. Buy the best your budget allows you. Recommend approved used as they can take some proper prep to get right, brakes are a biggie on these and watch for the age of the tyres as whilst many are well used, some are very low miles and may still be on original rubber.
Adaptive dampers were standard from launch, small increments in power won’t be noticeable as you don’t tend to rev them out - it’s not that kind of car. Biggest shift will be non-S (470bhp) to S (550bhp) and then the from the S to run-out AMR which is pretty special, but they look very dark inside IMHO and are significantly more expensive.
Happy New Year to everyone! Thank you for all the help so far from everyone, much appreciated.I have two multi-storey car parks near me, 1 I can use use, the other I can’t, the “other” is also a struggle in the X5.
In terms of exhaust, the best bet is to get the cc-charger remote exhaust bypass, noise when you want it, calm when you don’t.
Best bet is to get out on a decent drive and get a feel for it. Buy the best your budget allows you. Recommend approved used as they can take some proper prep to get right, brakes are a biggie on these and watch for the age of the tyres as whilst many are well used, some are very low miles and may still be on original rubber.
Adaptive dampers were standard from launch, small increments in power won’t be noticeable as you don’t tend to rev them out - it’s not that kind of car. Biggest shift will be non-S (470bhp) to S (550bhp) and then the from the S to run-out AMR which is pretty special, but they look very dark inside IMHO and are significantly more expensive.
That's good to hear on the ground clearance, as I do have to use 1-2 multi storey car parks from time to time (unavoidable). From pictures it looks better than a Vantage V12S/Vanquish, I will be sure to measure it when I view a car, as long as it's 6.5 inches plus it should be fine.
I have the link for the cc-charger exhaust remote saved in my favourite already, I have read good things about it. That will be one of the first Rapide S related purchases I make for sure!
The AMR Rapide S is a different car, and also very different price bracket, I am looking for a 2017-2019 standard Rapide S or shadow edition (hopefully the latter). The AMR is brilliant, I would love one, but as this will be a daily the AMR version would lose too much when I come to move it on with 3 years worth of miles on a very rare, 150k car.
I've set myself a budget of 70k-80k, would prefer to buy from AM network if possible.
UltraMarine said:
Hi Chad, Happy to put some thoughts into a reply. I own a Rapide S Shadow Edition in UltraMarine Black. There are only 2 colors for the Shadow Edition, and I opted for that one because of its deep blue metallic look that looks spectacular under the sun.
The Shadow Edition is essentially every option thrown at the car during the last model year (before the AMR run) , mine is actually a 2017.5 (for North America) with very little in the way of customization. I think B&O Sound System, In-Seat Video and Carbon Fiber pack are really the only options to look for.
A couple things that make it special:
Last build of the Rapide S
The AM29 is the last iteration of the NA 6.0 V12 shared with the Vanquish:
With the performance pack HP bump (565HP) and valved airbox and sports exhaust (with black zircotec tips!) I find it has the best sound!!
One of the only car in its platform (w/ Vanquish) to have the AMi III w/ full Android Auto & Apple Carplay installed as standard ( via Service Action SA-15-0267V2 ). I use Waze all the time.
The overall refinement of the last year make the car special IMHO.
There are a couple Rapide S components that are not quite like what you see in the pictures owing to final years?. The rear tray deck doesn't have the 'metallic slats' you see in the PR. The trunk is missing the pulldown strap (for some reason?!) but it's a standard part easy to add-back in. The oil drain plug isn't at the same location (it's now to the side, not straight down) as previous V12s so the accesshole in the undertray is useless. The last year of the Rapide S saw the Engine Management system change from Ford to Bosch, so some of the handheld scanners that claim to support the vehicle don't do so completely. Things like Ignition coils and other engine related electronics component were changed from the Ford parts bin to the Bosch parts bin, (which is a good thing IMHO, as I can now buy NGK brand components instead of OE Ford or Chinese knockoffs.
If you come across a model you'd consider acquiring, I highly recommend running the VIN through to get the complete build sheet / options the car has (or DM me and I can give you the info) , other than that any question you may have, happy to give you info / picture / discuss!
I have copies of the Service Manual and Electronics Parts Catalog if you ever wanted to look through them.
Thank you for the detailed information.The Shadow Edition is essentially every option thrown at the car during the last model year (before the AMR run) , mine is actually a 2017.5 (for North America) with very little in the way of customization. I think B&O Sound System, In-Seat Video and Carbon Fiber pack are really the only options to look for.
A couple things that make it special:
Last build of the Rapide S
The AM29 is the last iteration of the NA 6.0 V12 shared with the Vanquish:
With the performance pack HP bump (565HP) and valved airbox and sports exhaust (with black zircotec tips!) I find it has the best sound!!
One of the only car in its platform (w/ Vanquish) to have the AMi III w/ full Android Auto & Apple Carplay installed as standard ( via Service Action SA-15-0267V2 ). I use Waze all the time.
The overall refinement of the last year make the car special IMHO.
There are a couple Rapide S components that are not quite like what you see in the pictures owing to final years?. The rear tray deck doesn't have the 'metallic slats' you see in the PR. The trunk is missing the pulldown strap (for some reason?!) but it's a standard part easy to add-back in. The oil drain plug isn't at the same location (it's now to the side, not straight down) as previous V12s so the accesshole in the undertray is useless. The last year of the Rapide S saw the Engine Management system change from Ford to Bosch, so some of the handheld scanners that claim to support the vehicle don't do so completely. Things like Ignition coils and other engine related electronics component were changed from the Ford parts bin to the Bosch parts bin, (which is a good thing IMHO, as I can now buy NGK brand components instead of OE Ford or Chinese knockoffs.
If you come across a model you'd consider acquiring, I highly recommend running the VIN through to get the complete build sheet / options the car has (or DM me and I can give you the info) , other than that any question you may have, happy to give you info / picture / discuss!
I have copies of the Service Manual and Electronics Parts Catalog if you ever wanted to look through them.
Edited by UltraMarine on Sunday 1st January 17:12
When I was looking at Rapide S's the shadow edition caught my eye, and after reading a bit about it, that would probably be my preference assuming price/miles/spec make sense and ideally from AM with 1 year warranty for peace of mind as I will be using the car daily so will be relying on it.
Rarer/much more limited in number, comes with AM Infotainment III, power pack upgrade (565 bhp), sports exhaust, so seems the most developed version of the car to me at least.
The ultramarine black is stunning too. Black base coat, and navy blue metallic on top of it, as you mentioned when the sunlight hits it its a lovely dark blue, in dull or limited light it's black. One of the nicer AM colours, especially for a large car.
I am a little confused regarding the apple car play though. I was under the impression even for the later Rapide S you need to take the car to Aston for them to install it, and they charge something like 1200 GBP for that? Does AM Infotainment III come with it already pre installed/enabled so I can just use apple car play via the screen in the centre console?
AdamV12V said:
Much of what needs saying seems to have been said above already. We use our AMR rapide as a daily and my good lady takes it work work many days.
No issues with speed bumps if they are approached at a slow speed as you would expect to have to do anyway.
The only real practical issue to consider is the length of the car! It is very very long meaning parking in bay’d car parks is always challenge and the car often sticks out over the back due to the length being great that the bay.
The length also means its easier than normal to clip a rear wheel on a curb when turning slowly - again usually unto tight car parks like multi story ones where the curbs are often tight.
Other that that small consession the cars are superb and very very practical. Two real read seats, Im 6ft and 14st and i easily fit in the back very comfortably.
AMi III is well worth getting so make sure you get a 2017 registered car or later to achieve that. Apple carplay and Andriod Auto and by far the slickest infotainment fitted to an AM, including the successor MB setup IMHO.
The shadow edition for sure it the best one to get if your budget wont stretch to an AMR, but if it will then Id seriously suggest finding and looking at an AMR. My enthusiam for the Rapide was so so until I saw my first AMR and from that point on, i knew we were going to get one at some point!
Had ours from new since June-20 and it never dissapoints. Visually just stunning inside and out and of course it comes with the 595bhp final version of the engine, as well as many dynamic chassis changes for an even sportier drive.
The full length GT12 style carbon fibre waterfall extends all the way through to the back, through the rear seats and in itself makes the interior a special place indeed. Get one with either the white or lime green contrast stitch and leather headliner stripe and it really lifts the interior. The all black ones are a bit dark as mentioned above, but then you could say that about 50% of spec’d Astons to be fair.
Stunning car!No issues with speed bumps if they are approached at a slow speed as you would expect to have to do anyway.
The only real practical issue to consider is the length of the car! It is very very long meaning parking in bay’d car parks is always challenge and the car often sticks out over the back due to the length being great that the bay.
The length also means its easier than normal to clip a rear wheel on a curb when turning slowly - again usually unto tight car parks like multi story ones where the curbs are often tight.
Other that that small consession the cars are superb and very very practical. Two real read seats, Im 6ft and 14st and i easily fit in the back very comfortably.
AMi III is well worth getting so make sure you get a 2017 registered car or later to achieve that. Apple carplay and Andriod Auto and by far the slickest infotainment fitted to an AM, including the successor MB setup IMHO.
The shadow edition for sure it the best one to get if your budget wont stretch to an AMR, but if it will then Id seriously suggest finding and looking at an AMR. My enthusiam for the Rapide was so so until I saw my first AMR and from that point on, i knew we were going to get one at some point!
Had ours from new since June-20 and it never dissapoints. Visually just stunning inside and out and of course it comes with the 595bhp final version of the engine, as well as many dynamic chassis changes for an even sportier drive.
The full length GT12 style carbon fibre waterfall extends all the way through to the back, through the rear seats and in itself makes the interior a special place indeed. Get one with either the white or lime green contrast stitch and leather headliner stripe and it really lifts the interior. The all black ones are a bit dark as mentioned above, but then you could say that about 50% of spec’d Astons to be fair.
Edited by AdamV12V on Sunday 1st January 23:46
My 458 is in a similar looking colour (grigio silverstone).
The AMR version is extremely rare (47 UK cars?) and only one for sale in the whole UK at present. I am focusing my attention on the post 2016 non AMR version though.
I unfortunately am very familiar with the problem of long cars. My current daily (RS6) is more or less the same length as Rapide S, just 2.6 cm shorter apparently. I have had to re-furb the rear alloys a couple of times, as careful as I have tried to be parking in a city centre or a certain multi storey car parks means sooner or later some form of kerbing is inevitable.
I have a 2017.5 Rapide S in Tungsten Silver, with an Ivory quilted leather interior.
My car has every option possible, except the Bang & Olfsen sound system.
The standard sound system is absolutely fantastic and I struggled to hear much difference between the standard and B&O system.
Any 2017 owards car can be specced to the same as a shadow edition, although the shadow edition does have 565bhp vs 552bhp on non-shadow cars.
Shadow cars only come in about three colour combinations I think , but as I wanted the quilted Ivory interior they didnt suit my preferences.
The Shadow Edition's 2.3% power increase is not really perceptible (I drove both) so I wouldnt bother hunting down a shadow on the basis of the higher performance. The AMR however is a different proposition.
I do really think its worth finding a car with the AMI III infotaintment system though. AMI III includes Apple Car Play and the whole system makes the car feel more up to date and modern. I think AMI III arrived on 17 plate cars up to the end of the run in 2019.
I have had my car for about 3 years now and I'm still utterly in love with it. I dont use it as a daily but my kids love going in the back of it and enjoy the rear screens. Ive also had two adults around 5-11 ish in the back for 90 min journeys and there was no complaints.
I bought my car from AM works with an extended warranty. There were quite a few (minor) things that needed addressing in my first year of ownership but were all covered by warranty or AM Works without quibble. Its been out of warranty for the past year but thankfully i have had zero issues with it in that time.
The thing I love about the car (apart from the looks and sound) is its dynamic range.
It can travel very long distances at high speed in luxurious comfort or it can be a ferrocious sporty drive when im in the mood.
One little gizmo enhances the experience is the bamford rose exhaust switch.
This allows you to manually switch the valves open, so the car growls and burbles at low speed. Or you can manually close the valves for a quiet start, or just set them to auto as per factory. This really should have been fitted by AM from the factory IMHO as without the switch you have to be above 3.5/4k for the valves to automatically open to hear the V12 in all its glory.
I'm biased but I really think these Rapide S, particularly the later ones, are massively underrated and under valued.
There is no other V12, four door, four seat exotic car out there with the looks and sound that competes with this car.
I was orignally going to buy a Ferrari FF but couldnt quite convince myself I could live with its looks and it's roughly double the price of the Rapide S, which makes the Aston seem like a bargain.
Best of luck with the search, you wont be disappointed if you take the plunge.
My car has every option possible, except the Bang & Olfsen sound system.
The standard sound system is absolutely fantastic and I struggled to hear much difference between the standard and B&O system.
Any 2017 owards car can be specced to the same as a shadow edition, although the shadow edition does have 565bhp vs 552bhp on non-shadow cars.
Shadow cars only come in about three colour combinations I think , but as I wanted the quilted Ivory interior they didnt suit my preferences.
The Shadow Edition's 2.3% power increase is not really perceptible (I drove both) so I wouldnt bother hunting down a shadow on the basis of the higher performance. The AMR however is a different proposition.
I do really think its worth finding a car with the AMI III infotaintment system though. AMI III includes Apple Car Play and the whole system makes the car feel more up to date and modern. I think AMI III arrived on 17 plate cars up to the end of the run in 2019.
I have had my car for about 3 years now and I'm still utterly in love with it. I dont use it as a daily but my kids love going in the back of it and enjoy the rear screens. Ive also had two adults around 5-11 ish in the back for 90 min journeys and there was no complaints.
I bought my car from AM works with an extended warranty. There were quite a few (minor) things that needed addressing in my first year of ownership but were all covered by warranty or AM Works without quibble. Its been out of warranty for the past year but thankfully i have had zero issues with it in that time.
The thing I love about the car (apart from the looks and sound) is its dynamic range.
It can travel very long distances at high speed in luxurious comfort or it can be a ferrocious sporty drive when im in the mood.
One little gizmo enhances the experience is the bamford rose exhaust switch.
This allows you to manually switch the valves open, so the car growls and burbles at low speed. Or you can manually close the valves for a quiet start, or just set them to auto as per factory. This really should have been fitted by AM from the factory IMHO as without the switch you have to be above 3.5/4k for the valves to automatically open to hear the V12 in all its glory.
I'm biased but I really think these Rapide S, particularly the later ones, are massively underrated and under valued.
There is no other V12, four door, four seat exotic car out there with the looks and sound that competes with this car.
I was orignally going to buy a Ferrari FF but couldnt quite convince myself I could live with its looks and it's roughly double the price of the Rapide S, which makes the Aston seem like a bargain.
Best of luck with the search, you wont be disappointed if you take the plunge.
Chad_Hugo said:
I am a little confused regarding the apple car play though. I was under the impression even for the later Rapide S you need to take the car to Aston for them to install it, and they charge something like 1200 GBP for that? Does AM Infotainment III come with it already pre installed/enabled so I can just use apple car play via the screen in the centre console?
Happy to clarify: The AMi III came with "Apple Carplay" and "Android Auto compatible"... there were 2 updates made to the system to bring it forward to support both system completely. The update was free. The initial release had "Apple Carplay (Coming Soon)" as a specification, and was later added as a 1st update ( Service Action SA-15-0267V2 ) in menu option, the 2nd software update ( Service Action SA-15-0297 ) added "Android Auto" in the menu.
Either Menu option "ungrey" themselves automatically when the corresponding phone is connected to the updated USB plug/dock in the arm rest.
I believe the 'Paid' upgrade was to bring early AMi II to AMi III spec (same system, but were initially NOT advertised as Apple Carplay compatible).
If you are looking for a >MY2017, and it has its dealer service up to date, it should have this installed already.
If you want to ensure a potential purchase has it up to date, you can ask the dealer/owner to verify the AMi III version to match this:
Edited by UltraMarine on Monday 2nd January 19:52
Oh yeah, I think I'm due for a final update! Thanks for pointing it out. Any specific new feature or bug fixes that was addressed for you in that update?
The screenshot I posted is for the initial version that has Android Auto support, so it should be the minimum version displayed to confirm that it supports both Apple and Android.
The screenshot I posted is for the initial version that has Android Auto support, so it should be the minimum version displayed to confirm that it supports both Apple and Android.
Apple carplay was std with AMI III but if the car you buy has a very early firmware it may not be enabled. Any AM dealer can update it for you free of charge usually. AMi II can be upgraded at a cost by your AM dealer to AMi III, but the earlier AMi I cannot and you would need a third party solution.
That said a shadow edition car would have AMi III if it was MY17 build or later.
Have a read of my AMi III setup tips thread for full info on all the firmware versions and a whole lot more….
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
The thread’s final update tells you the version number of the most stable (penultimate) version - dont get the final version as its actually a lot worse!
That said a shadow edition car would have AMi III if it was MY17 build or later.
Have a read of my AMi III setup tips thread for full info on all the firmware versions and a whole lot more….
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
The thread’s final update tells you the version number of the most stable (penultimate) version - dont get the final version as its actually a lot worse!
Edited by AdamV12V on Tuesday 3rd January 13:42
I think the original question also asked about the sports exhaust option. My car is 2017.5 model year and my understanding is that around that time AM decided to charge buyers extra for the valved exhaust, which used to be standard on earlier model years. I think they rebranded the valved exhaust as an optional ‘sports exhaust’ in pursuit of bigger profit margins, and if you didn’t opt for this you got exactly the same system minus the valves and vacuum pipes, but the vacuum pump was still there. My car was originally built to this ‘standard’ spec and I later changed it to the valved setup, so I’ve tried both set ups but retained the original non-valved exhaust (might consider selling it) as a spare as I quite like the sound.
The optional black textured (Zircotec?) exhaust tips are just an external appendage to the muffler box and are purely aesthetic upgrade to the standard chrome ones, but not indicative of whether or not you have the valved or non-valved exhaust.
I think I have this right but happy to be corrected if not!
The optional black textured (Zircotec?) exhaust tips are just an external appendage to the muffler box and are purely aesthetic upgrade to the standard chrome ones, but not indicative of whether or not you have the valved or non-valved exhaust.
I think I have this right but happy to be corrected if not!
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