Aston Martin executives revealed that the Rapide will have a V12 engine under its hood. The engine is capable of producing 470 horse power and a torque of around 443 lb-ft.

The production version of Rapide will first be seen in flesh by September 2009. It will most likely take the spotlight during the Frankfurt Motor Show. It will be rolling out to the dealership as early as 2010 as Aston Martin’s first true sedan to go on production.

The Rapide is undeniably has the elegant sporty lines of the Aston Martin from head to tail. The side strake is well defined and the usual low chassis configuration will capture any body with keen eyes for car details.

The sleek lines of the car are contrasted well with the muscular shoulders giving the car a natural ready-to-pounce look. Aston Martin designers also used the swan wing concept for the doors of the Rapide which swings up and open to the back. The architecture of the door provides easier entry and exit.

The car manufacturer considers the Rapide as a sports grand tourer and fits the car with a touchtronic gearbox. The interior of the car is very roomy with full sized seats for four occupants and for some travel goods that they may want to pack.

Compared to the DBS and the Vantage, the Rapide is considered by Aston Martin as the long distance runner of their fleet.

The Rapide concept was first seen in the Detroit Auto Show in 2006. The production version has almost the same length as the concept car and uses the aluminum structure platform of the DB9.

The swage line that runs along the door and front ring distinguishes the styling of the Rapide. It is a feature similar to Henrik Fisker’s proposal for the V8 Vantage.

The Rapide has a crisper shoulder than the concept car and it also has more noticeable hood creases. The primary features of the new car from Aston Martin is said to represent the design future of the brand under the lead of Marek Reichman.

The Rapide’s overall wheelbase was stretched by the Aston Martin team to 197 inches which fits the definition of luxury sedans and can definitely compete with brands like the S Class of the Mercedes-Benz.

The nose of the car has cleaner cuts with the very noticeable air intake. The Rapide is also taller by 2.5 inches than the DB9 which guarantees enough headroom without sacrificing the swooping styling of the roofline.

The rear cabin was also designed to be usable and fit a small person. The engines for the front seats were also reconfigured to give rear passengers more space for their feet.

The power plant of the Rapide is more powerful than the DB9 engine’s 480 horsepower and is coupled with a ZF six-speed automatic transmission with Touchtronic system from Aston.

We don’t have any pics of our own, but there’s photos available at these sources:

• World Car Fans
• Motor Authority

A quick vid:

Click here to view the embedded video.