OverBudget

I LOVE Aston Martin's and someday hope to trade a few current cars and get one. I am on the mailing list and know one of the sales guys at our local Bentley/Lambo/Aston Martin dealer. They had a new 2010 Rapide come in from California which is making a tour across the country for test drives.

The car is beautiful in and out and the fit and finish is awesome. The car drove nicely and had decent power, but didn't feel as strong as my C63 (which doesn't surprise me since I've done mods and have 70 more flywheel horsepower).

In the end, it was very fun to test drive a $210,000 car, but there is no way that it is 3 times the car that my C63 is (I have about $70k in it)...

x-tian-230k

Cars arent priced by just how fast they are alone... I mean ur talking about an Aston Martin....I am sure fit and finish, along with the prestige.. Its worth all the money...

SebringSilver

But you WILL get a level of exclusivity and oneupmanship with the Rapide that no C63 will ever approach. I find it interesting how some people are saying the C63 has become the new M3, probably owing to an unprecedented lowering of the average age of the owners of the C63, and the resultant proliferation of douchebaggery in driving style and message board shenanigans (not pointing out anyone here in particular). But the actual shift in the automotive hierarchy that's come about with the introduction of the C63, at least in my eyes, is that the C-class AMG has now become the 4-door Corvette, given its performance bang-for-the-buck quotient.

Anyway, love the Rapide. It's remarkably compact and low-slung for a 4-door. Will be taking one for a test drive tomorrow as well.

NickZag

Just the look of the Aston is almost worth the extra $100k. I read a review about the Rapide in Top Gear magazine and they loved the car.

MB_Forever

The two cars are in slightly different categories.... the C63 seems more on the sports side of it while the Rapide offers more room and more refined luxury at a decent performance level.

OverBudget

Like I said, it was very nice. And yes, you won't see many around, but is it 3 to 3.5 times the car a C63 is? Not even close.

It was fun though to test drive a $210,000 car...

I'd take one over a Panamera or Maserati. The Lamborghina Estoque (upcoming 4 door) will be interesting, but again it will be 200k to 250k...

wuyichao

wow, lucky you!

chief63

Can you give us more info about the test drive?

Also what I find is that the C63 is a good bang for the buck (one of the best), but it would be unfair to say all other cars are too expensive or too slow.

It's the attitude proned by most of the Nissan GTR guys but trust me, I've never seen any serious babes (passengers) coming out of GTRs but I can't say the same for Aston Martin's, they are literrally chick magnets.

It's just an example of cars that appeal more to others and that its not all about speed.

I saw a Mayback 57S yesterday parked near me. It's not as fast as a C63 but damn I'd take it any day. Completely insane. The guy was about 65, so it's a matter of taste. The fact he just glanced and checked out my car made me pretty proud he he

OverBudget

The car came in from California. My understanding is that it is making a tour of the US so that perspective buyers can all see and thrash it. The sales guy (who represents Bentley, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Rolls, and Aston Martin), drove it off the lot, really got on it on a freeway on-ramp, and then found a dead street where we switched places. I LOVE Aston Martin's, but I already could tell there was NO WAY, I was going to pay $210k for a car that didn't blow me away. I got on it a few times and basically just drove it back to the dealer. That's about it.

jrcart

4-door Corvette, LOL, I suddenly have images of pinky ring and gold chain wearing C63 drivers getting very worked up over your post . I'm sure there is a HUGE concentration of C63 in and around the Jersey area