Aston Martin Rapide

It’s the moment Aston Martin fans have been waiting for. Here are the first ever images of the new four door Rapide, testing undisguised!

Spied lapping the Nurburgring in Germany, this car clearly shows off its glass roof, distinctive door arrangement and bold rear.

Based on the same ‘vertical-horizontal’ chassis that underpins the firm’s successful DB9 and DBS sportscars the newcomer promises a unique blend of performance, space and style.

First versions will be powered by a 6.0-litre V12, developing around 450bhp. However further down the line, Aston is also hinting the new hybrid models could also be on offer.

Set to hit the road in 2010, the car is the first four the firm has built since the Lagonda project of the late 1970s, more importantly though this model is also expected to be the first Aston Martin built outside the UK.

The current plan sees the giant machine being assembled at Magna Steyr, in Austria.

Prices are still to be confirmed, but likely to exceed £100,000 as the model battles Porsche Panamera, and flagship editions of the forthcoming Audi A7 and Mercedes CLS.