Image via Complex Original
In Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle's masterpiece on the topic of virtue and ethics, the great Greek philosopher describes a virtue as being the "golden mean" between two vices. Bravery, for example, is situated even between cowardice and rashness; it is wrong to both cower in fear at every threat, and to run headfirst into all of them without considering the consequences of one's actions. This concept dominated my mind, as it wrapped around my time on track with Aston Martin's newly upgraded sedan, the Rapide S. Let me explain.
1
Seeing an email from Aston Martin's PR department with the word "Invitation" in the subject line is an especially exciting experience. Having replied as quickly as I could, I was then sent down to Atlanta's relatively new Atlanta Motorsports Park to test both the new Rapide S and my tolerance for heat and humidity (very low).
We were wooed in the usual way, with fine hotels and good food, as well as given press kits on what might be the world's most luxurious flash drive, a leather and aluminum finished number with contrasting stitching. But none of that is important. I was there to drive, not to drink what is known as, according to one of the caterers, "swaaeeet tae" and eat foods with lots of "bu'uh," which I believe roughly translates to "sweet tea" and "butter," respectively. The moment of truth was seeing $999,750 ($199,950 each plus options) worth of luxury sport sedans in a neat row, ready to attack the pristine asphalt of the park.
2
Our briefing was a little intimidating; as the Atlanta Motorsports Park was described to the gaggle of 12 journalists, we came to the realization that it was a tight, technical course with a lot of elevation changes, and that it seemed like the kind of place that would be better suited to a tiny and lightweight Lotus, rather than 4,387 lbs of V12 sedan. It seemed like we were about to embark on the unfortunate mission of trying to take a car made for long sweeping turns around a series of Tilke-designed (just look it up) tight corners and even a replica of the Nurburgring's carousel.
It seemed unlikely that a car of this size and weight could find the golden mean between being a useful sedan and being able to handle a course of this complexity with aplomb.
3
These were no normal Rapides, however. The Rapide S has been upgraded in a variety of ways to make it better suited for track duty, without sacrificing its viability as a day to day car for the 1%. The engine is the same 6.0L V12 we're used to seeing, but in the same tune as in the new Vanquish, meaning that it's producing 550 hp, and improvement of 17% over the regular Rapide, and 457 lb-ft of torque. This means that the Rapide S' 0-60 time was a scant 4.7 seconds, down from 5.1, and can now travel as fast as 190 mph.
The engine wasn't the only part of the Rapide that underwent a transformation in order to earn that "S" badge. The handling characteristics have been fine-tuned by lowering the engine in the engine bay, new transmission software, upgraded brakes, and, most importantly, adaptive damping.
4
Being English, the Aston Martin Rapide S was conceived of, designed, engineered, tested, and manufactured in the rain, so it was only fitting that we got our start in the rain. The initial apprehension of not only testing this large car on this tight track, but also in a significant amount of grip-reducing water, melted away quickly as the sheer capability of this car became apparent.
My driving was to be done under the watchful and expert guidance of instructor Kevin Markham, who quickly had the entire group referring to me as Sir Stirling, after my namesake and legendary Aston Martin driver Sir Stirling Moss. I started out cautiously, simply because I didn't want to be the guy who covered a car that costs as much as a nicely made three-bedroom, two-bath single family home in the Midwest in mud, or worse, but I quickly came to trust the very predictable nature of the car.
5
As the sun emerged and Georgia showed us that it does, in fact, deserve its reputation for a sickening combination of heat and humidity, the track dried. This, combined with the fact that I was learning the course, meant that my speed increased exponentially over the course of the day.
While I was moderately impressed with the fact that I managed to get it up to 112 mph on AMP's short back straight, I was more impressed with how well the Aston handled. The near perfect weight distribution, very direct and communicative steering, and suspension set up made the whole car feel like a much smaller vehicle whenever it entered a tight corner, and the roaring V12 made short work of the straights and the long sweeping curve near the end of the track.
The star of the experience, however, was the adaptive damping. The "Normal," "Sport," and "Track" modes create an immediate and obvious change in the car's demeanor. In "Normal" the car is comfortable, but a smidge sloppy in the corners. It would be perfect for a cruise up a coastal highway or day to day use. "Track" mode would be terrible when riding over our country's terrible and pot-holed roads, but really did transform the Rapide S into a proper sports car in the park's tight corners.
6
After my last lap of the day, which was by far the fastest, I suddenly realized why Aston elected to bring us to this particular course. Through just the right amount of technological wizardry, Aston had managed to create a car that has reasonable cargo room, seats four in relative comfort (my 6'1" frame fits nicely behind a 6'2" driver), rides comfortable enough for daily use, and even offers a custom made child seat for tiny heirs and heiresses. Yet, it can still offer a race-bred experience that one only expects from a smaller car.
At the same time, Aston's status as a small, independent company precludes it from using the same amount of technology as its rivals, and although this is usually seen as a weakness by the press, it also is a distinctive part of Aston's strength. Italian cars used to be characterized by smooth, flowing lines, charismatic engines, and pure driving experiences that did little to baby the driver. Aston Martin draws its identity from a fusion of English luxury and Italian styling, and while Italy's exotics have gotten more and more complicated, both aesthetically and technologically, Aston has remained pure. It's almost to the point where Aston Martin is more classically Italian than any other company from Italy.
7
That's what made this car stand out in my ever-growing lineup of vehicles I've been in. I didn't just like it, I loved it. It straddled a very fine line in almost every way; it was deeply compromised, but never in a bad way, and it exemplified Artistotle's definition of virtue. The Rapide S takes the best of a sports car and a sedan and combines them into one car that can do almost anything the owner might want it to; it melded amazingly smooth and elegant styling with practicality; and it used what modern technology was needed to live up to its raison d'être without losing a certain mechanical simplicity that is missed in so many performance cars today.
As it stands, the Rapide S is a paragon of this Aristolean virtue of balance, accomplishing all the designers and engineers set out to do, even when it seemed that some of these things were at odds. And that's why, in retrospect, I'm happy the event was at this track that was seemingly unsuited to the car, in the faux-British rain; it further reinforced just how good this car is.
