SimplyAbuDhabi X

2 0 9 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I Look closer though – open any one of those doors and you'll find a fabulously sumptuous interior that belies the Rapide's sleek lines. Wherever you take your seat, you'll find yourself in the lap of luxury. The finest quality leather wraps you in comfort and treats your senses to that unmistakeable aroma of quality and heritage, while underfoot, real wool carpeting stretches throughout the car, somehow creating the ambience of an English 'gentlemen’s club', (albeit a gentlemen’s club that can travel at 190mph...). Speaking of seats though, you won't be surprised to discover that my favourite is the one situated directly behind the steering wheel. It really is a rather wonderful place to be, with that steering wheel a comfortable arm’s reach away, the pure glass transmission selecter switches falling naturally to hand and gleaming like jewels in the deep gloss of the piano-black interior pack that extends across the dashboard, onto the interior door handles and is unique to the Rapide S. Those fortunate enough to ride in the rear seats are in for a treat too. Not for them the simple bench you might find in an everyday saloon car. Instead, there are two supremely comfortable seats divided by a central console which houses controls for the individual air-con and heating, ensuring complete comfort for your passengers. You may also opt for a twin screen entertainment centre for those who'd rather watch a movie or play music than watch the scenery flash by and hear the glorious song of that mighty V12 engine. You can probably guess the soundtrack I'd choose. Of course for me, the real beauty of every Aston Martin is in the driving experience and the Rapide S is no exception. The car's makers have achieved what may have been thought impossible and made the latest Rapide even better than its predecessor, in a number of very significant ways. The Rapide S is more powerful, more agile, more driveable and, with a top speed of 190mph and sub-5 second 0-60 time, even faster than ever before. That driveability is due in no small part to AstonMartin’s Adaptive Driving system (ADS) which offers the driver three options, 'Normal', 'Sport' or 'Track', the characteristics of each tailored to the capabilities of both car and driver. Press the Rapide S hard in 'Sport' or 'Track' and the ADS automatically adjusts the suspension settings, ensuring the highest level of control at all times and the ability to respond quickly to different driving conditions. These damper settings are governed by an electronic control unit (ECU)