A confession. A few months ago I had the privilege of driving the DB9 GT. I wasn’t really looking forward to it, but I ended up falling in love with the car, which means the Rapide S had some pretty big shoes to fill. When the car arrived, initially I was a little underwhelmed. It didn’t look quite as nice as the DB9 and it didn’t sound quite as aggressive when I pushed the “sport’ button. The interior was exquisite, but it just wasn’t the DB9 GT. So why would anyone potentially invest in this new Rapide S?

Let me be clear, this car still looks fantastic. It’s an Aston Martin at the end of the day, and has a beautiful front grill (redesigned for 2017), gorgeous curves and an unmistakable rear. Underneath that long bonnet lies an all-new 6.0 litre V12 that delivers 552 beautiful sounding BHP. Inside the cabin, the Rapide S screams luxury, with hand-stitched leather seats, elegant buttons and dials on the dash and a Bang&Olufsen sound system that needs to be heard to be believed. In many high-end sports cars the rear seats are, more often than not, a token gesture, but this is not the case with the Rapide S. There is plenty of room for two people, who can also enjoy watching films on a TV screen capable of playing DVDs, along with their own personal climate controls and wireless headphones. Couple that with incredibly comfortable seats, and it makes this grand tourer a great car for taking long trips with friends or family. If James Bond ever did marry Miss Moneypenny and they had two little secret agents, this would be the family Aston Martin. Granted you can’t get a stroller in the back, but you can get a couple of small suitcases or a good deal of your weekly shop.

Driving the Rapide S isn’t going to be the most exciting time of your life, but it could well be one of the most enjoyable. It’s extremely comfortable, yet sporty. The air-conditioned seats surpassed my expectations. I found the DB9 comfortable but the Rapide S takes gluteus maximus comfort to the next level. The performance is decent, however I can’t help but feel this isn’t what this car is built for. It’s a very smooth ride that has a bit of poke if you need it. The infotainment system does also have a “track” display showing detailed stats about engine use and the like if you did want to get lairy and throw the Rapide S around a few bends – on a closed race track, of course. The paddle shifters are great for when you want to really explore what the V12 engine can do. The touchtronic 3 automatic gearbox performs well and the brakes bring those large 20” rims to a halt in good time.

The more I drove the Rapide S the more I enjoyed it. I could see this being a great daily driver for a lot of people. It’s not as cumbersome to get in and out of like other sports cars. It has a good amount of space inside and the ride height is pretty much perfect. You feel low enough to have the full experience of driving a luxurious sports car, yet you don’t have to panic that you’re going to lose your front splitter every time you see a speed bump or pothole. After a fun weekend together, the Rapide S won me over, and despite my initial underwhelmed feeling, I was reluctant to return it. The car didn’t fail to turn heads, invoke envious stares and make people wish they had my job. It has its perks I suppose.