Aston Martin Rapide to run in Nurburgring 24 hour

The Aston Martin Rapide which will take part in the Nurburgring 24 Hours in May

Aston Martin are to run a Rapide in the Nürburgring  24-hour race in May together with a V12 Vantage. The Rapide will be driven by Aston boss Dr Ulrich Bez.

It may be a four door saloon car. It may designed to ferry privileged families in supercar style. It may – on the face of it – be the least sporting car Aston Martin has produced in a generation. But as far as Aston Martin are concerned the new Aston Martin Rapide is a thoroughbred sporting Aston, and as such is perfectly suited to run the Nordschleife circuit for the Nürburgring  24-hour race in May. So that’s what they’re doing.

Aston Martin has run cars in the Nurburgring 24 hours for the last five years, but they were Vantages – both V8 and V12 versions – not even Db9s. So this is unchartered territory for Aston Martin. But so confident are they that the Rapide is almost a stock production car.

The only changes AM have made are small mandatory changes required to compete in the race plus a bit of weight saving and a suspension tweak or two. The team will be headed up by Aston boss Dr Ulrich Bez with the rest of the team made up from engineers from Gaydon. Dr Bez said:

“This race represents the ultimate final engineering durability test for any sports car – it subjects the car to the toughest possible assessment under public scrutiny.

The Rapide has the capability to carry four people in comfort but first and foremost it is a sports car and we will subject it to the same tests we would our other sports cars. We already have a proven track record at the Nürburgring racing our road cars with limited modification and in recent years we have enjoyed success in winning the SP8 class both in 2008 and 2009.”

Aston Martin are also running their most powerful car – the V12 Vantage – in the race. Last year was the first time the V12 Vantage had competed and it won its class and managed a very creditable 21st overall.

The rest of the line-up of drivers has not yet been finalised.