"We wanted to make the most beautiful four-door sports car in the world." These are the words of Aston Martin Director of Design Marek Reichman. The resulting car is the Aston Martin Rapide which is slated for a public debut some time this year, probably at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

Driving the rear wheels will be Aston's 6.0-litre V12 with 470bhp (350kW) and 600Nm of torque. It is mated to a Touchtronic gearbox that Aston Martin says is highly responsive. We'll only be able to reveal performance figures once the company has released them.

The Rapide was first revealed as a concept car at the 2006 North American International Motor Show in Detroit. During its development the car was the subject of an intense and extreme testing programme which saw it having to endure cold, hot and Nürburgring performance environments.

AM CEO Dr Ulrich Bez is full of praise for his company's latest creation, "Rapide will exceed expectations to deliver elegance and practicality in a form that will allow driving enjoyment and comfort beyond anything that exists today." He continues, "The Rapide will exist in a class all of its own, a true Aston Martin with the high performance and dynamic excellence that defines the brand, and a luxurious sporting grand tourer without equal."

Aston Martin's team from the UK will co-ordinate the manufacture of the car at a new production facility in Austria. Magna Steyr will manage the process.