Aston Martin Rapide S adds an extra consonant worth 550 hp

Aston Martin Rapide S adds an extra consonant worth 550 hp The 'S' probably stands for "Sport," as the new Rapide's most significant upgrade is under the bonnet where Aston's V12 has been poked and prodded to produce 550 horsepower, a stout 80 more units of equine oomph than last year's model. Torque is likewise up 14 pound-feet to 457 at 5,000 rpm. Performance has improved in turn, with the Rapide S now able to reach 60 miles per hour in 4.7 seconds compared to 5.1 seconds before and its top speed climbing to 190 mph.

Aston Martin Rapide S adds an extra consonant worth 550 hp

Aston Martin Rapide S adds an extra consonant worth 550 hp

Aston Martin Rapide S adds an extra consonant worth 550 hp

Aston Martin Rapide S adds an extra consonant worth 550 hp

Aston Martin Rapide S adds an extra consonant worth 550 hp

Aston Martin Rapide S adds an extra consonant worth 550 hp

Aston Martin Rapide S adds an extra consonant worth 550 hp

Aston Martin Rapide S adds an extra consonant worth 550 hp

Aston Martin Rapide S adds an extra consonant worth 550 hp

Goodbye Aston Martin Rapide. Hello Aston Martin Rapide S. That's right, Aston Martin has unveiled an updated version of its famously beautiful four-door and given its name a new consonant to boot.

All 6.0 liters of the Rapide's engine now sit 19 millimeters lower than before, which aids handling along with the car's new adaptive suspension, tagged with the inspiring moniker of "Adaptive Damping System." ADS offers drivers three settings: Normal, Sport and Track, the latter of which implies the Rapide S will be able make the most of its newfound power.

Aston Martin Rapide S adds an extra consonant worth 550 hp

Of course, if the Rapide is known for anything, it's the car's devastatingly good looks, and Aston has been somewhat careful here so as not to alter a curve the wrong way and ruin the Rapide's main selling point. What has changed is the grille, which grows in size and shrinks in number to just a single gaping maw. While still the face of a super model, Aston Martin won't be shaking the comparison to recent Ford designs with this one. There's also a subtle reworking of the car's rear decklid, but otherwise the Rapide S is as stunning as it always was, and a new Carbon Exterior Pack will add those precious fibers to all the major exterior trim pieces.

Aston Martin Rapide S adds an extra consonant worth 550 hp

Aston has spared the interior from much change, instead offering a new piano black interior pack and debuting Duotone perforated red and black leather in the Rapide S.

Pricing has yet to be announced, but Aston Martin says the new Rapide S will be available to order worldwide next month. We're pretty sure its price tag will remain above $200,000, though, so maybe the 'S' stands for "So Not Gonna Happen On My Salary."