| 2010 Aston Martin Rapide vs 2010 Porsche Panamera | November 2009 | AUTORIVALS.NET |
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| Both Aston Martin and Porsche are set to debut their first production sports sedans. Aston Martin previously had the Lagonda sedan which was in production from 1976 to 1991 but the all-new Rapide is a much more worthy sedan. Porsche's new Panamera is a capable attempt at a luxury sports sedan but is sure to upset Porsche purists. Both take familiar styling cues from each company's respective models. | ||
| 2010 Aston Martin Rapide | vs | 2010 Porsche Panamera |
 The Rapide's front end looks identical to other Aston Martin's like the DB9 and V8 Vantage. The headlights are lined with LED's in the same way and the Aston Martin signature grille resides up front. The hood is sculpted with the same lines as the V8 Vantage too. |
 Porsche's Panamera differs from other Porsche models. The design resembles the Cayenne SUV more than a 911 with similar headlight shapes. The rest all differs from traditional Porsches but nothing about the Panamera is traditional anyways. |
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| The Rapide was able to retain the profile and look of other Aston Martin models whereas the Panamera has an extruded roof that takes away from the smoothness of the profile. This was done for rear head room but makes the profile look more like Saab hatchbacks from the 1990s. | ||
 The Rapide has a beautiful profile that looks definitively Aston Martin. The B-pillar is hidden behind the side windows which looks fantastic. The window shape is especially well done that's angled on the door at the C-pillar to preserve the look of other Aston Martins. The door handles are also kept subtle giving it a sleek coupe-like appearance. |
 The hunchback roofline of the Panamera is the biggest downfall of the Panamera's design. It's reported that Porsche's ex-CEO, Wendelin Wiedeking, wanted enough headroom to fit his six-foot-two body but when combined with a low aerodynamic profile of the Panamera, the hunchback roof is what you're left with. |
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 The Rapide's interior is also a dead ringer for an Aston Martin with the same dashboard design seen in other models. It still looks beautifully done with a flowing center stack but features tiny buttons that sacrifice usability for aesthetics. Sometimes (like in this case), it's a sacrifice worth making. |
 The Panamera's interior is another differentiating design compared to other Porsches. The instrument cluster and center gauge is definitely a Porsche design, but the dashboard layout is all new. It doesn't look quite as good as the Rapide but neither does the rest of the car. |
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PROS +Beautiful exterior +Hidden B-pillar and door handles +Excellent side window design +Beautiful interior CONS -Tiny dashboard buttons -A lot more expensive |
PROS +At least it meets Porsche's performance criteria CONS -Hunchback roofline |
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| Video Source: YouTube via Autocar | Video Source: YouTube via Autocar |
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