Aston Martin continues its face-lifting spree, this time, on their Rapide sports sedan/coupe.

Aston Martins of late have often been critised for looking exactly the same. That said, I don’t really mind that they look similar, since the trademark Aston Martin face looks magnificently beautiful and elegant anyway. With the face-lifts, Aston Martin may have hoped to improve their aesthetic appeal, and indeed they have with the new Vanquish and DB9. The Rapide’s face surgery however, didn’t go so well.

The new Rapide S proudly dons a heavily revised front-end look, which is different from the other Astons. This is a surprising move for a company that has always been rather safe and conservative. Gone is the old split grille, and in its place is a new full grille.

Aston Martin hopes the revised front end design would match the striking new rear deck profile at the back, which, it does rather well indeed. The changes are not purely cosmetic; the new grille is one of many aerodynamic and aesthetic upgrades to create more downforce on the Rapide S. Luckily, despite the restyling, the Rapide S is still instantly recognisable as an Aston Martin.

Hidden behind the big Aston’s new face is a much more powerful and yet more efficient engine. The new AM11 V12 boasts 550 bhp, almost 81 bhp more than the 6.0-litre V12 powerplant in the outgoing model. The added power helps propel the Rapide S to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 306 km/h. The previous car took almost 0.4 seconds more to reach the 100km/h mark and could only reach a top speed of about 303 km/h. The new engine boasts a minor increase in torque, too, up from 600Nm to 620Nm. The interior remains relatively unchanged with loads of customization options.

As of now, there are no details on the official launch date or cost of the Rapide S. No matter what the finished article is, I do believe that the new car would be spectacular. Aston Martins have always made beautiful cars, and although this isn’t as beautiful as some of their current offerings, the performance alone would be enough to make up for it. Blending good looks and good performance to just the right amount is the key to Aston Martin’s success, and this car continues that recipe, thereby making it a car that everyone desires.