Now Aston Martin has created a four-door, high-performance Rapide concept which will be displayed at next week's Detroit motor show in the US.
Aston Martin has not confirmed if the Rapide will be made, but there is speculation that production could start by 2008 with the car costing about £160,000. The concept is powered by a 6.0-litre V12 engine as found in the Aston Martin DB9. The 1960s' Lagonda Rapide cost about £5,000 - a vast sum in those days. It had to compete with the likes of the Jaguar MKX and was powered by a 4.0-litre engine which was later used in the Aston Martin DB5. Should the company decide to put the Rapide into production, one of its rivals would be the 4-door Porsche Panamera which is due to be available in 2009.