Very pretty: Aston Martin Rapide

At the IAA, the British luxury carmaker Aston Martin is exhibiting the Rapide, which is to be released next year. The car certainly lives up to its name: under the bonnet of the four-door hatchback nestles a 6.0L, twelve-cylinder engine rated at 477bhp. The new Aston Martin will sprint from 0 to 62 mph in 5.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 190mph (303 km/h). The Rapide is almost 30cm longer than the DB9 Coupe and affords a lot of space for four people. Due to the car's sporty lines, the boot compartment is a little on the small side at only 303 litres. Aston Martin has done a fine job of combining the performance of a thoroughbred sports car with the luxury of a top-of-the-range four-seater at a cost of around 180,000 euros, £162,500. The Aston Martin Rapide is aimed squarely at competing with the Porsche Panamera and the Maserati Quattroporte.