Spied: two new Astons

We've an Aston Martin spyshot double bill for you here, with both the Vantage RS and four-door Rapide having recently been caught testing. Both cars were snapped at the N�rburgring.

Aston is now such a prevalent presence at the Nordschleife even our spy photographers reckon the British marque is making the test circuit its own. And although a four-door doesn't exactly sound like the usual blood pumping stuff, the Rapide is based on the existing DB9 coup�. The elongated body covers an extended version of that car's chassis, while the DB9's fabulous V12 can also be found under the bonnet. Only for the Rapide it is likely to produce 480bhp - 30bhp more than the regular DB9 musters. But then, the Rapide will need all the performance it can get.

The four-door supercar segment is a burgeoning one. The only existing competitor we can think of is the Maserati Quattroporte (the Mercedes CLS doesn't cost enough, darling - even with AMG's 6.2-litre V8). But 2009 is scheduled to see the launch of Porsche's highly anticipated Panamera, while BMW and Audi are also mooted to be preparing contenders. The Rapide concept first emerged at the Detroit motor show in 2006, was briefly put on hold during Ford's sale of the company, but is now in full flight once again in the hands of Aston's new owners, the group headed by Prodrive's David Richards.

Vantage RS: small size, big power
If nothing else, the Rapide certainly has the looks to trouble the Panamera - a car with such awkward lines it appears to be challenging the Cayenne for the Ugliest Porsche Ever crown. But if the Rapide isn't quite exciting enough for you, there is always the forthcoming Vantage RS. Confirmed for production just last week, this new model combines the most compact Aston in the current line up with an upgraded 6.0-litre V12. Having seen the concept at Geneva last month, we can tell you that cramming this massive engine into the space a V8 usually occupies must have been a serious challenge.

There is no wonder this prototype has so many vents in the bonnet. And although the final production version is likely to have 'just' 550bhp - compared to the concept's 600 horses - performance is going to be scintillating. In fact, the challenge to the Vantage RS's rear-wheel drive drivetrain is so great, Aston has even fitted a cooling system to the differential in the effort to find reliability at speed. Proof this car is definitely the RS also comes with the rear diffuser, which is identical to that seen on the show version. It will be available in the same Mako Blue colour, too.

Don't expect the original pop-up spoiler to make production, however. Instead, the Vantage RS is expected to sport a simple lip spoiler on the boot lid. And while it will be amongst the hardest charging Astons - ever - that RS here stands for "Road Sport" suggests it won't be challenging Porsche's RS models for out and out track-biased pace. This presumably means the ride won't be too spine crunching, either, but then at around �180,000 we would expect there be some luxury. Unlike the Rapide, which is to be manufactured by Magna Steyr in Austria, the RS will probably built at Aston's existing factory in Gaydon. Production for both cars should begin next year.