Aston Martin Rapide video review

Imagine James Bond was married with 2.4 children and worked for CNET UK. What kind of car would he drive? He'd want something fast, something sexy. But he'd need something with four seats and a boot in order to carry his spybrood as well as his implausibly vast collection of gadgets. Surely an Aston Martin is out of the question?

A year ago that may well have been true, but these days gadget-loving, baby-fathering 007s have more choice. We spent some time testing the Aston Martin Rapide, the company's first four-door saloon since the Lagonda. As you'll see in our video review, It's big, it's fast and it has enough room inside to transport not one, but three Russian supermodels, as well as a boot big enough for an Ikea gun rack.

The Rapide's extra girth means it has even more gadgets than previous Aston Martins. It has a rear seat entertainment system that consists of two video screens mounted in the headrests. These are connected to a DVD player in the dash, but composite video inputs mean they'll also accept video from external devices, such as a games console or Brimstone surface to air missile.

Up front it has a sat-nav with a motorised screen -- just like you get in the more sporty Aston Martin DBS. That could have been bad news, because the DBS sat-nav was pants, but they've updated this one. It now supports full seven-digit post codes and runs off a hard disk so it's quick and responsive.

The audio system is phenomenal. The Rapide has a high-end, 1,000W Bang & Olufsen setup, which uses 15 speakers and includes motorised tweeters that rise up from the dashboard. It also comes with iPod connectivity and there's a USB port that lets you connect a disk full of MP3- or WMA-formatted audio for playback inside what is one of the most luxurious cabins we've ever had the pleasure of sitting in.

You can see all these features and more for yourself in our video review. Just hit the play button, crank up your speakers and watch as the Aston Martin goodness unfurls before your very eyes. When you're done, feel free to let us know how you feel about it in the comments section below.