Aston Martin will be giving its new four-door Rapide model its biggest test yet as the manufacturer prepares to race it in the ADAC Nurburgring 24-hour race next month.

Aston Martin car hire enthusiasts may be interested to hear that the vehicle will be as near to standard specification as the race rules will allow and will be driven by engineers from the company's base in Warwickshire.

Dr Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin chief executive and a member of the race team, revealed that the Rapide was expected to perform well under its guise as a sports and racing car.

"This race represents the ultimate final engineering durability test for any sports car - it subjects the car to the toughest possible assessment under public scrutiny," he added.

The vehicle's 6.0-litre V12 engine is capable of producing 470bhp, propelling it from standstill to 60mph in just 5.1 seconds.

In addition to the Rapide, the manufacturer will also be entering a V12 Vantage car into the event.

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Posted by Lucy Jones