Aston Martin Rapide S Hybrid to Enter Into 24 Hour Nurburgring Race
The new Aston Martin Rapide S hybrid race car will compete at Nurburgring in Germany next month.
The state of the art sports vehicle runs on both gas and hydrogen and will be the first of its kind to race at this international event. Aston Martin followed in the footsteps of both McLaren and Ferrari, two automakers that have already introduced high-end hybrid vehicles.
The Rapide S debuted this year and features a twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter v12 engine and is capable of running on hydrogen, gasoline, or a combination of the two. Aston Martin unveiled the vehicle with plans to enter it in the 41st ADAC Zurich 24 Hours of Nurburgring race in Germany, which is set to take place next month.
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"Aston Martin has a strong track record of innovation and, with our superb history of competition and testing at the Nurburgring, it is only right that we showcase this amazing new technology at this year's 24-hour race," said Aston Martin CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez in a recent statement.
The vehicle has the ability to reach 190 mph and accelerates from zero to 62 mph in 4.9 seconds. While running on hydrogen, the car will not emit any exhaust.
The Rapide S uses the finest ultra-high strength carbon fiber tanks instead of the propane-style storage tanks found in other automobiles. It features four hydrogen tanks altogether including two next to the driver and two in the trunk and can store a total of 3.5 kg of hydrogen at a pressure of 350 bar.
The car also retains the same appearance as its non-hybrid counterpart.
Aston Martin currently has no plans to offer the Rapide S hybrid commercially.
The ADAC Zurich Nurburgring 24 Hours takes place on May 19 and 20.
