The production version of the Rapide debuted at the 2009 International Motor Show Germany, and manufacture began in May 2010 at the Magna Steyr facility in Graz, Austria.

In 2012, Aston Martin ended its partnership with Magna Steyr and shifted production to Gaydon, a Warwickshire village where the other VH platformed cars—including the DB9, the DBS, the Vantage and the second-generation Vanquish—were produced.

Before assuming his position, Reichman studied the characteristics of Aston Martin's cars and made several sketches for a four-door concept.

Ulrich Bez, chief executive officer of Aston Martin, gave the brief to Reichman in the same month as his appointment, and work promptly commenced.

[20][21] Aston Martin opted to end its production arrangement with Magna Steyr in the middle of 2012, six years earlier than expected.

[26][27] About sixty per cent of its chassis and powertrain—comprising the engine, transmission and much of the front section up to the windscreen—is carried over from the Aston Martin DB9, which was the first car that used the VH platform.

[28][29] The Rapide's chassis, bodywork and structure are constructed primarily of extruded and cast aluminium,[14][30] while its roof is made of polycarbonate.

[36] The Rapide will be the most elegant four-door sports car in the world [...] It completes the Aston Martin range while conveying our established attributes of power, beauty and soul.

[42] The Rapide features a tilt-telescoping steering wheel, bi-xenon headlamps, LED tail-lights, leather and walnut trim with metallic accents, power front seats with memory, and cooling and heating systems.

[48][49] Its carbon emissions rating is 355 grams per kilometre (20.2 oz/mi), while its average fuel consumption is about 19 miles per US gallon (12 L/100 km; 23 mpg‑imp), which is considered inefficient.

[61][62] The car includes standard Michelin Pilot Supersport tyres and 21-inch alloy wheels—the largest wheels fitted to an Aston Martin.

[68] The company intended to manufacture 155 units at its St Athan, Wales, production facility,[69] which would also produce Lagonda's future electric vehicles.

They also highlighted concerns about the car's handling, finding that "the Rapide [was] unsettled by ruts and bumps at all speeds, while [the] firmer Sport mode simply makes things even more uncomfortable".

They also pointed out that the car's large dimensions affected its handling, stating that "despite having nicely precise steering, the Rapide does not feel particularly agile".

[87] A Rapide S was entered in the 2013 edition;[88] powered by a new technology introduced by Alset GmbH, its hybrid–hydrogen system enables the car to use hydrogen and petrol individually or simultaneously in its internal combustion engine.