Aston Martin has used the backdrop of the Geneva Motor Show to announce a partnership with independent vehicle manufacturer Magna Steyr to build the upcoming four-door Rapide at a plant in Graz, Austria. The new model is expected to bow in around late 2009 and officials are hoping to sell up to 2000 cars annually.

The decision to outsource production of the Rapide to Magna Steyr was made because Aston’s current facility in Gaydon is already near capacity with close to 8,000 cars rolling out of the factory last year. According to Aston CEO Dr Ulrich Bez, Magna Steyr was picked because of its experience in building luxury cars for the likes of Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Some of its most popular models include the X3 SUV and E-Class 4MATIC. Officials will now work on establishing a dedicated production line for the new Rapide at the Austrian plant.

The Rapide was first rolled out as a concept at the Detroit Motor Show in 2006 and since that time the company has been investigating the best business solution for building the car. The original concept featured a 6.0L V12 engine with 480hp (358kW) on tap, but no details about the production version have been released yet.

Aston Martin Rapide Concept 2007