Aston Martin Virage
- Production Dates: 1988 – 1995
The Aston Martin Virage made its debut at the Birmingham Motor Show in 1988. The Virage, which was designed by John Heffernan and Ken Greeley, was applauded for its styling, and it proved to be more quieter and more comfortable than the older V8’s.
The new engine was developed in co-operation with Callaway Engineering and was fitted with entirely new cylinder heads with four valves per cylinder for better breathing and to overcome power losses inevitable with the use of catalytic converters. This was to allow the engine to run on unleaded fuel anywhere, but particularly in America.
In March of 1992, a 6.3 litre version of the Virage was revealed with a top speed of 174 mph and a 0-60 mph time of 5.4 seconds. Handling and braking was improved and for the first time on an Aston Martin the option of ABS was offered. The chassis was quite a bit different from any previous design although it retained the same basic dimensions for wheelbase and track. But computer aided design (CAD) had enabled the chassis to be refined, lighter yet torsionally stronger. Body changes were minimal with flared wheel arches, revised front spoiler, and an optional rear spoiler.
In 1993, came the Mk II 6.3 litre Virage which had been reworked and improved to create 465 bhp @ 6000 rpm and 460 lbs-ft of torque at 5800 rpm. A ZF 6-speed manual was also available. 0-60 mph stood at 5.2 seconds with the Mk II conversion.
The Virage Volante made its world premiere at the 1990 Birmingham Motor Show, again a full four seater to recapture that grand touring spirit. The fully powered hood was mohair, the interior hand stitched Connolly hide with polished burr walnut. Utilising the same 5.3 litre V8 used in the Saloon, some cars were also converted to the impressive 6.3 litre specification.
Specification
- Price New: £ 129,950 (Coupe), £ 149, 000 (Volante)
- Engine:
– dohc V-8, 5340 cc, 330 bhp @ 6000 rpm, 350 lbs-ft @ 3700 rpm (Volante 300 bhp @ 6000 rpm, 350 lbs-ft @ 3700 rpm) - Transmission: 5-speed manual, 3-speed automatic
- Suspension:
- – Front: Independent, traverse unequal-length wishbones, anti-roll bar, coil springs
– Rear: de Dion axle, trailing arms, Watt linkage, coil springs - Brakes: Servo assisted front/rear discs/ABS
- Length: 15’7″ (4737 mm)
- Width: 6’1″ (1854 mm)
- Height: 4’4″ (1321 mm)
- Wheelbase: 8’7″ (2610 mm)
- Weight: 1790 kg
- Top Speed: 155 mph (250 kph)
- 0-60 mph: 6.0 sec. (Automatic)
Aston Martin Works offered an impressive series of upgrade packages for Virage, including the 6.3 litre engine conversion. Brakes, wheels and suspension were also modified to handle the extra performance. In addition to the mechanical changes more aggressive styling options were also available, including flared wing panels, deeper air dam and side skirts. Customers could choose a combination of the above on either new or existing cars.
