Here is the Aston Martin Virage ahead of its debut at the 2011 Geneva Auto Show next week. At first, we were pretty sure we had downloaded yet more images of the DB9 coupe and Volante (British for "convertible"), but then we saw the opulent ribbon of LED lights in each bi-xenon headlight assembly, the One-77-inspired grille, and the new side vents, and realized this must indeed be a completely different model fully deserving of a new name. A virage, incidently, is a "bend" or "change" in, uh, French.
Aston intends on positioning the Virage between the DB9 and DBS on the hierarchy. As such, the Virage's 5.9-liter V12 makes not 470 hp (like the DB9), nor 510 hp (like the DBS), but 490 hp. Torque is rated at 420 pound-feet at a not low at all 5,750 rpm.
As the Virage coupe and convertible are meant to offer DBS levels of technology, combined with Rapide-like comfort and refinement, a six-speed automatic (rear-mounted all transaxle-style) is the only transmission choice.
More striking photos and strikingly pertinent observations after the jump.
Compared to the DB9, the Virage should offer the better ride/handling balance, as it features the rear subframe Aston later adopted on the Vantage and DBS, along with a rear shear panel on both the Volante and the coupe. Also, the adaptive dampers on the Virage have 10 different driver-selectable settings.
Standard brake hardware includes oversized ceramic rotors -- "bucking the trend in this market," says Aston -- with 6-piston front and 4-piston rear calipers.
Further, seven Scandinavian-born and raised cows contribute their hides to a richly aromatic Bridge of Weir leather interior, which on the coupe can have either a 2+0 or 2+2 seating layout, depending on whether people or parcels are more important in your life.
On a functional level, a new Garmin navigation system with a 6.5-inch screen hints at a lavishly appointed British car that might actually have working electronics.
lexuslvr says:
08:27 PM, 02/22/11
I assume this is actually a two door version of the Rapide. Th efront facias look very similar.
felonious_monk says:
09:54 PM, 02/22/11
I've been a fan of AM going back to to even before the original Virage, back to when they were "AML" and the only coupe/convertible model they had (the V-8) looked like a giant Mustang, but this is getting too ridiculous. Granted, these AMs are beautiful autos, but despite subtle differences, they're all the same damn car. And people rag on Lexus for badge engineering! There is such a thing as going to the well once too often and AM went there, came back and then went there again.
bankerdanny says:
06:21 AM, 02/23/11
Astons are incredibly beautiful cars, they really are. But isn't it time for them to make more than 1 car. All they do is make the wheel base larger or smaller, and in the case of the Rapide add a couple doors, but otherwise the various models are virtually indistinguishable from each other.
Ferrari manages to make distinct models. Lamborghini manages to make distinct models. Why can't Aston?
streetsidestig says:
07:03 AM, 02/23/11
There's a lever missing between the seats. There's even a big hole there where it looks like they took it out.
Seriously, Aston Martin? Not even a paddle shifter? Are you going to sell this exclusively in America?
justinsrq says:
07:07 AM, 02/23/11
@streetsidestig It does have paddle shifters, just blow up interior pictures, you can see them.
eidolways says:
07:17 AM, 02/23/11
That is an ENORMOUS front overhang. I'd fear driving one of these around your average American city. Scraaaaaape.
mrryte says:
09:27 AM, 02/23/11
+1 bankerdanny.
The DB9, Virage and DBS are just too similar to one another. Is Aston Martin trying to generate sales by badge engineering?
coolb944 says:
10:23 AM, 02/23/11
The DBS really should have been a separate vehicle all together from the beginning. Aston should have a dedicated model on top, like the Vanquish was, not a highly revised version of their bread and butter car. If the DBS had been an independent model, then this Virage wouldn't seem like overkill. But then, I guess it's like saying Porsche really shouldn't have a Carerra, Carerra S, and Turbo, or any of the other how many permutations of the 911.
zoomzoomn says:
06:49 AM, 02/24/11
Icredibly beautiful, indeed! If only I had the means. :(
bankerdanny says:
08:58 AM, 02/24/11
coolb, a crucial difference about Porsche is that the Carerra, Carrerra S, Turbo, GT2 and GT3 are all 911's. They are not presented a separate vehicles. The Pamamera may look like a stretched 911 with 2 extra doors, but it has a front engine. The Cayman shares a family resemblance with the 911, but it is mid engine and the body shape is clearly it's own.
The various Astons are basically the same car with one of 2 engines and variations in the wheelbase. Platform engineering. Not what I would want in my $200k+ supercar.