Description
By the late 1980s it had been nearly two decades since Aston Martin had successfully delivered an all-new car. Whilst they continued to muddle on with production of the then ageing V8, no amount of James Bond product placements could hide the fact that their competitors were delivering newer, more advanced cars.
To combat this rising tide of technology, Aston Martin launched the Virage at the 1988 Birmingham Motor Show. It was fresher, sleeker and more modern than its predecessor, but it retained the handbuilt charm that Aston’s clientele had come to know and love.
This example is a 1990 Aston Martin Virage. Externally, the car is finished in a Raven Black, which suits the modernised lines. As is appropriate for a car of this era, the black paintwork is contrasted by orange indicator lenses.
At the rear, the car’s aggressive raked styling leads down to a rear diffuser panel that houses a twin-exit exhaust. The car sits on its original set of 16” 5-spoke alloy wheels, finished in silver with locking centre caps wrapped in a matching set of Avon tyres.
Step inside and you’re greeted with the pinnacle of early 1990s grand-touring luxury. The first thing you’ll spot is the polished sill plaques, and then onto the seats - they’re not only electrically adjusted but also heated.
They’re trimmed in a supple black hide and remain in excellent condition. The black hide on the seats extends throughout the interior, to the dashboard, centre console, armrest and steering wheel. The dashboard is adorned with burr-walnut trim, the same trim surrounds the gear lever. The car also retains its original Pioneer head unit.
Under the bonnet is a 5. 3-litre V8, a development of the engine fitted to its predecessor but now fitted with 32-valves. It’s mated to the extremely rare 5-Speed ZF manual gearbox. The combination is good for around 330bhp and 364 lb-ft of torque, resulting in claims that the acceleration just didn’t run out by motoring journalists in period.
Having covered just 16, 500 miles from new, the engine runs extremely well and the gearbox and clutch operate smoothly. Despite the limited mileage, this Virage has not been excluded from regular maintenance. In 2023, the car was sent to Charles Hurst Aston Martin in Belfast for a thorough inspection and to have any remedial work completed.
This work resulted in over £7, 000 being spent addressing oil leaks, replacing gaskets and filters as well as a major service and the all important five new drive belts being fitted. The wider history file contains numerous documents from Aston Martin service records, MOTs and more. Included with the car are the original spare keys.
In January 2025, we rebuilt the brake calipers, changed the pads and replaced the braided lines. The car will come with a fresh MOT as part of the sale.
For a period of time, the Virage and later Vantage existed almost in silos. Despite being sold as a cut above the DB7, they became far more scarce than their more common sibling. Years later, the love for these iconic models has been rediscovered, shown by a steady increase in value.
These cars are a window into an Aston Martin of old, when they were building almost brutish British muscle cars that redefined what people saw the brand as. This car, as an ultra-original low-mileage example surely must be one of the best available on the market, in a desirable classy colour combination.
As with all our vehicles, a full digital folder is available on request containing more images, walk-around videos, and scans of the service history. The car can also be viewed by appointment at our West London showroom.
