Highlights
- One of just 33 Virage Widebody with Aston Martin Tickford 6.3-litre cars made
- Upgraded to Widebody specification by Aston Martin Works Service in 1992
- Full 6.3-litre engine conversion by Tickford in 1995, increasing power to 500bhp
- Bare metal respray in 2017 in original Buckinghamshire Green metallic
- Fully retrimmed in magnolia leather with walnut trim
- Comprehensive history file with over £177,186 documented expenditure since purchase
- Low mileage car maintained by specialists including Oselli and Rikki Cann
- ‘No expense spared’ approach by seller since 2022 totalling over £26,582 invested
- MOT valid to March 2026
The Appeal
The Virage was the last of a certain sort of Aston Martin - hand-built in tiny numbers with a focus on brutal power and cossetting comfort. Costing the equivalent of over £300,000 new, just 411 coupes were built over seven years to 1996.
This Virage Coupe, however, is even more special. It features a range of elevated improvements that will capture the attention of the most ardent of enthusiasts, including ‘wide body’ conversion and Tickford 6.3L upgrade that channeled features of the AMR1 race car to deliver 500bhp.
Since leaving the works in 1990 it has benefitted from over £177,000 of investment by its collector and enthusiast keepers, including the well known industrialist Eddie Shah. That work has included that factory ‘wide body’ conversion, costing £31,648 in 1992, and a 1995 upgrade to the racing-derived 6.3L 500bhp Aston Martin Tickford engine (a further £40,893). In the same year the interior was retrimmed in Magnolia leather. Between 1999 and 2002 a further £45,941 was invested by Shah. The Buckinghamshire Green paintwork was professionally repainted in 2017 as part of the sixth keeper’s £30,522 investment. Much of the maintenance work for the previous keeper was by specialist Rikki Cann.
The vendor acquired the car in 2022 from a renowned Swiss collector. He has continued the improvement theme with a further £26,582 of work, channelled through marque specialist Oselli. Since 2023 £10,000 has been expended on cooling, engine tuning, dials, plugs, starter motor and exhaust system. This really is a car where whatever the issue, it’s been sorted.
All that detail perhaps merely distracts from the big picture - which is how this magnificent car looks and runs. You can get a sense of that from the photos. It is a serious beast. The Virage is emerging as a classic Aston to watch and this high specification car must be one of the best available. It comes with the added reassurance of a lengthy MOT.
The vendor says:
“This wonderful Aston has had over £304,355 lavished on it, including its purchase price and all invoices are in the files, I suspect more than this for invoices not there but it certainly underlines it is a special car. I only wished I could keep it, but due to circumstances I have no choice but to part with it.”
History and Paperwork
- First registered 1st August 1990
- Nine registered keepers from new
- Current keeper since August 2022
- Previous keepers including well known people such as Eddie Shah
- Originally purchased for £127,169 (£317,225 equivalent in 2025)
- Transformed to Widebody specification by Aston Martin in 1992 at a cost of £31,648
- 6.3-litre engine conversion in 1995 by Aston Martin Tickford
- Full retrim from burgundy to magnolia in same year at a cost of £40,893
- Eddie Shah bought car in 1999 and spent £45,941 over three years
- Odometer replaced around 2006 by Aston Martin (documented by letter in the file)
- Seventh owner was a Swiss collector who kept the car in heated storage
- Current MOT valid to 7th March 2026 with single advisory
- This advisory has subsequently been rectified we are advised
- 5,508 miles showing on test and 6,200 miles showing in photos
- Odometer data can be checked via the DVLA MOT database and car’s history file
- Vendor states that the mileage is around 55,000 miles
- Original service book
- Extensive documentation including maintenance invoices and paperwork
- This includes documentation for official Widebody and 6.3-litre upgrades
- Includes the cherished registration number 'H16 AMV'
- 2 sets of keys
- V5C
- Typed list of service history 1990 to 2002 as shown in photos
- November 2023 - £7,250 with Oselli for engine tune, cooling and dials
- December 2024 - £3,550 with Oselli for plugs, exhaust work and starter motor
The Condition
- Buckinghamshire Green paintwork appears in smart condition
- Car received bare metal respray with glass out in 2017 to high standard
- Light scuffs on the bottom of the front valance and a small chip on the fuel cap
- OZ Racing split rim five spoke, bolted and polished alloy wheels in very good condition
- Fitted with matching Goodyear tyres all round
- Space saver spare wheel included
- Underside presents very well in photos with no structural advisories on MOT
- Underside has been checked and protected during car’s life as history file shows
- Magnolia leather interior (retrimmed in 1995) with green piping in very good conditon
- Seats show some creasing and wear on the driver's side seat bolster but light
- Carpets reverse seat colour with green fabric and magnolia piping
- Wood-rimmed Nardi steering wheel
- Lacquer on the gear stick has cracked
- There is a small split in the carpet on the transmission tunnel
- Early signs of lacquer peel on some of the burr walnut dashboard inserts
- Features air conditioning, electrically adjustable and heated front seats, and electric windows
- Fitted with an aftermarket VDO head unit and a Phillips dashboard-mounted screen
This Virage comes from a period when Aston Martin was all about a gentleman’s club on wheels, admittedly one capable of travelling at hyperspeed. The brawny styling by Heffernan and Greenley broke with Aston styling themes, but is unmistakable for any other marque. This car’s gorgeous Buckinghamshire Green metallic paintwork is in fine order following its 2017 respray. The purposeful OZ Racing five spoke split rims complete a potent picture begun by those wide body aesthetics.
The cabin is generously trimmed in high quality leather and walnut veneers. It was retrimmed from burgundy to magnolia in 1995, a colour change that we feel perfectly complements the green paintwork. There are a few minor points to note inside, but nothing that jumps out immediately from photos or detracts from the ambience.
The Mechanics
- Aston Martin Tickford 6.3-litre quad-cam V8 engine
- Five-speed manual transmission
- Produces approximately 500bhp and 480lb-ft of torque
- Engine conversion completed by Tickford in Milton Keynes during 1995
- Extensive maintenance work by leading specialists like Oselli and Rikki Cann
- Over £26,000 invested by seller since 2022 including £10,000 since 2023
- Recent work to engine tuning, exhaust, plugs, cooling system and new starter motor
- Current MOT with minor advisory that has since been rectified
The standard Virage featured a 5.3L version of Tadek Marek’s trusty V8. Initial reviewers found it a little underpowered, which explains why the factory offered the 6.3L conversion. This car received that upgrade in 1992, but it is far more than a displacement increase. The car got the full Aston Martin Tickford conversion, a project that channeled some of the know-how from the AMR1 race car. The result is 500bhp and 480lb/ft torque.
Since first registration the car has been very sparingly used. The vendor advises that the mileage is around 55,000, the figures disrupted by an odometer change some years ago. The history file documents that change.
It is the maintenance investment where this car absolutely shines. The vendor tells us that at £177,000 has been spent on the car over its life excluding the purchase price. This includes over £26,000 that he has invested since he bought the car in 2022. The work has been undertaken by blue chip Aston Martin experts like Oselli and Rikki Cann. Since 2023 the vendor has spent over £10,000 with Oselli to rectify even the most minor issues, covering areas such as cooling, exhaust, starter motor and plugs.
The car comes to market with lengthy MOT containing one minor advisory. This car has been owned by keepers with deep pockets and looked after by the right specialists.
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