Launched 1988, the Virage made the most of a modest development budget to produce a range-topping luxury aluminium-bodied coupe which soon spawned the soft top that we see here, named the Virage Volante. It was hand-built at Aston Martin’s Newport Pagnell factory and housed a 5.3 litre V8 which Aston had taken to US firm Calloway Engineering for some fettling, as a result of which it emerged with a cylinder head with four valves per cylinder and 330bhp.
The suitably upmarket price tag combined with the economic conditions of the time to make this a rare beast with only 1050 Virages produced in total, and fewer than 250 in Volante form. The owner of this car has cherished it from new, spending over £72,000 on maintenance and restoration over the course of its life and treating it to some recent cosmetic attention to ensure that it looks stunning.
With values of classic Astons heading ever upwards in recent years, this is a rare opportunity to acquire a Newport Pagnell car with such strong provenance before they become unattainable. Place your bid now to secure a prime example of what Vantage magazine described as ‘a proper old-school Aston Martin’.
Selected by the owner following a tour of luxury car dealerships as it was the only convertible sports car whose boot would accommodate his golf clubs!
Used as a second car at weekends
Regularly maintained, with invoices totalling over £72,000 over the car’s life
Recent work includes a refresh of the bodywork, refurbished wheels and rebuilt dashboard
Cream Connolly leather upholstery with green piping
Dashboard recently rebuilt
Everything in full working order
All Aston Martins are luxury items but cars of this era in particular sought to differentiate themselves through their upmarket cabins and, as the range topper of the time, the Virage is very well appointed. With lashings of Connolly leather and wood, it’s a special place to be, roof up or down. Here, the seats are in fine condition showing little in the way of wear and the wood still glossy.
There are a few signs of age here and there: the carpet mats, for example, show some patina but importantly the electrics are all said to be fully functional, with the dashboard having been rebuilt in late 2021, reportedly by the same craftsman who originally built it in the factory in 1994.
The boot trim is in good order, if showing a few marks from the golf bag which has regularly been stowed away there and the headlining inside the hood is clean and taut. Overall, the interior has worn very well and is a pleasure to step into.u6JHcg4KJSqAhw6T1nqUfClrwd0dyXIyJvS7uEFj.jpeg359.98 KB
The Exterior
British Racing Green
Refreshed paintwork
Refurbished original wheels
Beating off competition from four design studios, the in-house designers John Heffernan and Ken Greenley penned a contemporary take on the classic Aston Martin design cues to produce a car that in our view has real presence. And, finished in British Racing Green and benefitting from a recent refresh of the paintwork and fully refurbished wheels, this car looks simply stunning.
The paint has a deep lustre and a glossy shine and the hood is in fine fettle. There are a few minor blemishes to note: some stone chips to the front, notably under the front number plate and to the nearside headlight, and a crack to the rear offside indicator lens. But these do little to detract from the overall appearance which remains fabulous.
Underneath, there are a few areas of surface corrosion and the underseal could use some refreshment in some areas but there are no signs of any major issues, as demonstrated by the MOT pass with no advisories.
In all, we think that it will garner positive attention wherever it goes.
5.3 litre V8 with 32 valve head by Calloway Engineering
4 speed automatic
No issues when driven
To the owner’s credit, even after all this time, this car remains in completely standard specification with no modifications. Not that it’s lacking mind you, with 330bhp from the 5.3 litre V8 and the typically gorgeous Aston Martin exhaust note.
The seller reports that when last driven on the road it was performing exactly as it should. Having had a solenoid in the gearbox replaced for an issue with 4th gear in sport mode it was driving nicely, accelerating well, braking strongly and changing gear smoothly. No untoward noises were reported and nor were any leaks or smoke. However the car has been in storage for two years and it has not been fully exercised late, although there were no signs of any problems when positioning the car for photography and the car attended and passed its MOT in September 2021 with no advisories.
An incredibly rare find: a one owner Virage Volante with full history and lovely condition.
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