Aston Martin is set to launch the new Virage and Virage Volante at the Geneva Motor Show next month and JOE has the inside scoop and a sneak peak.
Luxury car enthusiasts (like us here in JOE Towers) can salivate over these pictures just released by Aston Martin and dream of a sports car that boasts an incredible mid-mounted V12 engine with torque delivery that will blow you away.
It has taken seven years of VH architecture evolution for Aston Martin to deliver refinement and dynamic control of this level, something that has been worth waiting for in our eyes and which CEO, Dr Ulrich Bez is very proud of.
“100 years of automotive history has demonstrated that evolution delivers the best solutions in time,” Dr Bez said.
“So it is with Virage; it is the next level of evolution in our VH architecture strategy and it does everything with the perfection that you would expect today. It is the perfect balance of opposites.”
Aston Martin’s hand-built 6.0 litre V12 engine produces 490 bhp (365 kW/497 PS) and 570 nM (420 lb. Ft) of torque and through its carbon fibre prop shaft, is mated to a six-speed Touchtronic II automatic transmission mounted on the transaxle contributing to perfect 50:50 weight balance.
A newly developed Adaptive Damping System (ADS) intelligently ‘reads’ the road to provide optimum road holding, adapting to different conditions. The system now selects up to five different stiffness settings within normal mode, and a further five stiffer settings within sport mode.
Aiding driver control, a ‘Sport’ button (which we’d have our finger on constantly!) on the facia allows the driver to select a sharper throttle response and faster gear changes while also holding the gears without automatically shifting up at the revolution limiter.
Virage will be delivered with Carbon Ceramic Matrix (CCM) brakes as standard which reduces the overall vehicle weight. The weight saving at each wheel means that a better balance between ride comfort and handling can be struck and lower rotational mass also provides improved acceleration.
Inside the new Aston Martin Virage
Virage combines the technology from the DBS and unites it with the comfort and refinement found in the DB9 and Rapide. Strong yet light, the inherent properties of modular aluminium lend themselves perfectly to an extremely rigid and versatile platform which allows the production of a Virage coupe and Volante.
Single bi-xenon headlamps follow the lines of the car’s flanks to give a more crisp and modern look from the front. A new aluminium metal front grille, inspired by the One-77, features five horizontal vanes which are chamfered creating an aerofoil profile.
The new front bumper relieves the car of any visual complexities, contributing to the overall simplicity of design. The front wings distinguish the Virage from its stable mates housing a new modern interpretation of the Aston Martin iconic side strake housing six LEDs elegantly forming the side repeater.
Each Virage will have 70 man hours of expert craftsmanship exerted on the interior alone to create the famous sophisticated Aston Martin interior. In all, over 200 man hours will be spent handcrafting the Virage at Aston Martin’s global headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, England as it becomes the tenth major production car to be built there in the space of less than eight years.
Simplicity runs throughout the car with the new fully integrated Satellite Navigation system that has been developed in conjunction with Garmin. The new system simplifies operation through the existing four-way joystick mounted on the facia. A new 6.5 inch high resolution display uses the latest graphics and maps to visually and aurally guide the driver to their destination.
Standard equipment includes heated seats (Sports seats only), cruise control, satellite navigation, Bluetooth telephone preparation and the powerful 700W Aston Martin Premium Audio System with Dolby Pro Logic II and full iPod integration.
The Virage and Virage Volante are on sale now, available from Aston Martin’s global dealership network spanning 132 dealerships in 41 countries. Pricing for the new Virage will be confirmed at the Geneva Motor Show where it will be joined by two further new cars; the V8 Vantage S and the new Tailor-Fit Cygnet city car, all of which will be brought to production in the UK by Aston Martin in 2011.
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