Aston revives the old Virage name in a new model slotteds between the DB9 and DBS.
Aston Martin is bringing back an old name, but the 12-cylinder Virage, making its debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show, is anything but retro.
With striking xenon headlamps tapering into the low-slung head and framing a new 5-bar grille, the 490-horsepower Aston Virage is the latest entry designed to pull the classic British brand forward.
The coupe occupies a sort of middle ground between the Aston DB9 and DBS models, 20 more horsepower than the former, 20 less than the latter coming from its 6.0-liter powerplant. The Aston Virage also makes 420 lb-ft of torque.
On the mechanical side, the new coupe gets new adaptive dampers that can switch between five degrees of firmness with the touch of a button. A modified exhaust manifold enhances the resonant roar of the big V-12.
As with the other DB models, the Aston Martin Virage is aluminum intensive, reflecting the British maker’s focus on stiff, lightweight vehicles that deliver even better performance than the raw horsepower numbers might otherwise suggest.
Other visual changes include revised door sills, chrome-accented side vents that stretch into the doors and new 20-inch wheels.
The maker has also tweaked the interior with new leather seats, an updated navi system from Garmin, 700 watts of audio and other electronic niceties.
A convertible edition is reportedly in the works. Meanwhile, buyers can order a 2+2 seating package or acknowledge that few owners will ever squeeze a passenger in the cramped rear and skip the pretenses with a lighter 2-seat configuration.
The Virage name, incidentally, first appeared in 1989, the Virage Volante edition continued in production until 1996.