Description
This lot will be auctioned via Iconic Auctioneers, The Iconic Sale at Race Retro 2025 - Collectors' Cars on Saturday the 22nd of February, Stoneleigh Park, Stoneleigh Rd, Coventry, CV8 2LG. Launched at the International Motor Show, Birmingham in October 1988, the sensational newcomer re-stated its Aston Martin V8 forerunner's muscular good looks in the modern idiom, contriving to be slightly narrower yet providing increased interior space. The car was still no lightweight, but with 330bhp on tap courtesy of the trusty V8 engine's new 32-valve top end, was good enough for a top speed approaching 160mph and a 0-60mph time of under seven seconds. Running on unleaded fuel and designed to meet the requirements of a more emission-sensitive world, the fuel-injected, catalytic converter-equipped V8 was suitable for all Aston Martin markets. The Virage continued Aston Martin's tradition of fine craftsmanship with its hand-beaten aluminium body and fine leather upholstery, complementing the highest standards of modern technology applied to the design of chassis and engine.
The beautiful 1990 Virage on offer here is a very rare manual gearbox example and has covered a warranted 16, 600 miles from new confirmed by its substantial history file. Aston Martin chose a rather unusual colour palette for the Virage when it was introduced, all a bit muted and softly focused for Aston buyer's tastes, however the exception was Raven Black, as we have here, very handsome particularly with a black leather interior, stylish even a touch menacing!
The car was purchased by our vendor in 2023 and immediately sent to Charles Hurst Aston Martin in Belfast during September 2023 with our vendor's instructions to go through it completely. There is an invoice from them on file totalling £7, 154 covering a major service and lots of small jobs, leaks, gaskets, filters etc. but importantly, five new drive belts and fresh fluids throughout at a mileage of 16, 251.
The history file contains a large number of documents, AM service and maintenance invoices, old MOTs etc. all carefully filed in its own sleeve and the car is still accompanied by its original spare keys.
The Virage, with its brutish good looks, luxurious interior and 5. 3-litre V8 engine is coming of age and this superbly presented, low-mileage, manual gearbox example should appeal to any collector of emerging classic cars from the 1990s.
NB: The LED odometer display shows an incorrect figure, however, as confirmed by Aston, the manually accessed odometer is correct at 16, 600 miles.
