2012 Aston Martin Virage

 

Introduce 2012 Aston Martin Virage.Yes, you have seen the Virage name affixed to an Aston Martin before. It was the early 1990s, and the British automaker was moving on from using the name “V8” for its top-of-the-line model. Virage it was...at least for a half-decade or so until the name reverted to V8. 

And now Virage is back, the badge on a new model that rides in on the same 107.9-in. wheelbase as the DB9 and DBS. Yes, this does cause some confusion as we now have three models that share the same basic size and that look quite a lot alike. It’s a terrific look, though—strong, properly aggressive, with a trademark grille and a great stance on its wheels. Yes, the Astons are quite similar, but not so much as the Porsche 911s across the 14 variations sold in the U.S.

The Aston trio also shares the same German-built engine, an all-aluminum twincam 48-valve 5935-cc V-12 that sits in a front/mid-engine position in the chassis and happily provides 490 bhp at 6500 rpm and 420 lb.-ft. of torque at 5750 (with more than 85 percent ready at 1500 rpm). The DBS cranks out 510 bhp and the same 420 lb.-ft., while the DB9 drops back to 470 bhp, but then comes up with 443 lb.-ft.

At the rear end of the carbon-fiber driveshaft is a 6-speed Touchtronic II transmission that can be operated in pure auto mode or via steering column-mounted paddles.

Like the DBS and DB9, the Virage is done as a coupe (with or without the +2 rear seats) and a 2-place roadster, the Volante. They are all based on Aston’s bonded aluminum backbone, the bodywork a mélange of steel, aluminum and composites, the exterior quality level so high that I betcha can’t tell one material from the other.

Aston slots the Virage (starting around $210,000) between the DBS ($271,660) and DB9 ($187,615) and is said to split the difference between the luxury of the DBS and the sportiness of the DB9. That luxury includes Bridge of Weir leather upholstery.

Aston claims a 0–62 mph time of 4.8 seconds, which we tested numerous times, and a top speed of 186 mph, which seemed beyond the limits of the Spanish roads that made up our test run.

Like most top-quality exotic cars today, the Virage has numerous choices of suspension firmness by way of its new Adaptive Damping System and a Sport setting that also remaps throttle and transmission response. They do have an effect, but regardless of setting the Virage is a nicely stable machine, with just a light touch of welcome understeer as you nimbly turn in and confidence as you accelerate out. This, with a reasonable ride that is commensurate with the Aston’s reputation...and cost.