Virage on the horizon

Aston Martin to unveil a new model at the Geneva Motor Show, Virage, with evident cues taken from One-77
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Aston Martin has today unveiled a new sports luxury coupe some seven years in the making, a 'supremely elegant yet powerful' model dubbed Virage.

Virage, a model name steeped in Aston Martin history, draws its name from the French for bend or curve, a change in direction.

Gaydon's latest masterpiece aims to position itself between the current DB9 and DBS, offering the Aston Martin customer greater choice. Its bold performance (0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds) is derived from a hand-built and front-mid mounted 6.0-litre V12 engine developing 365kW/570Nm. Virage's creators say the combination makes for an outstanding balance between outright performance and ideal balance (50:50).

Power is delivered via a car games bon fibre prop shaft to a transaxle mounted six-speed Touchtronic II automatic transmission with 'Sport' function.

Similarly, a newly developed Adaptive Damping System intuitively reads the road ahead, continually adjusting to different conditions and offers five settings for greater suspension flexibility.

Virage is also fitted with carbon ceramic brakes as standard.

"100 years of automotive history has demonstrated that evolution delivers the best solutions in time," explained Aston Martin CEO, Dr Ulrich Bez.

"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."

Bez says the Virage remains true to Aston Martin's DNA by offering a car that remains luxurious and understated but delivers increased performance that's readily accessible for effortless driving. Like many in the range, Virage sits low and wide as if to assert itself on the road. Single bi-xenon headlamps follow the lines of the coupe's shape which Gaydon says brings a more crisp and modern look to the front end.

The fascia draws inspiration from the Aston Martin One-77 and features five horizontal vanes which are chamfered to create an aerofoil profile. The bumper is moulded so as to bring 'simplicity' to the design, while the front guards distinguish the Virage from its stable mates by housing a new interpretation of Aston Martin's iconic strake housing six LEDs to form the side indicator lamp.

In profile, Virage sports signature swan doors over a pair of sills aimed to carry the simplicity of the bumper through to the rear diffuser which incorporates a body-coloured 'blade', accentuating the width of the car.

The luxurious cabin is finished in hand stitched Bridge of Weir leather (seven hides per car) and combines the latest in modern equipment. Both the Virage and Virage Volante include satellite navigation by Garmin, heated seats, cruise control, Bluetooth telephony and a powerful 700-watt premium audio system with full iPod integration.

The Virage and Virage Volante are now available for order with the first public debut and pricing details to be announced at next month's Geneva International Motor Show.

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