1998 ASTON MARTIN V8 VIRAGE

After spearheading the Aston Martin V8's transformation for the 1990s, the Virage name was quietly dropped during 1994, however, the final 6.3-litre Works conversion had demonstrated that there was a market for a faster Virage and, in 1993, Aston finally unleashed the mighty Vantage. Every panel, save the roof and door skins, was new, 18-inch wheels replaced the Virage's 16s, AP Racing 350mm four-piston brakes with Bosch ABS were carried over from the Virage 6.3 and with six headlights set behind glass, gaping air intakes and a bulging bonnet cut with cooling vents, the Vantage looked the business. Motivation was provided by the old 5.3-litre V8 given a new lease of life with the addition of two Eaton superchargers generating 550bhp (later 600bhp in the V600) and a storming 550lb/ft at 4,000rpm.

However, not everyone wanted 550bhp, limiting sales slightly, so the Geneva Salon in March 1996 saw the introduction of the new V8 Coupé which adopted all of the Vantage's muscular styling cues, including its faired-in headlights and four round tail lights, but retained the normally-aspirated, 349bhp, 5.3-litre engine of the Virage. Performance was similar to the Virage with 0-60 taking 5.9 seconds and the top speed was quoted by Aston as 'over 155mph'. The model formed part of the Aston Martin range for just three years with only 101 Coupés and 63 Volantes leaving Newport Pagnell and, consequently, these are now rare cars.

Dating from 1998, this stunning V8 Coupé is beautifully presented in Pentland Green with a superb interior trimmed in Magnolia and Forest Green leather. The full-service history starts with the pre-delivery inspection conducted by the supplying dealer, Stratstone of London, and the service book displays a further fifteen stamps, mainly at Works Service Newport Pagnell. The last service was in October 2008 at 40,949 miles and the Aston was sparingly used for another c.3,500 miles before being put into professional storage.

Since joining the Collection in 2022, it has been subject to a substantial in-house refresh. The engine was in good order so was fully recommissioned with a new cooling system, all rubber vac hoses and fuel lines replaced, and fresh fluids throughout. The suspension was refurbished and powder-coated and the brakes were rebuilt with some assistance from AP Brakes. At the time of photography, the indicated mileage was 44,430 and the car is accompanied by its original leather-bound Owners Guide and service book.

The V8 Coupé is a proper GT and, whilst it doesn't have the headline-grabbing horsepower of the V550/600, its lower price, lower running costs, unstressed driveline, relative simplicity and decent performance make it all the more approachable. As one of only 101, this striking Coupé's rarity and extraordinary condition may turn out to be a wise investment.