RE: Driven: Aston Martin Virage

RE: Driven: Aston Martin Virage

Wednesday 17th August 2011

Driven: Aston Martin Virage

We've already tried the Virage abroad, but what's it like in Blighty?



The general feeling in the PH office was that the Virage was Aston Martin's last chance. Several members of the PH team (including myself, I'll happily admit) have had (how to put this politely?) lukewarm experiences in DB9-type cars over the past couple of years and, while we love so much about Aston, we were losing a little faith.

But we'd heard good things of the Virage (not least from a certain Mr Steve Sutcliffe), so we were hopeful.

And you know what? It didn't disappoint. In fact everyone in the PH team who drove it, almost without exception, declared it the best Aston they'd driven for ages - better than a DB9, better even than a DBS.


Funny thing is, it's hard to pinpoint exactly what makes driving the Virage such a demonstrably nicer experience. Perhaps it's the sum of a plethora of small changes. As we said when we drove the car in Spain, the Virage gets re-tuned suspension with the latest adaptive damping trickery, there are carbon-ceramic brakes as standard, and the 'Touchtronic' gearbox (a 6-speed ZF auto rather than any sort of automated manual system) has been effectively revised. There's also a sport button, which sharpens up the throttle response and gives you more eager ratios.

Like we said, they're all small changes, but they add up to make the Virage an assured, engaging GT car, one that's both fun and refined. If there's one flaw in its dynamic range, it's that the ride can be a bit uncompromising on the bumpiest of B-roads. Oh, and if we're being truly pernickety there's more wind noise around the door mirrors and A-pillars than you might expect of a GT car, but these are more niggles than criticisms.


Basically, the Virage is now dynamically the car that the DB9 has always been so close to becoming. And that's great.

The same is arguably true of the design. The new sills, tweaked bow and stern, and redesigned headlights help sharpen-up the looks (to these eyes at least) most effectively. If the basic shape hadn't been around for so long it would be easy to be bowled over by it. Inside, too, it's a case of subtle, but significant, improvement.

The switchgear and infotainment system isn't really the most intuitive of beasties, for example, but the new sat-nav, developed in conjunction with Garmin, is a dramatic improvement over the elderly Volvo-derived unit Aston drivers previously had to endure.


Likewise, the new glass buttons (instead of plastic) for the various drive options and the 'welt' stitching (which looks like piping, but is better, apparently) are an improvement over what has gone before.

In short, the Virage is a fine update of Aston Martin's VH architecture. Aston privately admits that, although the DB9 will continue on sale, the Virage is likely to usurp a large proportion of its sales. On the basis of our time with the new car, we can fully understand why that might be.

Pics: George F Williams









 

 

Author
Discussion

sinbaddio

Original Poster:

2,357 posts

175 months

Wednesday 17th August 2011
quotequote all
Lovely looking car. At risk of sounding naive I have a few questions - will this then sit between the DB9 and the DBS? Is it a 2+2? I really hope this model sorts AM's short term issues smile

toppstuff

13,698 posts

246 months

Wednesday 17th August 2011
quotequote all
A lovely car. But I worry about reports of a too-firm ride quality. Of course I have yet to drive one, but surely it gives ground to Jaguar - who seem to be able to fulfill the brief of a GT car in that they can offer tight handling with decent ride quality.

A GT car simply should'nt crash and bang.


Riggers

1,859 posts

177 months

Wednesday 17th August 2011
quotequote all
sinbaddio said:
Lovely looking car. At risk of sounding naive I have a few questions - will this then sit between the DB9 and the DBS? Is it a 2+2? I really hope this model sorts AM's short term issues smile
Our one was a 2+0, but I believe it can be a 2+2...

...And yes, it sits slap between DB9 and DBS. DB9= c.£120k, DBS= c.£180k. Virage = £150k

Garlick

40,601 posts

239 months

Wednesday 17th August 2011
quotequote all
toppstuff said:
A GT car simply should'nt crash and bang.
I was fortunate enough to cover 150 miles in this car and I didn't find the ride to be an issue. Take it out of sport mode and it was a very accomplished motorway cruiser. I really liked it, my favourite of the cars we took to Wilton house in fact.

Rawwr

22,722 posts

233 months

Wednesday 17th August 2011
quotequote all
I just wish Aston Martin would take a gamble on a design. Whenever they announce a new model I draw the shape in my mind and then play a guessing game of where they're going to stick the vents and bulges. As pretty as the shape is, it really is getting very tired now, in my everso humble blah blah blah.

ZesPak

24,420 posts

195 months

Wednesday 17th August 2011
quotequote all
Rawwr said:
I just wish Aston Martin would take a gamble on a design. Whenever they announce a new model I draw the shape in my mind and then play a guessing game of where they're going to stick the vents and bulges. As pretty as the shape is, it really is getting very tired now, in my everso humble blah blah blah.
I agree, people slate Audi for being repetitive in their design, but Aston is taking the piss imho. This Virage hardly looks like a facelift on other models, let alone a completely new model.

205007

107 posts

151 months

Wednesday 17th August 2011
quotequote all
I agree - Aston has all of a sudden become a band where every song sounds the same.

The good thing is they keep putting V12's in cars and while that chorus is playing they have an easy hit on their hands every time they roll one out


dele

1,270 posts

193 months

Wednesday 17th August 2011
quotequote all
Its a facelifted DB9 that theyve got the cheek to ask more money for really isnt it?

And you mention its better than the DBS but dont mention why?

George H

14,706 posts

163 months

Wednesday 17th August 2011
quotequote all
I don't think the issue is repetative design. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I think the issue is Aston cannot afford the R+D costs of designing a brand new model, or perhaps the risk of a pottential failure. I believe they only spent something in the region of £8.5m on R+D last year. Not really enough to develop a complete new model.

I personally love the Virage, the little refinements over the DB9 make it a fantastic car. Just the little bits like the electric seat buttons are metal as opposed to plastic. All adds up to create a great car. The buttons for the gearbox aren't actually glass/sapphire crystal as stated in the article, but clear plastic. The 3 stage DSC on it is a bit pointless too, I can't see track mode being used a right often.

Still, you do get more for your money than the DB9 so it is only fair they charge more.

Edited by George H on Wednesday 17th August 10:42

Riggers

1,859 posts

177 months

Wednesday 17th August 2011
quotequote all
dele said:
Its a facelifted DB9 that theyve got the cheek to ask more money for really isnt it?

And you mention its better than the DBS but dont mention why?
Quite right smile. In answer to that, I would say that the DBS has a few rough edges to it, which the Virage smooths off.

Partly that might be down to the Virage's more GT-oriented brief, partly I think it might be that the adaptive dampers and gearbox are now half a generation ahead of those in the DBS.

Also, I think that the Virage makes a better job of being a super-GT than the DBS does of being - er - whatever it is that a DBS is actually supposed to be...

f328nvl

507 posts

217 months

Wednesday 17th August 2011
quotequote all
The CEO is ex-Porsche, the business plan is to emulate Porsche's success. Of course all the cars look the same, they are building an immediately recogniseable brand identity in the same way Porsche have done over decades with the 911.

I first saw the Virage in Geneva and was underwhelmed by the styling (and ridiculous orange launch colour; if the car looks similar, paint it a silly colour to differentiate it). Subsequently I saw a Virage Volante (in black) alongside a DB9 Volante and it looked really great, much more contemporary and modern. In fact I decided not to buy the DB9 Volante as a result (and because the DB9 auto gearbox is an antique compared to any DSG gearbox).

JohnG1

3,462 posts

204 months

Wednesday 17th August 2011
quotequote all
dele said:
Its a facelifted DB9 that theyve got the cheek to ask more money for really isnt it?

And you mention its better than the DBS but dont mention why?
The CCM brakes alone cost £15k as 4 discs and 4 sets of pads - I have the same brembo brakes in my car. So that's half of the difference between a DB9 and a Virage covered.

Next!

ZesPak

24,420 posts

195 months

Wednesday 17th August 2011
quotequote all
JohnG1 said:
The CCM brakes alone cost £15k as 4 discs and 4 sets of pads - I have the same brembo brakes in my car. So that's half of the difference between a DB9 and a Virage covered.

Next!
Yes, because the DB9 comes without brakes?

Riggers

1,859 posts

177 months

Wednesday 17th August 2011
quotequote all
George H said:
The buttons for the gearbox aren't actually glass/sapphire crystal as stated in the article, but clear plastic.
Edited by George H on Wednesday 17th August 10:42
Unusually for me, I'm actually right on this one - a call to Aston has confirmed that they are polished glass. smile

George H

14,706 posts

163 months

Wednesday 17th August 2011
quotequote all
Riggers said:
Unusually for me, I'm actually right on this one - a call to Aston has confirmed that they are polished glass. smile
I was reading something the other day and it said they were plastic, but it's only a good thing if they are glass smile

Rawwr

22,722 posts

233 months

Wednesday 17th August 2011
quotequote all
Riggers said:
Unusually for me, I'm actually right on this one - a call to Aston has confirmed that they are polished glass. smile
No doubt they'll switch to Lightweight Emotional Sports Plastic for the Virage S smile

JohnG1

3,462 posts

204 months

Wednesday 17th August 2011
quotequote all
ZesPak said:
Yes, because the DB9 comes without brakes?
The DB9 has steel discs. Do you know what 4 discs and set of pads for those costs versus Brembo CCM brakes and pads?

ZesPak

24,420 posts

195 months

Wednesday 17th August 2011
quotequote all
JohnG1 said:
ZesPak said:
Yes, because the DB9 comes without brakes?
The DB9 has steel discs. Do you know what 4 discs and set of pads for those costs versus Brembo CCM brakes and pads?
No, but I'm willing to bet the 4 disks and pads are not £0, like in your previous statement.

Next!

Mattt

16,661 posts

217 months

Wednesday 17th August 2011
quotequote all
Is this it for a while, or purely a 'refresher' as a stop-gap before a proper next-generation model comes out?

As said above, it's still a beautiful shape - but there's Corporate DNA, and there's just laziness.

annodomini2

6,860 posts

250 months

Wednesday 17th August 2011
quotequote all
Come on AM where's the DBX??