1990 Aston Martin Virage 6.3-Litre Coupé
Registration no. H941 VKS
Chassis no. 50131

After almost 20 years in production, Aston's well-liked V8 was updated for the 1990s as the Virage. The existing Lagonda chassis and suspension were used in revised form for the new car, while engine development was entrusted to Callaway Engineering of Connecticut. Immensely strong, the old V8's bottom half was retained but fitted with new cylinder heads boasting four valves per cylinder and hydraulic tappets. Launched in October 1988, the sensational newcomer restated its forerunner's muscular 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 was good enough for a top speed approaching 160mph and a 0-60mph time of under seven seconds.

Ahead of the company's forthcoming twin-supercharged Vantage, Aston Martin's Service Department offered 6.3-litre conversions for the existing 5,340cc V8-engined Virage. This project had been conceived by Service Department bosses Kingsley Riding-Felce and David Eales, and was given the green light by Walter Hayes, newly installed as Aston Martin CEO by new owners the Ford Motor Company. The project's aim was simple: convert the stock 330bhp Virage into a 475bhp, 178mph supercar. Introduced in January 1992, this package also incorporated improvements to suspension and brakes - now featuring ABS for the first time - and could be ordered new or retro-fitted to customers' existing cars.

Given the '6.3' development car to try, Road & Track magazine was surprised to discover 'there was hardly any tendency for the wide front tyres to wander, even over rough road surfaces, and not much bump-thump over small potholes. ...the car transmits a feeling of even greater security and tautness than that of the standard Virage. It also adds an element of excitement'.

This particular 6.3-litre Virage has had three owners in total, the last since 1995 when it was sold to them by Stratton Motor Company, who have serviced the car ever since. '50131' comes with good service history, including among the bills one from Aston Martin for £60,770.54 for the full factory conversion to 6.3 litres. Described by the vendor as a very good car, this high-performance Virage is finished in British Racing Green with fawn interior, the latter featuring sheepskin over-mats. Freshly MoT'd and offered with old/current V5C Registration Certificates, it comes complete with its original tool kit, jack, tyre welding kit, space-saver spare wheel, and warning triangle.