When a big OEM comes in to buy a struggling car company, it can seem like an essential lifeline. However, one casualty of such an ownership change is that the automaker’s identity is often washed away in the name of efficiency and cost savings. In the case of Aston Martin, a good deal of its character was wiped clean when Ford took over, and the 1991 Virage shown here on eBay is effectively the last model built under the old guard – a hand-built grand tourer crafted out of aluminum with a sumptuous interior and a powerful 5.3L V8 engine. This one is offered by a long-term owner who has actually driven the car.
In many ways, this is the Aston that everyone has forgotten about. It was developed prior to Ford’s takeover and marketed for sale afterward. In a sense, it was the first of the last of its kind, the first model sold under the new world order while still being the sort of product Aston sold during the height of the Bond years. The problem was that the car offered a mismatch in almost every category: the expensive aluminum body didn’t deliver meaningful weight savings, while the powerful V8 struggled to keep up with modern sedan counterparts that cost significantly less. But still – it was a true Aston, and that alone makes up for its shortcomings.
When you sit inside, yes, you see some cheap bits here and there, but everything about it reminds you how intoxicating the Aston experience can be. Leather everywhere, wood trim galore, and an accelerator pedal that begs you to mash it despite the car’s dignified presence. The seller notes he purchased the Virage in 2002 with a little under 17,000 miles and has clearly enjoyed driving this stunning grand tourer, listing it with over 52,000 miles on the clock. We love to see owners who actually drive their cars, and based on his description of service and upkeep he has performed, the Aston was kept in good order as the miles piled on. Recent work includes a new water pump, thermostat, and electric fans, mostly due to living at higher elevations in Colorado.
The books and records are also a treat and a testament to the owners who have looked after this Virage. Under the hood, you’ll find a 5.3- liter aluminum V-8 engine good for about 325 horsepower. The transmission offerings included a slick three-pedal option, but most of these cars came with a Torqueflight automatic transmission. This certainly adds to the allure of the Virage from an upkeep perspective, as there’s nothing all that intimidating about the oily bits. For $40,000, it’s hard to go wrong with a classic Aston like this one.
I have never seen one and this is a pretty car. It is a grand tourer and it looks like the trans is an automatic which is a turn-off for me. Nice car anyway to look at !