Aston Martin Virage 1990
This Aston Martin Virage is a fair example of the marque's former flagship vehicle, which requires some cosmetic restoration but has just received mechanical recommissioning totalling £11,728 at a leading specialist. Under the bonnet sits the 5.3-litre V8, producing up to 330bhp and 364lb-ft of torque, coupled with the original and sought-after ZF five-speed dog-leg manual transmission. The odometer is not currently readable, but the vendor states that the car has covered only around 6,500 miles from new.
First registered in August 1990, this original right-hand-drive Virage is understood to be one of only 411 coupes built, and is even rarer thanks to the manual gearbox – thought to have been fitted to only around 40% of the production run. It was purchased by the current owner's husband in 1992, with only one keeper before that. At that point, the car had covered just over 520 miles, and it has now been in the family's possession for 29 years, with only around 6,000 miles added to that total since.
The muscular bodywork is all in good shape, while the condition of its black paintwork has been described as fair. Some notable discolouration can be seen on the bonnet, alongside some age-related blemishes on the front bumper, wings and door handles. It would of course benefit from a complete strip and respray, but this offers a great opportunity for the next owner to preserve or improve the car however they wish.
The underbody presents particularly well, with the specialists at Chiltern Aston – who carried out the most recent work – stating: "In our opinion the car's underside condition is visually commensurate with the owner's declared milometer reading".
The side and rear window glass is all in good order, but the windscreen will require replacement due to a large crack at the bottom on the driver's side. The vehicle rides on the original 16-inch wheels, which are in generally very good condition, and the centre cap covers are still with the car.
Inside, this Aston has suffered some significant water damage. The cream leather which covers the seats, door cards and lower dashboard presents with some notable discoloration – the offside rear seat cover in particularly has cracked and perished with the water ingress. A tear can be seen in the handbrake trim, and the gear knob leather has become loose. The black leather dashboard top and black plastic trim has suffered more discolouration, while the wood veneers have either deteriorated or are missing.
After around nine years of no use, a significant mechanical recommissioning was undertaken from November 2019 through to June 2020 at the Chiltern Aston Centre, at a total cost of £11,728. Technicians refurbished the fuel tank and replaced the fuel pump, worked on the engine to get it running again, carried out repairs to the VIC unit and headlights, fitted a new clutch release bearing, and overhauled the brake callipers, in order for the car to pass its MOT test.
The most recent MOT test was on 18 May 2020, which resulted in a pass with two advisories to monitor a broken horn and a damaged windscreen as mentioned above. The wheels come wrapped with Avon Turbospeed tyres, which are aged and now starting to crack around the sidewalls. Accompanying the vehicle is the bill of sale from 1992, a few maintenance invoices and an old MOT certificate from 1995.
This Aston Martin Virage is a very rare and fundamentally solid example of the marque's former flagship vehicle, which is now running again after nine years in storage, but will require some substantial cosmetic restoration. A great project for a professional restorer, or for an enthusiast who would love to own this wonderful piece of Aston Martin history; this Virage is a genuine low-mileage car, with the desirable five-speed manual gearbox, which deserves to be brought back to its former glory.
The description of this auction lot is, to the best of the seller's knowledge, accurate and not misleading. Collecting Cars requests a range of detail about the lot from the seller, and performs a level of due diligence. However, bidders must satisfy themselves as to the accuracy of the description, and conduct any research they feel is necessary before committing to a bid. Please see our Terms and Conditions for full details.
All UK-registered cars and motorbikes on Collecting Cars are run through an online HPI check. This vehicle shows no insurance database markers for damage or theft, and has no finance owing.
Please note: the cherished plate shown on the vehicle is not included in the sale. It will be switched back to an age-related registration plate in the event of a successful auction.
Source: https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/1990-aston-martin-virage
