Aston Martin have already announced their slew of vehicles for the Indian market and this includes the Virage. The DB7, James Bond’s favorite car for his excursions was supposed to be retired after the introduction of the Aston Martin Virage, however defying usual norms (in India they are quite common), Aston Martin chose to sell this model alongside the DB7. Moreover, it was supposed to be a retirement for the older engined V8 cars however they still soldiered on. The reason Aston aren’t discontinuing the DB series is because not only DB series is one of the cheapest Astons available but it also sells in large volumes even now. Approximately the sales of DB series cars makes up for more than a quarter of Aston’s sales. Seems that Aston have a fetish for the letter V. Most of their cars are named with the starting letter as V. Today, we have brought to you, the preview of the Aston Martin Virage in India. A review or test drive of the Aston Martin Virage would follow as soon as these vehicles show up on the Indian roads.
The size of the Aston Martin Virage in India is similar to that of the DB9 but then the softened or toned down look of the DB9 is replaced by a beefier looking body of this car which has got side skirts and sills aplenty. Overall, this car has borrowed many styling elements from within its parts bin. The head lamps are borrowed from the 4 door Rapide and the grille from the Vantage. Adding visual weight lower down the design of the vehicle adds a bit of sportiness to the package and Aston Martin have done precisely that. However Aston designers have kept in mind the overall proportions of the car. It is not that they lost the plot somewhere down the line towards the rear of the car. The Virage looks perfectly crafted even from the rear. Even the skid plate holding the twin tail pipes is body colored. The 20 inch wheel also justify its sports car tag. The rear LED lamps have an element of strong sense in them and are cross intersected by the body colored lens.
The interiors are typically Aston Martin. Dark in color and all handmade. The dark steering wheel looks a delight to hold with all the necessary steering mounted controls located on it. The meter dials look retro and are shared with the DB9. Their opposite arc fashion looks distinctive though from other sports cars. Aston prefer not to use too much of plastic inside the cabin and it is more of metal and glass elements that adorn the cabin. In the central console, there emerges a Lamy pen once one presses the button next to the automatic aircon control. Satellite navigation is handled by the world famous Garmin. There is also an Ipod link which is located just under the central armrest. Like in a Jaguar, where the gearlever whirrs up suddenly from the console, the speakers for the Bang and Olufsen music system emerge from the top of the dashboard. Sound quality is said to be wonderful (as always from Bang and Olufsen stereo systems). Unfortunately sports seats aren’t offered as standard and are a Rs 2.53 lakhs option. That is something which seems like Aston have skimped out on equipment on this car. Rear parking sensors are also available in the standard equipment list. The inside door handles and other touch surfaces are finished in brushed aluminium. The stock seats hug the body contours perfectly. Though there isn’t a special feeling when one enters the Virage’s cabin, it is distinctly different from the cabin of the Germans where everything is so perfect and you would get bored. Inside the Virage’s cabin, there are many things that you can nitpick and those include the position of the auto gear option on the dashboard, lack of storage spaces and many more.
It is said that the Aston Martin Virage in India would be one of the best cars in the Aston lineup which would actually deliver a better ride quality as opposed to others in its stables. Maybe the Rapide would be an exception. The chances of skidding across are quite less as compared to say, the DB9. The chassis is more than capable of handling the power that this monster builds up. An all new software can be credited to this new found ride and handling combination. However it is said that the different modes inside the car, which can change the car’s agility package, don’t differ much in the feel. Pitch and roll also has widely being reduced from the earlier models. The steering wheel though not as perfect as the BMW ones is also a communicative unit which feels strangely very light in the city. The handling can best be described as snappy but highly infectious. The entire driving experience can be described as sophisticated. Rear wheel drive is what makes the experience all the more exciting. The ride height is also on the higher side as compared to other sports car.
Aston Martin Virage Photo Gallery
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The Aston Martin Virage in India would come with a 6 liter V12 engine which makes 492 Bhp at the dyno and 569 Nm of torque. A 6 speed auto with paddle shifters behind the steering wheel would handle the transmission duties. Unlike its predecessor, there is no manual option offered. The V12 engine note is a symphony in its own however it doesn’t become too intrusive inside the cabin. The gear shifts however leave a bit to be desired with a strange reluctance to move upshift or downshift. Safety bits are yet to be revealed for this car however expect world class safety features inside the cabin. Brakes are also said to be fantastic and fade free. Fuel efficiency as reported from sources is a healthy 7.8 kmpl. Well, that is the overall figure and one which most of the Aston Martin Virage owners would be frequently seeing. The Aston Martin Virage price in India stands at Rs 2 crores. A 3-4 month delivery date is quoted once the car is booked.
Content idea courtesy : TopGear India
