Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The 2011 Aston Martin Virage is available in coupe and convertible body styles, the latter of which is known as Volante. A pair of vestigial "+2" seats are standard, but the coupe allows you to replace them with a more useful parcel shelf.
Standard equipment includes 20-inch wheels, high-performance tires, carbon-ceramic brakes, an adaptive suspension, bi-xenon headlights, LED running lights, front and rear parking sensors, power-folding mirrors, a battery disconnect button (for extended parking), automatic climate control, cruise control, heated eight-way power front seats with power lumbar adjustment and memory functions, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, Bluetooth, a navigation system and a premium audio system with a CD player, satellite radio, an auxiliary audio jack and an iPod audio interface. The Volante also gets a fully powered soft top and a wind deflector.
Besides an available Bang & Olufsen BeoSound audio system, the Virage's options are limited to design and customization items. There's a rather large selection of colors to choose from (including Volante roof colors), plus you can request any paint code Aston Martin or any other manufacturer has ever used. There are also plentiful interior trim types and leather hues available.
Powertrains and Performance
The rear-wheel-drive 2011 Aston Martin Virage is powered by a 6.0-liter V12 that produces 490 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. A traditional six-speed automatic transmission with shift paddles is standard. Aston Martin estimates the Virage will go from zero to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. The heavier Volante convertible version should be a few ticks slower.
Safety
The 2011 Aston Martin Virage comes with antilock carbon-ceramic brakes, traction and stability control, front side airbags (which protect head and torso) and parking sensors. The Volante comes standard with automatically deploying rollover bars.
Interior Design and Special Features
It's difficult to find a surface in the Virage that's not covered in soft leather, while wood, piano black, alloy trim and even sapphire crystal fill in the blanks. Easily deciphered buttons combine with a central LCD screen to create a user-friendly interface, and the Virage is the first Aston to get a greatly improved Garmin-sourced navigation system.
Unfortunately, the Virage maintains the ornate Aston Martin gauges and their strange oppositely rotating dials (the speedometer needle swings clockwise; the tachometer goes counter-clockwise). The speedometer's tiny numbers also render it largely useless, although there's a digital speedometer in the trip computer as a backup.
The driver seat is marvelously comfortable, with ample leg- and headroom for taller drivers. But since no human is likely to ever fit in the backseat, you might as well opt for the parcel shelf for the coupe instead. For larger items, the trunk is actually quite generous for an exotic sports car. As for the Volante, visibility isn't great with the top raised and wind buffeting can be tiresome.
Driving Impressions
If you're cross-shopping Aston Martins, get ready to hear a lot of the same old descriptions. The 2011 Aston Martin Virage is surprisingly easy to drive, with decent outward visibility and a traditional automatic transmission that delivers smooth shifts without the jerkiness associated with fancier automated manuals. The car is also quite comfortable, with supportive seats and a compliant ride quality. The steering is precise, and the car's 50/50 weight balance assures neutral handling. As for the engine, it provides the same thrilling experience that you get from the DB9 and DBS, which is to say, abundant power accompanied by the glorious song of a wailing V12.
So how is the Virage different from other Aston Martin models? Well, it really comes down to its suspension. While the DB9 and DBS both have adjustable suspensions, the Virage goes a step further with a suspension that automatically adapts to road conditions. The result is not only a better ride but also handling that more adeptly deals with pavement imperfections that would usually knock the DBs out of whack (especially in their Sport modes). While the Virage might not attack corners with the same skill as the pricier DBS, it's likely to be a more livable car on a day-to-day basis.
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