February 25, 2011A Thing Of Beauty: The 2012 Aston Martin Virage

When Aston Martin introduced the Virage in 1989, it intended for the car to be the top-of-the-line model in its fleet.  By 2000, the car was replaced by the Vanquish.  Next year, it makes its triumphant return and will be positioned mid-way between the DB9 and the DBS.  The car promises 490 horsepower powered by a 6.0 liter v-12 engine.  A strong emphasis on handling and an array of fancy interior accouterments will make this ride the height of pleasant.  While I certainly wouldn’t complain if offered the chance to drive this car, I’m getting a little sick of the Aston Martin architecture.  In the opinion of this author, it’s time for an Aston Martin architectural re-vamp…Jaguar has caught up and the cars look too similar now.  If Aston is to continue to charge what it does relative to Jag, they’re going to have to offer greater aesthetic distinction (performance distinction is important, but not entirely sufficient).

Photo via Uncrate.