1990 Aston Martin Virage 6.3-Litre Coupé

• The 10th Virage produced
• Converted by the factory in period to '6.3' specification
• In storage for many years
• Recently recommissioned by marque specialists Oselli

Ahead of the company's forthcoming twin-supercharged Vantage, Aston Martin's Service Department offered 6.3-litre conversions for the existing 5,340cc V8-engined Virage. This project had been conceived by Service Department bosses Kingsley Riding-Felce and David Eales (see below) and was given the green light by Walter Hayes, newly installed as Aston Martin CEO by new owners the Ford Motor Company. The project's aim was simple: convert the stock 330bhp Virage into a 475bhp, 178mph supercar. Introduced in January 1992, this package also incorporated improvements to suspension and brakes - now featuring ABS for the first time - and could be ordered new or retro-fitted to customers' existing cars.

Given the '6.3' development car to try, Road & Track magazine was surprised to discover "there was hardly any tendency for the wide front tyres to wander, even over rough road surfaces, and not much bump-thump over small potholes....the car transmits a feeling of even greater security and tautness than that of the standard Virage. It also adds an element of excitement".

The 10th Virage produced, this example was completed in 1990, and according to our vendor was registered to Aston Martin Lagonda and used as engineering car. According to the AMOC Register, the original registration was 'G281 DPK'. The Virage was passed to the service department for upgrade to 6.3-litre specification in 1991, and was finished in Norfolk Red at this time. The registration was transferred to Aston Martin Sales in London.

Circa 1992 the Virage was sold to Virgin Music as a full 6.3-litre specification car with all 'extras'. Circa December 1995 the Aston was sold to Pulley Transport and later transferred out of the company. Sold to a Mr Bates circa 2006, the car then spent some 12 years in storage. In 2019 it was repossessed by a finance company and registered in their name. Purchased by a Mr Ansari in 2020, the Aston underwent a change of colour and a rebuild. Ownership transferred to his son and the car was registered as 'C3 ANV'.

The current owner purchased the Virage from David Eales of marque specialists Oselli in November 2021 (purchase receipt on file). Oselli had recommissioned the Virage immediately prior to its sale to our vendor, who describes it as in generally excellent condition. MoT'd to March 2024, this rare Virage 6.3 comes with MoT certificates and bills for work carried out by Oselli totalling approximately £60,000.