Tuesday 22 February 2011

Spot The DB9-ifference

Yes, I know, I don't like it when the title isn't up to much either, but I digress. Another quick bit of news-bred opinion here, following the rather surprising emergence of a new model in the Aston Martin line up: Virage.

The Virage is indeed a new model in its own right designed to fill the gulf in Aston's model range between the £120k DB9 tourer, and the £170k DBS faster, firmer tourer. And what is this new coupé? Based on DB9 architecture, it's a 2+2 tourer with the same V12 engine, here producing 490bhp to neatly coexist with the 450 bhp DB9 and 510 bhp DBS, and therefore not interfering with the Vantage line either, it V8 or V12 guises. Still with me? The key thing to concentrate on here is that this is (really!) not a facelifted DB9, with a bit more power, Rapide headlamps, a V12 Vantage splitter, and DBS diffuser. It's ostensibly a whole new, niche-filling £150k car.
You might want a bigger badge for the rear, just to be sure

Call me cynical, by all means. I would. Even for a low volume manufacturer like Aston, the Virage just isn't different enough from a DB9 to justify the outlay.
I appreciate the cost of engineering new cars, and meeting all modern legislation is obscene, and Aston can't afford fresh starts, but still needs to cover as much of its potential market as possible. In that respect, the Virage is very timely, and very clever. I also agree it's rather harsh to make large judgements about a car based on a selection of just-seen pictures of it, with no context. It's only because I, and thousands of petrolheads like me, care about Aston Martin and desire for it to succeed as a major player that I'm prompted to share thoughts and disappointments.

So, observing the Virage purely superficially, the exterior smacks of a mid-cycle refresh rather than a remotely clean sheet philosophy; mirrored by the interior, which while just as good looking and no doubt user-unfriendly as existing Astons, lacks any flair not seen on the DB9 as far back as 2004.

Virage: not a mirage - it really isn't a DB9

One may argue that at this end of the market, money is not a crucial factor in the purchase decision; nevertheless the Virage really does come across as Aston's Cayman: slightly 'parts-bin' when compared to the rest of the range and in doing so lacking its own defined character. Having said that, the Cayman is perhaps the sweet spot of Porsche's current crop, being as fast as a Carrera but significantly cheaper, usefully smaller and equally useable. Forthcoming reviews of the Virage will no doubt ascertain as to whether Gaydon have pulled of the same trick with their new motor.

All new. Except for all the bits that aren't.
To criticise something so beautiful, which will be revered here in England and desired worldwide, feels pretentious to the point of blasphemy, but it stands to reason that however commendably Aston Martins are dynamically, they must succeed as objects, as a design of classical aesthetic and latent aggression. Depending on your viewpoint, the Virage ticks those boxes, but that, on first impression regarding these initial photos, is the car's problem. It ticks the boxes for Aston's marketing and profit targets and shuns the chance to be something more original, and at last, less DB9. The One-77 shows what Aston can do. The Virage is just something they have to do. In that respect, it's twinned with the Cygnet. Heaven forbid.

Jaguar meanwhile will bite back at Geneva with a £90k leap into Aston territory with the XKR-S. Shown in not-so-subtle fashion on a racetrack, this new halo model posesses 542bhp, and, to these controversially subjective eyes, a just about tasteful bodykit which has something of the GT3 racecar about it.

The reprofiled feline headlaps and cracking blue hue of the pictured car are brilliantly executed as well, though rearwards it has been proved yet again that this generation of XK really doesn't suit rear wings.

Still, take your pick of the latest British super GTs to vie for Queen and country. Argumenative comments welcome, and many thanks for taking TyreRoar past 2,000 worldwide views today.

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