Skip advert
Advertisement

Aston Martin Virage Volante (2011-2012) review

The Virage Volante sits neatly between the DB9 and DBS Volante in the range in terms of price and performance

Overall Auto Express rating

3.0

How we review cars
Pros
  • Smooth V12, luxurious interior, handsome styling
Cons
  • Similarity to DB9, thirsty engine, kerbweight
Find your Aston Martin Virage
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

Aston Martin spotted a gap in its line-up, and the Virage is the model that fills it. Going up against rivals like the Ferrari California and Bentley Continental GTC, the £160,000 Virage sits almost perfectly between the DB9 and DBS Volante in terms of power and price. It uses the same 6.0-litre V12 tuned to 490bhp - 20bhp more than the DB9 and 20bhp less than the DBS. Although the styling is similar to the DB9 it's based on only the roof section is the same. The most obvious styling changes however are the sharper headlights with built-in LED running lights and the more pronounced side sills.

Engines, performance and drive

Not as supple as a DB9, nor as firm as a DBS - on the road the Virage continues to bisect the other models in the range. The 6.0-litre V12 produces its best above 3,000rpm where it delivers searing pace and a noise to match. Fold the roof away and the snarling exhaust note makes your hairs stand on end, while the accurate steering and wide, grippy tyres allow you to carry masses of speed through the corners. The standard carbon-ceramic brakes provide massive stopping power.

MPG, CO2 and Running Costs

The Virage Volante is more efficient than both the DBS Volante and DB9 Volante by 0.6mpg and emits 18g/km of CO2 less. But the Virage's figures of 18.8mpg and 349g/km are hardly clean - and in the real world you'll be lucky to achieve these figures, unless the car spends most of its time doing a constant 60mph on the M1. Prepare for servicing, road tax and insurance costs to be sky high, too.

Interior, design and technology

Any car that takes the DB9 Volante as a starting point is bound to turn out OK - and the Virage is stunning to behold. Although the proportions are roughly the same, the Virage gets a new front end, more sculpted side sills and LED running lights to give it a unique look, even at night. New 20-inch alloys are added too. Although the Virage is beautiful and looks more modern than a DB9 it feels more like a facelifted DB9 than a whole new model.

Practicality, comfort and boot space

A boot capacity of 172-litres is bigger than both the DB9 Volante and DBS Volante and only 14-litres less than the Virage Coupe even with the roof folded down. The back seats are extremely cramped, but can double up as extra luggage space making it surprisingly practical for a car of its type. The multi-layer roof provides excellent insulation from the elements and wind noise - even at high speeds it delivers coupe-like levels of refinement.

Reliability and Safety

Sharing engine and platforms through the Vantage, DB9, DBS and Virage ranges has cost saving benefits, but also means the technology is tried and tested, so should prove reliable. There are no Euro NCAP crash test results for Aston Martins, but thanks to a super-stiff structure, pop-up roll over hoops and multiple airbags as standard the Virage is is a safe place to be in the event of an accident.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda Kodiaq

RRP £38,140Avg. savings £3,019 off RRP*Used from £14,495
Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai

RRP £27,415Avg. savings £5,568 off RRP*Used from £12,568
Nissan Juke

Nissan Juke

RRP £19,785Avg. savings £3,331 off RRP*Used from £9,700
MG MG4

MG MG4

RRP £26,995Avg. savings £8,094 off RRP*Used from £13,290
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New baby Nissan Juke EV on the way to challenge the Dacia Spring
Baby Nissan Juke exclusive image - rear

New baby Nissan Juke EV on the way to challenge the Dacia Spring

Nissan to fast-track development of new battery-powered city car to take on forthcoming Volkswagen ID.1, and our exclusive images preview how it could…
News
18 Apr 2025
Future of Nissan in the UK: new Gigafactory to power bold EV plans
Future of Nissan in the UK - header with Phil McNamara

Future of Nissan in the UK: new Gigafactory to power bold EV plans

Nissan is about to go from building the Qashqai hybrid to three fresh EVs in the UK over the next three years – all powered by a new gigafactory
Features
19 Apr 2025
Best SUVs to buy 2025
Best SUVs - header image

Best SUVs to buy 2025

There are plenty of great SUVs to choose from, so we’ve picked out the very best
Best cars & vans
17 Apr 2025