We Hear: Aston Martin Virage Axed, DB9 to Move Upmarket

With just over 1000 Aston Martin Virage coupes and Volante convertibles sold in about 18 months, the British automaker may be axing the car, which slots between the DB9 and outgoing DBS, a Cars UK report suggests. Previously, Aston was expected to replace the DB9 with the Virage, just as the new Vanquish replaces the DBS.

It seems Aston may have had a hard time convincing the 12,000 drivers who have bought a DB9 since it was introduced in 2003 to step up to the slightly faster, more aggressive, and more expensive Virage. Our own Angus MacKenzie questioned the need for another Aston Martin V-12 model during an Aston Martin Virage First Drive.

“…It is possible to appreciate how different this car is from the DB9 and DBS models that bracket it in terms of price, power, and performance.” MacKenzie wrote. “But in today’s ADD-addled world, you can’t help but wonder whether anyone will notice. To all but the aficionados, this new Aston looks pretty much like every other new Aston of the past 10 years.”

“On the road, we enjoyed the Virage just about as much as we did the DB9. “It’s much the same when you drive it. If you’ve spent a lot of time in Astons recently, you’ll immediately appreciate that the Virage is a little quicker and a little more athletic than the DB9, yet feels smoother and more refined. It’s like a DBS dipped in molasses; the underlying edginess is coated with a sweet layer of tactile linearity that is truly delightful.”

The report suggests that the development of the Virage is not all lost, as Aston could morph the Virage into the next DB9 with a few styling and powertrain tweaks. Pricing would likely increase but still remain well below the new Vanquish, that starts at $279,995.

Source: Cars UK