Aston Martin Virage details released

The Virage sits in between the DB9 and DBS in Aston Martin's range, and is designed to be a sports tourer for cross-continental journeys. The Virage is based on Aston Martin's VH platform, with its bonded aluminium chassis complemented by its lightweight body that is constructed from aluminium, magnesium and composite body panels.

The Virage is powered by Aston Martin's familiar 6.0-litre V12 engine that has been tuned to produced 490bhp and 570Nm of torque. Mated to a six-speed 'Touchtronic 2' automatic gearbox, the Virage is able to go from 0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds, and reach a top speed of 299km/h.

The Virage features Aston Martin's Adaptive Damping System (ADS) with Sport mode that allows for sharper throttle response and harder gear changes, and double-wishbone suspension on all four wheels, 50-50 weight distribution and carbon-ceramic brakes contribute to give the Virage an engaging yet more refined driving experience.

Aston Martin CEO, Dr Ulrich Bez said: "100 years of automotive history has demonstrated that evolution delivers the best solutions in time. So it is with Virage; it is the next level of evolution in our VH architecture strategy and it does everything with the perfection that you would expect today. It is the perfect balance of opposites."

The Virage is available in both coupe and Volante convertible forms, and Aston Martin is expected to release more details at the Virage's official launch at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Production of the Virage will begin later this year, and the car will go on sale by the end of 2011.