Aston Martin Virage Voted “Classic Car of the Future”

Only a few months after its official launch, the Aston Martin Virage captured a major award. In the annual readers’ vote of the German motoring magazine Auto Bild Klassik, the Virage triumphed in the ‘Classic Golden Steering Wheel 2011’ award.

“This fantastic V12-powered British luxury sports GT was crowned the ’Classic Car of the Future’ by the prestigious magazine,” said Sonny Morgan, dealer principal at John Eagle European’s Aston Martin of Austin. “This is the second consecutive year that an Aston Martin car has received the top prize. Last year, the top choice was the wonderful four-door Rapide.”

The Aston Martin Virage won in the category “Sports Cars & Coupés” well ahead of nine other competitors from Germany and abroad. More than 27,000 readers of the Auto Bild Klassik magazine cast their vote.

“Aston Martin has been recently voted as the coolest brand in the UK again. The fact that as a manufacturer with quintessentially British roots we are also recognized in other markets shows that we have become a globally successful brand,” said Dr. Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin CEO, at the awards ceremony in Stuttgart on Thursday. “Germany is the most competitive sports car market in Europe. We are therefore very encouraged as a British brand to be voted by readers of a German magazine as the victor.”

The Aston Martin Virage premiered at the Geneva Motor Show in March and is now available through Aston Martin of Austin as both a Coupé and Volante (convertible). The Aston Martin Virage is positioned between the DBS and the DB9, completing the sporty GT-series of the British sports car maker.

“The Virage’s powerful 6 liter V12 makes 490 horsepower and 420 foot pounds of torque. This sportiness is complemented by a newly developed adaptive damping system, which provides optimum grip in variable road conditions,” added Morgan. “This combination makes the Aston Martin Virage a powerful but still comfortable ride. And it has all the refined design details and modern elegance expected by Texans of contemporary Aston Martins.”