The shortcomings of the Virage were being worked on by Aston Martin from the beginning of 1991. Their solution, ahead of the forthcoming twin-supercharged Vantage, was for the Works Service Department to offer 6.3-litre conversions for the existing 5,340cc V8-engined cars. Introduced in January 1992, this package could cost more than £60,000 (depending on options) and offered increased power whilst offering a menu of modifications to the bodywork, suspension, and brakes. This treatment could be ordered new or retrofitted to customers' existing cars.
Power was upped to circa 450bhp, thanks to boring and stroking the V8 to 6.3 litres, which gave the two-tonne leviathan the wallop the world expected. To cope, huge ventilated brakes were fitted to all corners, along with bigger OZ alloy-wheels and tyres, with flared arches to accommodate matters. Most crucially, the suspension was uprated also, and a conventional de Dion rear end was fitted, using Watts linkage/radius arm location, whilst at the front the spring rates were increased. The suspension tuning was the work of Rod Mansfield, the legendary Ford SVO engineer.
The car presented here was built in 1990 as a standard Virage and sold new through the authorised Aston Martin Distributor ‘Stratton Motor Company’ of Norfolk to a Mr Jeremy Pilkington in July 1990, then registered as G907 WHM. This car would become very well known to Stratton Motor Company, with their MD, Roger Bennington, acquiring it back to use personally (registered as RJB 49) in 1991. It was later dispatched to the Works Service Department, where engine builder, Alan Shackell, set about its conversion to 6.3-litres. The car was returned to Stratton Motor Company with the larger engine, wider body and wheels, plus the requisite suspension and brake upgrades, however, it still retained the standard Virage front and rear end appearance at this time. It was subsequently used by the Stratton Motor Company as a Demonstrator to help promote the 6.3-litre conversion package.
Following this, in March 1995, it was sold to Mr Anthony Peters, who appropriately registered it as SPY 60 (and later as A5 XXV). As the release of the new Vantage model was imminent, Mr Peters requested that the Stratton Motor Company ‘update’ his already enhanced 6.3-litre car with Vantage-esque coachwork. Thus, a special front and rear end were crafted, with the new Vantage ‘signature’ front grille and round rear lights expertly applied. Mr Peters diligent ownership saw Stratton Motor Company continue to service the car regularly, even rebuilding the engine in 1997, right up until March 2000 when it was eventually sold to a Mr Phillip Hall.
In May 2002, it was acquired by ‘The Runnymede Motor Company’ of Buckinghamshire, before selling soon after to a Mr Henry Stevens in July 2002, who registered it as G5 HGS. It was next bought by Mr Colin Trevor (again through Runnymede ) in September 2003, who applied the registration it still wears today C2 AMV. It was briefly owned by Mr Keith Dare, before the urbane Mr Martin Brewer at Runnymede seized another opportunity to advertise it for sale, being bought by our vendor in May 2005. During his dutiful ownership, the car was refreshed with a complete engine rebuild in 2005 by specialist engine builder Ian Moss, son of Four Ashes Garage founder Jack Moss, and Jim Clark's former race-mechanic (see photo listed).
The car has been very much enjoyed, having been driven to and around the Le Mans race circuit, whilst always being regularly serviced. In 2010 it was treated to a thorough and documented refurbishment (including a bare metal repaint, work to the chassis and sills, undersealing etc.) completed by Aston Martin specialists ‘Rikki Cann Ltd.’ of Essex. A ‘TCI' high-performance auto gearbox was fitted in June 2012 by Stratton Motor Company.
This is an extraordinary car, not frequently described as subtle and definitely not for the faint-hearted, however it still has a lot to offer a new owner, who should feel reassured given its service/maintenance history and its large and very detailed accompanying history file (with a service booklet, handbook, photos, invoices, letters, old V5s and MoTs, build sheets etc.). Presented in generally very good condition, this unique 6.3-litre Aston Martin is British muscle at its finest and is “proper old school”.
