1996 Aston Martin Virage Volante 'Wide Body’   Registration...

Hammer

£35,000

1996 Aston Martin Virage Volante 'Wide Body’  

Registration Number: N709 RAP
Chassis Number: SCFDAM2C3RBR60168
Engine Number: 89/60168/A
Recorded Mileage: 30,742 miles

- Rare 5.3 litre ‘Wide Body’ specification
- In current ownership since 2012
- Recommissioned in May 2026 ahead of sale

When William Towns’ aggressively beautiful V8s reached the end of their long run, Aston took an altogether different aesthetic direction once again. Out went any kind of homage to steroidal pony cars, in came a more modern sculpted look underpinned by de Dion tube rear suspension and a double wishbone unit at the front. Still a fabulously indulgent hand-built car, the Virage managed to retain its gentleman’s club ambience in the face of cost-cutting measures from new owners Ford. Suitably reworked by Callaway Engineering of Connecticut, USA (using 'four-valve' cylinder heads, hydraulic tappets and Weber electronic fuel injection), its 5340cc 'quad-cam' V8 engine not only satisfied forthcoming emissions legislation but also developed some 330bhp and 350lbft of torque. In automatic guise, the Virage could reach 60 mph in about 6.5 seconds.

During production a ‘wide body’ version of the Volante was available, designed to accommodate the new upgraded 6.3 litre engine fitted to the Virage ahead of the launch of the forthcoming twin-supercharged Vantage. The ‘wide body’ featured flared wheel arches in order to accommodate the package's wider wheels and tyres.

This conversion was offered by Aston Martin for the existing 5.3 litre models, giving customers the aggressive looks of the larger-engined models, but sparing the cost of the additional power upgrade if not needed. Several Volantes were converted to 'cosmetic wide body' specification, such as the example offered here.

This Virage Volante was supplied new in July 1996 by Grange Aston of Hertfordshire to British Teleflower Service (a competitor of Interflora), originally with the apt registration 'A7 TON'. The Aston-Martin is supplied with original service booklet (replaced by Aston Martin in 2006), recording regular official maintenance to 2005 (19,460 miles), with a further service at 27,949 miles. Since 2012 the Virage has been dry stored as part of an extensive private collection. Having had minimal use in this time, the car has recently been recommissioned and serviced, with the fitting of new tyres, replacement of all fluids, vacuum hoses and water pump.

Nicely finished in Buckingham Green with green-piped ivory leather interior, this rare genuine factory wide-bodied Aston-Martin offers in our opinion excellent value for money in the current market.