1994 Aston Martin Virage Volante

This motor car is being sold as part of an overseas collection. It has been imported under the Bonhams temporary admission customs bond and is therefore subject to import duty and VAT if the car is to remain in the UK. As this car is less than 30 years old there will be duty of £50 +VAT plus import VAT of 20% added to on the final selling price. For example, if the car sells for £25,000, then £60 duty and £5,000 VAT is added, making the total amount payable of £30,060.  If buying the car in a company name the duty rate will always be 10% (+VAT).

In common with the majority of cars in this collection, this vehicle has been on static display for a number of years and there is no history available beyond that displayed in our photography section.

We have not started or driven the car so cannot vouch for its mechanical viability or functionality. It will require recommissioning prior to road use and is sold ‘as seen’.

It is available for view and inspection at our HQ near Abingdon and we will be delighted to show the car to you and/or your appointed engineer.

This 1994 Aston Martin Virage Volante was first registered in the UK in 1994.

The car is RHD with an auto box. The exterior is Edinburgh Silver, the interior is black leather with grey piping.

On the occasion of its last MoT on 5.1.2011, the car’s mileage was 33,633.

In 2012 it was sold to a gentleman in Switzerland and later entered the current vendor’s collection.

Its mileage today is 33,935.

The car appears to be sound and in decent condition, although our observations are necessarily limited to the car’s cosmetic appearance.

We haven’t been able to start or drive the car. The rear wheels do not turn at present, possibly due to seized brakes. We have not attempted to manually raise or lower the roof.

It has the look of a car that has spent around a decade sitting on its haunches in a static display. It’s a bit dusty and tired (inside and out) but underneath, we suspect, is a rare hand-built car that would thank its new owner handsomely for some expert recommissioning, some soap and water, and some TLC.

In the main, the paintwork has held up reasonably well over the years and much of it still has a decent depth of shine and lustre to it.

The panels and shut lines are consistent. The doors slam shut with a satisfyingly metallic ‘thunk’ that speaks to the car’s handbuilt origins.

There are very few dinks, dimples or dents to speak of, save for a slight bump and a few superficial scrapes to the n/s/r wheel arch.

The trim and badging is also generally good.

The wheels are showing their age in places, with some paint lifting and flaking here and there.

There various stone chips around the headlights, on the front valance and below the sills.

One of the slats on the front grille has lifted upwards and is out of line with the others.

The hood seems to be in good cosmetic condition with no tears, scratches or fading to speak of, although we can’t vouch for its mechanical functionality.

There are two small plastic covers missing on either side of the hood where it intersects with the rear windows and the bodywork.

There is no bubbling or rust visible anywhere that we can see.

The interior condition is entirely consistent with its exterior counterpart. In other words, it’s basically sound but a bit dusty in places and in need of some care and attention.

The leather upholstery is in generally very good condition. The front seats are supportive and comfortable, with light creases and one or two marks that we imagine would quickly succumb to some cleaning and feeding. The rear seats, too, are in very decent fettle and don’t appear to have seen much use in the course of the car’s 33,000 miles.

The headlining and door cards are good. The carpets are a little faded and slightly frayed where they meet the sills, but they’re fundamentally sound and would benefit from a good clean.

The wood veneer on the dashboard, doors and centre console is sumptuously rich and shiny and we can see no signs of wear or damage anywhere. It adds a distinctly British (and Aston Martin) touch of class to the interior and brings a warm and inviting ambience to the cabin.

The steering wheel, gear selector and instruments are all in very good nick.

We can’t make any claims about the functionality of the car’s knobs, switches, dials, levers and buttons as we haven’t been able to start the vehicle and test the electrics.

The boot (and the spare wheel) is in reasonable condition, too. There is a CD changer and a tool kit. Lifting up the carpets here or elsewhere on this car reveals a superficial bloom of rust dust here and there, but nothing to prompt a frown or tut.

The carpet has a little staining in some places and is slightly frayed in others.

In general, the undersides seem to be well preserved, undamaged and structurally sound.

We’ve seen nothing more than standard superficial rust dust anywhere.

The engine bay is very full but clean and dry. The engine itself, built by Roy Robarts, appears to have everything in its right and proper place.

Some of the sound deadening material lining the bonnet is peeling away.

The car has covered fewer than 34,000 miles since it left the factory at Newport Pagnell in 1994.

It has done nothing for a decade.

We have no service history for the car, but there is an electronic MoT trail from 2006 to 2011.

Currently, this car has neither an MoT certificate nor a V5.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

As with the other cars in this collection we can’t say anything about the car’s history, its mechanical functionality, or how it drives and handles.

We can only comment on what we see, which, in this instance, appears to be a sound, solid, low mileage example of a very rare hand-built convertible Aston Martin Virage.

Yes, there is work to be done and the car will require recommissioning. But we think the ultimate reward could well outweigh the effort and expense required by a considerable margin.

We’re confident to offer this car for auction with an estimate of £25,000 - £35,000, plus 20% Bonhams bond payment.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.