Although it’s no longer under King Charles’ care, his former Aston Martin Virage Volante remains one of his most iconic vehicles. The car was never actually bought by the Royal family, but rather leased for 15 years directly from Aston Martin, with the then-Prince returning it in 2008 (via Tatler). The car was originally supplied with a 5.2L engine, but at Charles’s request, it was later upgraded to a 6.3L unit. The car was also fitted with a police radio so that Charles could directly talk to his security escort, but that feature was removed after the car was returned to Aston Martin.
Charles was clearly very fond of the car, as data from its MOT test (a roadworthiness test that’s required for all British vehicles less than 40 years old) shows it had over 33,000 miles on the odometer by the time it was given back. It was eventually put up for sale in 2019 for the price of £275,000 (roughly $349,250 at the time), and it’s now in the hands of an unknown private buyer. The Virage Volante was the newest Aston Martin that Charles has had in his personal collection, but in 2020, he helped put the finishing touch on a new DBX that was being constructed at the brand’s factory (via Autoblog). He even got to drive the car, but tellingly, chose not to order one of his own.
