Introduced in 1972, the Aston Martin V8 was a high performance, luxurious sports car with a refinement reflecting its handcrafted nature that was Aston's flagship model. Over the course of its life, the V8 has seen numerous variants and evolutions, including the notable V8 Zagato. The first V8 was introduced in 1972 when the DBS was fitted with the eight cylinder engine and renamed the V8. These early cars are sometimes referred to as the AM V8. For the 1990 model year, Aston replaced the V8 when they released the Aston Martin Virage.