At last the day had arrived .. a shiny new Aston Martin DB9 Volante in the drive resplendent in James Bond metallic silver. Three days stretched ahead with a 500 mile round trip neatly in the middle to really get to know the car. How would it fare against the Bentley Continental GTC? We’d soon find out.

Like all other Astons I’ve had the pleasure to drive this one had a dodgy fuel filler release mechanism. Basically it doesn’t work. So it’s down to plan B and stick your finger through a neat little hole in the carpet lining on the side wall of the boot and tug on the little ring pull kindly provided by Aston. Up pops the fuel cap without fuss. The whole of the car industry sorted out the fuel cap mechanism about 50 years ago, including Ford who were at the helm when the DB9 was created. No matter - the Aston’s ring pull worked just fine. Some day all cars will be like this.

Looks wise the Aston is close to perfection. The soft top, to my mind, is slightly less sorted than the DB9 coupe but we’re splitting hairs here - they are both gorgeous. There would be no other make I would prefer to have in the front drive as a piece of automotive art.

A short drive shows that the car is refined with bags of power on tap. The 450 horse power, 6 litre V12 engine makes its presence heard under strong, effortless acceleration but is much more relaxed than the howls that might be emitted from a Ferrari, Lamborghini or indeed the baby Aston Martin V8. The Volante is built for munching distances rapidly and in breathtaking style. Roll on the 500 miles.

Unfortunately a minute after firing up, and before a wheel had turned, Radio 4 cut out and the Linn 260W sound system informed me ‘Amplifier Overheated’. This was code for ‘I’m not making any sounds from now on, so you’re on your own - in silence’. After mulling it over for quite a while I decided to report the fault and get another car. The 500 miles were covered flawlessly, in atrocious winter weather, in the Bentley Continental GTC. Round 1 to the Bentley but the Aston will return!