When judging a new Aston Martin there is only one question you need ask yourself, and it’s this: would James Bond like it? The brand is so closely associated with our most famous spy-cum-gentleman thug that if it doesn’t do the job for Bond, then it’s reasonable to suggest that it’s probably a bit rubbish.

It’s fair to say that the new DBS Volante looks up to the job — on paper at least. This is the convertible version of the DBS, currently Aston’s fastest and most brawny car, if you discount the limited-edition, oligarch-only One-77. That means you get a luscious 6-litre V12 at the front end that drives the rear wheels, 510bhp and a 0-62mph capability of 4.3sec. And, despite the fact that it carries in excess of 100kg more weight than the coupé, a top speed that just nudges past 190mph. It’s enough to leave any driver shaken and, well, shaken.

The DBS Volante also has a strange kind of street presence; it seems to generate its own gravity, for people are drawn inexorably towards it, usually with their mouths agape. From the ridiculously angry front end, through a missile-like side profile, to a rear end that bulks up in preparation for punching the car forward, it’s simply visually stunning.

It has also avoided the problems that can beset some convertible versions of coupés: the fabric roof, for example, looks like it belongs there, rather than being a stitched-on afterthought. With it down, the Volante reveals a pair of “speed humps” behind the occupants’ heads, that both encase the pop-up roll bars and keep the profile looking muscular. In addition the boot has been slightly reprofiled to stop it looking too flat. In short, it all works well.

The roof, surely the main selling point of this DBS, is beautifully engineered. You can drop it while on the move (at up to 30mph) and it will stash away in a reasonable 14sec. That means you can drop the top when you stop at a red light and be ready to move off when it turns green. Okay, so by the time all that Thinsulate-lined fabric is folded into a big box behind the cabin, there’s scarcely enough boot space left for a secret agent’s luggage. Nonetheless, you’ll accommodate a decent-size sports bag for a weekend away.

Despite the DBS Volante being a two-plus-two (yes, technically there are seats in the back), in truth it’s more of a two-plus-shopping. Not that this is much of a problem, because the front seats are highly comfy, and let’s face it, 007 never had kids in mind.

Still, once you’ve discovered how to start up the big V12 via the Emotional Control Unit, or “key” to give it its more usual name, the exhaust noise — a cross between a bark and a roar — will have the hairs on the back of your neck suddenly standing to attention. Sounds from the standard 13-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo pale into insignificance.

Slip the car into gear via the dashboard buttons (the version I drove had the optional Touchtronic auto in place of the standard six-speed manual) and you’ll glide into motion feeling like a million dollars.

At lower speeds the Volante rides smoothly and schleps along without a murmur, backed by a creamy growl from the V12. Get going on faster roads, and you can firm up the adaptive damping and push the sport button to sharpen responses and work the adrenal glands that much harder.

There’s nothing between your ears and the vibrations the engine pumps out of the back of the car. It has a wide aural range: from a fat, low-speed rumble, through a mid-range wail to a banshee howl near the top of the rev range, the DBS covers all the aural bases. It doesn’t have the attack-dog aggression of a V8, but still there’s something sublime about a V12 at full bellow. You’ll be changing down for little reason, and flicking between gears just to get another sonic fix.

Unfortunately there is a flaw amid all this brilliance: it feels a bit wobbly. Aston says the car didn’t need a lot of stiffening relative to the DBS coupé, and that it has lost “only” 25% torsional rigidity in comparison with the fixed-head model. But 25% is a lot. Yes, it feels better than the jelly on a plate that is the DB9 Volante (it’s 25% stiffer, though I’m not sure how you measure these things), but when you hit rough roads, or start to push the car’s (admittedly high) limits, you notice the absence of a rigid roof. If you think that’s being picky, then it’s worth noting that the convertible versions of cars such as Lamborghini’s Gallardo and Ferrari’s F430 cope much better, and for a lot less cash.

So, would James Bond really have an Aston DBS Volante? I’m going to say no, as Bond would always go with the coupé because it’s a precision tool. The DBS Volante is just that little bit blousy, a wee bit too look-at-me for a man who likes to remain conspicuously inconspicuous. It’s also not as good to drive when you really press on, and is more of a supreme boulevardier than an out-and-out precision supercar.