Aston Martin Rapide

"Yes, it's easy to bake a car in an oven," says Barnes. "But there's more to hot-weather testing than ambient temperatures. For instance, the driving standards in Kuwait are, on the whole, appalling. Cars are driven bumper-to-bumper, which puts more pressure on the cooling system as less air is directed into the front. There are so many variables that only testing in real-world conditions like this will do."

The desert causes its own set of problems too. "We've spent one day out here," he continues, "and already the headlamp glass is shot. The front number plate delaminated too. And by the time we get back to the U.K., the windscreen will need replacing because it's constantly being etched by windborne sand. Airboxes need emptying daily and the heat puts a massive strain on all the electrical items. There's no need for testing in Death Valley when you can come here."

At the other extreme, the Rapide has already undergone testing in the vast frozen tundra of the Arctic Circle. But with the car being so similar to the DB9, why does Aston feel the need to go through these processes when they were completed on not only that model, but the DBS as well?

"It might look similar to the DB9, but every single panel is different and the car's extra length can put strains upon it that would never come to light unless we were this thorough. Many of our customers will be based in the Middle East and we need to be absolutely certain that our cars will be reliable. There's only one way to do that and that's why we're right here, right now."

The Rapide is a truly beautiful thing to behold. Marek Reichman, Aston's design chief, has reworked the DB9's glorious shape into a flowing, organic, perfectly proportioned car that looks like it was meant to have four doors from the outset. It's a car that makes me want to be in two places at the same time: inside, enjoying the unashamed luxury of its opulent interior, and outside, enjoying the soft porn of its exquisite bodywork. Without a doubt, this will be recognized as the finest looking four-door car in the world.

And with a 6.0-liter V12 under the hood developing 470 hp, the Rapide will certainly live up to its fancy moniker (itself from an old Lagonda, the company Aston owns and is about to re-launch as a distinct brand in its own right). Aston Martin has its own high-tech test facility at the Nürburgring, where it has also been put through its paces. So even though the Rapide may at first come across as a tad soft, somewhat genteel, it's nothing of the sort. And considering this car can offer drivers a chance to share the hedonistic delights of being in a DB9 with the family, what's not to like?