Last month I had the opportunity to spend the weekend with F1 legend Alain Prost and the Oreca Toyota ice racing team who were competing in a round of the spectacular Andros Trophy series in the Massif Central region (066). Scanning the car park at Evo Towers, there was one car which seemed perfect for the job: our Volvo V70R.

Sure enough, the combination of all-wheel drive, European satnav, fortuitously fitted Vredestein winter tyres and some of the best heated seats in the business made our 1500-mile round trip as effortless as a 'leave on Thursday evening/home for Saturday morning' drive can be. The fact that the huge boot easily devoured Gus Gregory's cache of photographic equipment was another plus point.

It might not ooze driver appeal in the purest sense, but the Volvo is as accomplished at eating miles in all-weathers as the VXT or 350Z are at devouring your average B-road. I used to malign the V70R, but now I kind of admire it.