The McLaren 720S and Aston Martin DBS Superleggera cost about the same, give or take a few thousand quid.

That means that, price-wise, they are rivals. But they are quite different in character, as you would expect. The McLaren has “supercar” written all over it while the Aston is still a grand-tourer at heart, despite the impressive performance it offers.

Both are cars most owners will never get to drive at ten-tenths, not even on a racetrack. But how do they fare on the open road, where they’re likely to spend most, if not all, of their lives? Tiff Needell and Paul Woodman took the two British sports cars on a road trip to the English seaside to find out.

The first thing they point out is the ride quality. Yes, the McLaren’s suspension is definitely on the firm side and doesn’t swallow bumps as smoothly as the Aston Martin. But that’s something to be expected from a 710hp (720PS) supercar designed to deliver blistering lap times around racetracks.

Not that the Aston Martin lacks in the power department – quite the contrary, as its 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 produces 715 hp (725 PS). The driving experience couldn’t be more different between the two, though. While the DBS Superleggera is comfortable and refined as a long-distance cruiser should be, the 720S is a hardcore, razor-sharp machine that’s best enjoyed in short stints.

Picking one of these two Brits is easy if you know what you’re looking for, but reaching a verdict gets in the video that follows gets complicated by the appearance of the new Bentley Continental GT.