Yeah! After an email to the CEO's office and a short wait I'm having a brand new VMNG300 sent out. Great service by the chap there, none of this tiresome "Super Hub or nothing" drivel I've been fed before.
Going by said wait I'm guessing either more stock of the modem was found. Or more likely, some folks higher up the food chain have released that these 100Mb-capable bug-free boxes which already work flawlessly on the network are well worth keeping a supply of, to replace the woeful Super Hub for those customers who won't put up with the nonsense, and ordered some more.
The best thing about this is, now I don't have to give a crap about whether or not bridge mode works, because the Super Hub is going back in it's box. Better still, I might just toss it into the sea. I'm not one to litter, but if any piece of junk deserves a watery grave it's that.