Rolls-Royce debuts all-new Dawn convertible
The second stratos of Rolls-Royce’s model range, aimed at buyers younger than the typical Phantom owners, consisting of the Ghost sedan and Wraith coupe receives a convertible addition to its line-up. Reviving a rare name last used by the brand in the 1950s, the all-new Rolls-Royce Dawn makes its global debut ahead of its scheduled first public appearance at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show later this month.
Laid out in a 2+2-seater configuration, Rolls-Royce claims that the Dawn is a no-compromise convertible, one packaged with style and grace, but without impeding passenger space or sacrificing the refinement and grace expected of a Rolls-Royce. Fitted with a soft top, Dawn is conceived to be driven by its owner and it is designed to accommodate four occupants in first-class comfort.
Contrary to widespread speculation, Rolls-Royce insists that the Dawn is not simply a convertible version of the Wraith. Whilst it is obvious that the Wraith served as the engineering basis from which the Dawn was derived, Rolls-Royce points out that the two models share less than 20 percent of their bodywork, making the Dawn a sufficiently unique vehicle on its own. Compared to the Wraith, Dawn’s grille is recessed by some 45mm whilst the lower part of its front bumper protrudes 53mm further forward.
For aesthetic reasons, Rolls-Royce had insisted right from the start that a soft top will be the only appropriate solution for the Dawn’s convertible roof. The engineering team’s relentless pursuit in eliminating noise in the face of this constraint has yielded a coupe which Rolls-Royce claims to be as quiet as the Wraith on the move. Additionally, the roof’s ‘Silent Ballet’ powered mechanism, operable on the move at speeds up to 50kph, is able to open and close the soft top in just 22 seconds without making a single decibel of noise.
Still on the topic of sound, Dawn is fitted with Rolls-Royce’s Bespoke Audio system that is specially calibrated for its unique configuration. Fitted with sixteen individually-tuned speakers, the system continuously monitors ambient exterior noise and subtly adjusts speaker output to compensate, delivering seemingly consistent audio at all times.
Inside, the Dawn is finished in a sea of the highest class materials one can find anywhere in the automotive industry. Occupants are cosseted in four individual seats, and there is enough space that rear passengers can stand up and disembark through its unique rear-hinged coach doors.
At the heart of things is the familiar twin turbocharged 6.6-litre V12 seen across the Rolls-Royce range this time tuned to outputs of 563hp and 780Nm, more conservative than the Wraith’s 624hp and 800Nm setup. Hooked to the engine is ZF’s 8HP automatic transmission with satellite-aided shifting as standard.
Pictures: Official Rolls-Royce release
