Rolls Royce Dawn

Rolls Royce Dawn – Overview

Rolls Royce Dawn is an emblem of spontaneity; a drophead coupé crafted to empower the free spirit. Dawn is for those who take off at a moment's notice, going wherever the road leads. Basically a Wraith coupe under the skin, the Dawn has sheet metal that curves and swoops, making it the "sexiest Rolls-Royce ever built” according to Rolls. Like the rest of the line-up, the Dawn provides an opulent cabin crafted from the finest materials but with an alfresco twist that makes it the vehicle of choice for wealthy individuals.

Though Rolls-Royce provides the Dawn with same sumptuous trimmings as its other cars, this model equipped with a folding soft top. While some Rollers let occupants relax behind back-seat curtains, the Dawn puts whoever's in it on display. It was introduced for the 2016 model year and effectively replaced the Phantom Drophead Coupe in Rolls-Royce's line-up. Being more than just a Wraith soft-top, 80% of the Rolls-Royce Dawn body panels are unique and even the tyres are bespoke. The Dawn is powered by a twin-turbo 6.6 litre V12 producing 563 hp and 780 Nm of torque, mated to an eight-speed ZF gearbox. 

The engine is the same as the Ghost uses: giving owners the feeling of gathering momentum similar to an Airbus A380 on take-off. Despite tipping the scales at 2,560 kg, the Dawn does the 0-100 km/h sprint in 4.9 seconds, with an electronically-governed top speed of 250 km/h. Rolls-Royce Motors Cars Kuala Lumpur officially launched the all-new Dawn back in 2016 with a whopping starting price of RM4.0mil. Needless to say, the super-luxury car is surely targeted at the ultra-high net worth individuals in Malaysia. 

Rolls Royce Dawn - Exterior

The language from Rolls Royce is hyperbolic: striking, seductive, beautiful, and sexy. It describes the second biggest convertible on the market, the Dawn. The new bodywork leans forward to put more visual weight on the front wheels. According to head designer Giles Taylor, it represents a progression of the Rolls- Royce design language and allows the vehicle to look as attractive either with the roof up or with the roof down. Certainly, with its smooth, low roof in place it looks almost like a chop-top custom-made vehicle.

Design-wise, the Dawn still maintains timeless Rolls-Royce design principles – a 2:1 wheel height-to-body ratio, a long bonnet, short front overhang, a long rear overhang, an elegant tapering rear graphic and a high shoulder line. The construction of an uninterrupted A-pillar from its unique coach doors are claimed to add the overall strength and stiffness of the body significantly.

Greater attention needs to be paid to the Dawn’s roof which has a smooth and noiseless operation. It was described as the ‘Silent Ballet’ as the goal was to make the quietest convertible in the world. The biggest selling point, is that the Dawn is a full four-seater, offering similar legroom and quite a bit more headroom than the bigger Phantom ragtop. 

Even a tall adult will find plenty of space in the back without having any discomfort. It is one of those cabins packed with tactile surfaces and intricate design details and which, mixes the traditional along with the modern. Being a coupe with four seats, the company states that the Dawn offers no compromise in terms of comfort and luxury for four adults who want to travel together in the pinnacle of style.

Rolls Royce Dawn – Interior

Like the rest of the line-up, the Dawn provides an opulent cabin crafted from the finest materials but with an alfresco twist that makes it the vehicle of choice for wealthy individuals. The rear is decked (in a literal way) with open-pore "Canadel" panelling in a grain of the buyer's choice, or can be finished in leather. This rear deck flows down between the individual rear seats. The front-opening coach doors (also known as suicide doors) can be closed with a push of a button.

With its cloth top down, the Dawn lets the sun shine on the luxurious interiors of the car—one that is custom handcrafted to the buyer's exact specifications. With the roof up, the cabin is in complete silence without any wind noise. But, once it has folded away seamlessly in 22 seconds, the wealthy occupants within still remain gloriously undisturbed. The soft-top also be engaged at up to cruising speeds of 50kph.

Thanks to the Dawn rear-hinged doors (which provide easy access to the Dawn's cabin), it welcomes and seats four adult passengers comfortably. Inside, occupants will be dazzled by the gorgeous butter-soft leather and acres of real wood trim. Buyers have an option for a massaging function for the front seats and thick lambswool floor mats that pamper anyone lucky enough to come along for the ride.

There is a massive central screen in the dashboard, but the car uses a separate touch pad rather than a touchscreen. According to Rolls Royce, the touchscreen might result in "unsightly fingerprints at driver and passenger eye level". Even words can be spelled out on this touchpad. Being a well-known brand far from its origin, the touchpad does recognise foreign scripts including Mandarin and Arabic.

As for storage space, the Dawn's boot is on the small side for a large car due to its glorious convertible top. The Dawn’s boot space is 295 litres (with the roof up), at a maximum capacity. But once the roof is lowered, the capacity drops further still. Nonetheless, there should be enough space for a pair of carry-on suitcases.

Rolls Royce Dawn – Features

Rolls-Royce doesn’t just make cars, it curates experiences. Nothing looks, feels or behaves like a Rolls especially when it comes to features which is luxurious. Touchscreen infotainment is standard and Rolls-Royce offers a TV tuner as an option so that passengers can watch their favourite programs while on the go. Navigation with real-time traffic updates is also provided as standard.

Not to mention, the Bespoke audio system which has 16 individually-tuned speakers with both theatre and studio settings. The speaker count includes two bass drivers in the boot and seven tweeters throughout the cabin. Elsewhere, there is a ìSpirit of Ecstasy Rotary Controller, which is essentially an iDrive Touch system dressed-up in RR clothing.

• Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)

• Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD)

• Electronic Stability Program (ESP)

• Traction Control System (TCS)

• Hill Hold Control

A suite of driver-assistance features is offered and includes a novel night-vision system to help drivers see animals or pedestrians when driving after dark. Key safety features include:

• Standard forward-collision warning

• Available lane-departure warning

• Available adaptive cruise control with night vision

• Head-up display

Rolls Royce Dawn - Powertrain

Rolls Royce Dawn - Fuel Economy

Like the rest of the Rolls-Royce line-up, the Dawn is not particularly fuel efficient. Rolls Royce claimed that the Dawn fuel-economy estimates are 20.3 L/100 km in an average driving condition.

Rolls Royce Dawn - Driving Performance

Rolls Royce Dawn - Conclusion 

The Dawn’s do offer its willing buyer a silhouette of bold optimism. Its slender roof proportions and strong sweeping shoulder line give a sensuous yet contemporary look. The Dawn’s powerful front-end points towards new frontiers, creating a vision of dynamism and progress, even when being stationary. The drophead four-seater coupe is indeed a silent-killer with presence of plush silence while it drives.