Rolls-Royce likes its tradition, and its customers certainly appreciate its conservative character that always manages to implement innovations without being flamboyant about them.
The Rolls-Royce Dawn revives an older nameplate in the British brand’s family, and it is the convertible brother of the Wraith. However, do not think that Rolls-Royce just chopped the top off the Wraith and created the Dawn.
The British automaker insists that 80% of the exterior panels of the Dawn are all new, and this can be seen by a closer look at this model and its coupe “cousin.”
The result is a stunning creation that follows the legacy of the Phantom Drophead with a new twist, and based on a new platform. The Dawn is a majestic car, just like the other creations in the portfolio of the brand from Goodwood. Let’s look into it.
The Dawn is a convertible that manages to bring a fresh look into the Rolls-Royce range without looking like a person wearing shorts to a black tie event.
Somehow, Rolls-Royce designers have managed to put together a look that fits the Dawn in a timeless fashion. Think of it as a bespoke suit, made almost with the same attention as Rolls-Royce cars, but with a focus of fitting in the range.
Evidently, since the brand focuses on making each car according to its owner’s demands, things get customized further than bespoke suits.
From the beginning, the Dawn was created to satisfy the desires of younger customers, which has brought more fluid lines and modern styling to the timeless style of Rolls-Royce automobiles. The leader designer, Giles Taylor, explained it best: “Wraith loosens the tie, but with Dawn one does not need a tie to drive the car.”
Evidently, the tie and suit are not mandatory to drive a Rolls-Royce, but even the “relaxed” Dawn imposes a style that compels you to go further than casual clothing. Even young billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg would probably change their clothes before driving a car like this.
With all the modern influences and lines found on the Dawn, one would expect this model to feel out of place when parked next to a Phantom or another Rolls-Royce model. However, the brand knows how to blend new shapes with existing models without having discrepancies in its portfolio.
Unlike other brands, Rolls-Royce has continuously evolved its design language without making older models look obsolete. That is why they can be considered drivable works of art.
The interior of the Dawn is typical for this brand, which does not want to change its tradition just for the sake of the next idea that pops into mind.
While some may consider that this approach is not the best idea, we agree with the British brand on its view to continuously employ classic touches in modern interiors.
It is worth noting that only Rolls-Royce and Bentley have managed to pull off this idea with their entire portfolios, as both brands keep their tradition close whenever they develop a new model.
The Dawn has seating for four adults, with ample room for each occupant. This is the kind of car than can be equally comfortable to drive or to ride in, even though we would prefer the former.
Just like every Rolls-Royce ever made, comfort is the highest priority for the company, so the passengers of this model could rest assured that they will experience the brand’s concept of a smooth ride.
The interior can be customized to a level that is unheard of for most brands, and even the most eccentric color options can be ordered. If it is technically possible, Rolls-Royce will make it happen for their customers.
The materials and finishes used onboard are at the highest level found in a production automobile, while the tech elements found in any other modern vehicle are seamlessly integrated into this car.
While the gauges inside are analog, the dash does conceal an infotainment screen, which can be revealed if its cover is silently tucked inside the dash.
This model should be an example to any aspiring car designer, as it manages to integrate modern elements without having the viewer feel that someone fitted a new audio unit inside a classic car.
You do not want smudges on your 10.25-inch high-definition infotainment screen, in your obnoxiously perfect land yacht, do you? At least, that is what Rolls-Royce claims to be the reason behind the Dawn being fitted with a touchpad and not a touchscreen.
Another explanation might be linked to the current owner of Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group. While it does have the technology to integrate touchscreen technology, BMW has developed touch-pads for its cars.
BMW also thinks that they are less distracting than having to find icons with your fingers on a screen, something that we understand entirely. Rolls-Royce received an infusion of technology from the German group, which led to the birth of a creative name for the iDrive controller.
The Brits call it the “Spirit of Ecstasy Rotary Controller,” and it is a one-touch solution for accessing media and navigation functions, keeping the center console mostly button-free. The latter is another bonus of the touch-screen-free solution adopted by Rolls-Royce.
You can write characters with a finger, and the system will recognize Latin, Arabic, and Mandarin. The touchpad allows “pull and pinch gestures,” just like a smartphone. Also, for those who are above this time-wasting writing thing, the Dawn features voice control.
The audio system fitted on the Rolls-Royce Dawn is so advanced that we felt it was fair to consider it a tech feature. Unlike other automotive sound equipment, this one was not built by a high-end company such as Bang & Olufsen, Burmester or Meridian.
Instead, Rolls-Royce gathered the best audio engineers it could find and had them create the Bespoke Audio system from scratch. What they came up with is an 18-speaker, 1,300-watt masterpiece, which “listens” to exterior noise and continuously adjusts the volume and tone.
Using frequency and phase correction, the individually tuned speakers eliminate potential loud and dead spots caused by outside influences. Sadly, the Bespoke Audio system is not standard. The TV tuner is also not standard, which is somewhat strange at this level.
Moving a 208.5-inch long, 5,203-pound (2,560 kg) behemoth requires an equally massive engine. As such, the Dawn is powered by a 6.6-liter twin turbo V12.
The power plant, made by BMW and used in other Rolls-Royce models such as the Wraith, develops 571 HP at 5,250 rpm and 605 lb-ft (820 Nm) of torque from as low as 1,600 rpm.
While the power output is significantly lower than on the Wraith, the Dawn is Rolls-Royce’s most powerful four-seat convertible ever. It can achieve a decent 0-62 mph (100 km/h) time of 5.0 seconds, and its maximum speed is electronically limited to 155 mph (250 km/h).
Rolls-Royce claims that the Dawn can do 19.0 miles to the gallon on the highway, with 12.0 MPG city in the measuring scheme used in the USA. That is 14.2 liters/100 kilometers in a combined cycle, 22.1 in the simulated urban route, and ten liters/100 km flat for the extra-urban regime.
Using the same 8-speed ZF gearbox from the Wraith, the Dawn also benefits from the same Satellite Aided Transmission technology, which debuted on the Wraith in 2013. Using GPS data, the car anticipates the driver’s next move based on location and driving style. For example, it will hold an inferior gear when the car is approaching a corner or a hill.
Rolls-Royce has always been about “effortless acceleration,” but this model also brings exciting performance. All without making the passengers sick.
Extreme cases of motion sickness are probably not included, but if you get sick in a car that rides and drives as smooth as a Rolls-Royce, a new driver is necessary, along with a doctor appointment if things do not improve.
Rolls-Royce has never had one of its cars tested by the EuroNCAP. The organization’s American counterparts, the IIHS and NHTSA, have not tested any cars from the British manufacturer.
Just like with supercars, hypercars, and various other exotic automobiles, it makes no sense for consumer-focused organizations like the trio mentioned above to acquire and crash vehicles like these, especially when they are manufactured in limited series that barely reach a volume that will be “noteworthy” of them to inspect.
Do not get us the wrong way here. Every new car should be as safe as possible, and we are sure that the EuroNCAP, NHTSA, and IIHS agree on this.
However, there would be no point in purchasing a few Rolls-Royce cars just to crash them and discover that they were safe, when the results are not even relevant to the average consumer. That is why you cannot find safety ratings for top-tier cars from premium automakers.
Fortunately for the customers of these vehicles, the vehicles come with the latest safety technologies and systems. We are not entirely sure that they would get the maximum score possible on the chart for EuroNCAP, IIHS, or NHTSA tests, but any model in the Rolls-Royce portfolio is capable of protecting its occupants in the unfortunate event of an accident.
You do not need an online review to know that the Rolls-Royce Dawn is an excellent automobile. It is also an expensive car, which starts at about $335,000.
It is significantly cheaper than the Phantom Drophead, but you should never get one if you have to inquire how much it costs before visiting a dealer.
This is the kind of automobile that is acquired by people who own multiple vehicles and have a large estate. The Dawn is also a model that appeals to the “nouveau riche” without this being said explicitly in any company communication, except for the part with the “younger clients.”
Evidently, there is nothing wrong with young people becoming incredibly rich without inheriting money. We respect that when it happens, especially when the revenue comes from an invention that has improved the day-to-day lives of others.
Fortunately for elder clients of the British brand, the Dawn does not bring anything offensive on the table, so traditional customers can still enjoy this model without having to go through comprehensive training to use the multimedia unit.
We expect the Dawn to be just as good as any other modern product from Rolls-Royce, as the British brand has accustomed everyone to its exquisitely finished vehicles with outstanding comfort and ride quality.
