2016 Rolls-Royce Dawn: The Socialites Drophead
“Sexy” probably wasn’t the first adjective that came to mind when you used to describe a Rolls-Royce, but that was before the introduction of the English manufacturer’s latest model, Dawn, a seriously sensual soft-top convertible—based loosely on the Wraith coupe—that has the curves, panache and social-media era savvy to lure in the new generation of Rolls customer.
Don’t Raise the Wrath of Rolls-Royce, it’s not a Wraith Drophead
Although the press release explicitly states that Dawn is not a “drophead” Wraith, I’m pretty confident in stating that they share the same underpinnings (even a boutique manufacturer like Rolls would never be able to justify the costs associated with developing an entirely new platform for a single model, “sexiest Rolls-Royce” ever or not). There is some truth to the sayings of the PR department at Goodwood based Rolls-Royce Motor Cars; only 20% of the exterior panels are shared between the coach-door equipped coupe siblings, Wraith and Dawn.
Are Ballets Usually Silent?
I’m not cultured enough to know if ballet performances are generally silent affairs, but if you work for Rolls-Royce, apparently the absence of noise and the elegant performance of strictly-trained ballerinas combine to produce the world’s finest soft-top convertible mechanism, the operation of which internally they refer to as “The Silent Ballet.” The perfectly smooth fabric top operates in complete silence, taking 22 seconds to open or close, and when closed, Dawn is said to have the same interior dBa levels inside as the fixed-roof Wraith, which Rolls-Royce proudly proclaims is a first in the history of the convertible.
It’s a Four-Seater, Not a 2+2
Dawn isn’t a car for shut-ins or introverts. By the manufacturer’s own words, “It will be the most social of super-luxury drophead motor cars for those who wish to bathe in the sunlight of the world’s most exclusive social hotspots.” If that statement doesn’t accurately depict your social life, don’t worry too much, it’s a far cry from mine as well. Rolls are keen to point out that Dawn is a four-seater, not a 2+2, a configuration which they deem “anti-social.” So if you’re an elementary school-aged child tired of being crammed in the back of your Dad’s 2+2, beg him to purchase a Dawn, and you too can be a passenger in “the world’s only true modern four-seater super-luxury drophead.”
The Dawn of a New Beginning
The latest Rolls-Royce’s name is both an allusion to the hope and opportunity that precedes every new day, and a tribute to a limited Rolls-Royce model from the 1950’s, the Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn, of which only 28 examples were produced.
And certainly, you would look forward to every dawning day if you had a 6.6-liter twin-turbo V12 with 563-hp and 575-lb ft. of torque at the ready, the latter figure produced at a boulevard cruising 1500-rpm. Waking up knowing that you and three of your best friends will be openly welcomed at any social function this side of the French Riviera isn’t for the un-well-heeled, unfortunately; Dawn will go on sale early next year priced at just under $400,000.
