Before the arrival of the Dawn, the Phantom Drophead was the only convertible model in the Rolls-Royce line up, and tremendous though that car is there was clearly a need for a slightly more manageable version with a lower price tag and a broader appeal.
With the smaller Ghost II saloon and Wraith proving the market for cars beneath the Phantom range, the Dawn is designed to meet those desires.
Speak to Rolls-Royce about the Dawn and they explain how it is designed to bring more sex appeal to the brand and attract younger customers – in fact they go as far as describing it as ‘the sexiest Rolls-Royce ever built’.
That’s for you to judge, but the Dawn gets a unique exterior, folding fabric roof and four-seater cabin as well as the superlative standards of refinement and build quality.
Choice is something of a misnomer when it comes to specifying your Dawn because you can have any colour you like, but it’s more crucial than ever when it comes to this particular car.
More sober hues lend an air of discretion but go for a lighter paint shade and a contrast roof and you can really see the modern influences; the Dawn has an almost California look to it with the wheel arches stretched tightly over the wheels and the slimmed down glass area.
It’s not so extreme as to frighten off older buyers but at the same time if you start seeing Dawns cropping up in LA music videos don’t be surprised. This really is a Royce for the YouTube generation.
Rolls-Royce isn’t big on compromise either, so although the Dawn is billed as a 2+2 it’s a bit more generous than that. Up front of course there’s plenty of space roof up or down, and although the wide centre console keeps you enclosed it is in a comfortable manner.
The rear space however makes the Dawn a genuine four-seater. The seats themselves are supremely comfortable, and even sat behind a six-footer there’s good legroom available. The boot is more than sufficient to handle big luggage too with up to 295 litres with the roof up and 244 with it down.
The roof is the key element to the Dawn driving experience. With it raised the cabin is cocooned and remarkably quiet, due in part to the effort Rolls-Royce put in with the six layers of fabric and ‘French seam’ stitching.
It lowers in 22 seconds and in beautifully-engineered silence, and you can do so up to 31mph.
However you have the roof, the Dawn delivers a sumptuous driving experience that you simply can’t find elsewhere. While the physical differences between it and the Phantom are relatively small, the Dawn is a car you always drive yourself.
It’s more engaging to drive and happy to be hurried briskly along country roads but always demands very little of you; the steering is accurate and the re-tuned suspension keeps it level and controlled without harming the magical ride quality.
The 6.6-litre V12 barely emits a murmur but is always ready to provide rapid and effort-free acceleration. 62mph can be reached in just 4.9 seconds if required, however it is the way the Dawn flows along with the road, gaining speed as easily as it sheds it and remaining unperturbed by the outside world that makes it so special.
There’s not much in the way of competition for the Dawn at its basic price of £250,000, with the more crucial factor being that it feels sufficiently special and luxurious.
It’s spectacular to look at from the outside with a flawless finish, while inside there is delightful mix of wood, leather and metal trim.
Only the occasional sliver of plastic puts some distance between it and the peerless Phantom. More than anything though the Dawn provides an experience that makes even an ordinary journey feel extraordinary.
More so than the rest of the Rolls-Royce range the Dawn does have a little more to offer the younger – and admittedly affluent – buyer. It’s still relatively ostentatious but it has grace and style even beyond its price tag.
Regardless of their demographic, buyers are attracted to quality of design and thoughtfulness of execution, which the Dawn is a perfect example of. Rolls-Royce remains the world’s finest builder of motor cars for a good reason.
THE FACTS
Model: Rolls-Royce Dawn
Price: £250,000
Engine: 6.6-litre petrol unit producing 563bhp and 575lb/ft of torque
Performance: Top speed 155mph, 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds
Economy: 19.9mpg combined
CO2 rating: 330g/km
