Just like its name suggests, Rolls-Royce’s newest model will create new opportunities for those able to buy an absolutely drop dead gorgeous drophead luxury car.

Ask anybody who either builds, drives or is frequently driven in a Rolls-Royce car and they’ll tell you that despite the fact that it’s got seats, wheels, an engine and a transmission, it will forever be more than just a car.

The Dawn (first heard of back in 1952 when it was the Silver Dawn drophead), features 80% unique body panels and an extraordinary roof which can make the Dawn as silent as a Wraith when up, while operating in “almost complete silence” in just over 20 seconds and at speeds of up to 50 km/h (31 mph).

One of the goals when designing the Dawn was to make a car that looks as beautiful with the roof up as it does with it down. This is actually a common problem that most manufacturers fail to address – mainly because nobody’s really complaining about it. But oftentimes, and from a design perspective, taking the roof away from a Coupe, will alter its proportions in a somewhat negative way.

Rolls-Royce also doesn’t want people to think of the Dawn as a Drophead Wraith, mainly because of those unique body panels, but also the evolution of their design language and their four-seat luxury drophead architecture.

All Rolls-Royce design principles have been maintained as far as the new Dawn is concerned. You have the 2:1 wheel height to body height ratio, the long bonnet with the short front overhang, the long rear overhand, an elegant tapering rear graphic and a high shoulder line, which you really can’t do without.

The Dawn appears masculine, yet seductive, and it’s mostly because it looks somewhat like a low-slung “hot rod” according to Rolls-Royce themselves.

Compared to the Wraith, the grille has been recessed by approximately 45mm, whilst the lower front bumper has been extended 53mm. The bumper also incorporates the number plate surround and a new lower air dam.

The Dawn’s profile is instantly recognizable as a being elegant, imposing and of course that of a Rolls-Royce. The designers actually managed to stay away from the unwanted concave areas and sharp struts seen in other models who feature soft-top versions. Also, the customer can have his choice between the new 21″ polished and 21″ and 20″ painted wheels.

Moving on towards the rear of the car, Rolls-Royce looked back at those older “Boat Tail” drophead coupes, as well as early 20th Century models in order to find their inspiration. Bottom line, it’s a beautiful looking thing, no matter which way you spin it.

Of course the interior itself couldn’t be anything less than perfect in terms of craftsmanship. Notice the coach doors, four separate bucket seats and wood & leather “slingshot” design. Visually this runs from the driver’s A-post towards the rear and around the seats before returning to the A-Pillar, and will remind some people of a “barchetta”.

Since the Dawn is a full four-seater, there’s no compromise to be made in terms of interior comfort. The instrument dials have also been updated with individually applied polished metal chaplets, reminiscent of hand-made, luxury wrist watches. There’s also a new clock design featuring the new motor car’s name.

In terms of technology, Rolls-Royce set out to make the Dawn the world’s quietest convertible car. As we said before, the roof can operate in silence in just 22 seconds, though those of you interested in noise will definitely be delighted by Rolls-Royce’s Bespoke Audio system, finely tuned by its engineers to compensate for the Dawn’s dual personality.

The system features sixteen individually-tuned speakers, which deliver a so called “larger than live” sensation. In the boot there are two bass speakers, complementing the seven tweeters scattered meticulously throughout the cabin.

Browsing the Dawn’s settings is done vie the Spirit of Ecstasy Rotary Controller, which is definitely the coolest name for any type of in-car controller that you can find. It features a one-touch solution which allows the user easy access to the media and sat-nav functions.

The information is displayed on an updated Multimedia Interface and Navigation system, which uses a new 10.25″ high-definition screen. Rolls-Royce have also improved the hardware and software, which should lead to faster processing speeds, faster route calculations and hopefully a faster User Interface as well.

When driving at night, owners of the Dawn can rely on its head-up display and heat detection system that detects not just human but also animal heat signatures, before issuing an audible warning to the driver.

Once you step on the throttle, you’ll hear the heart and soul of any Rolls-Royce motor car, namely its twin turbocharged 6.6 liter V12 power unit. It has an output of 563 BHP (420 kW) and a peak torque rating of 780 Nm (575 lb-ft). The dynamic accelerator pedal mapping delivers up to 30% increased response at medium throttle, which should please anyone who’s behind the wheel of such a massive car.

Rolls-Royce also went on to say that the Dawn’s steering characteristics provide the driver with superb feedback, ensuring that the car is “effortless but precise to drive”. While we don’t doubt most of that, don’t go thinking that you can toss this thing into a corner as you would a slightly smaller luxury convertible such as the Bentley Continental GTC.

The Satellite Aided Transmission which made its global debut in the Wraith back in 2013 is also found in the Dawn. It uses GPS data, anticipating and selecting the most appropriate gear from the 8-speed ZF gearbox, ensuring that you have a smooth and seamless driving experience.

Though if you’re just looking to cruise, the new software for the radar and camera offers faster response times. If you happen to get into a bit of a pickle, the Dawn will deply a concealed roll-over protection system from behind the rear head restraints in just a fraction of a second.

Overall, the Rolls-Royce Dawn is certainly one of the most beautiful luxury convertibles ever made, and those able to afford one will probably not even hesitate while transferring the necessary funds out of their bank accounts.

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