The Rolls-Royce Dawn is a true four-seater but is targeted at a younger and more dynamic customer base, differentiating it from the Phantom Drophead coupe.
Bringing an end to those teaser shots, a new benchmark in automotive luxury has just taken form as the 2016 Rolls-Royce Dawn has been officially revealed ahead of its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show. As the automaker puts it, the Dawn is the sexiest Rolls-Royce ever built (arguably!) and is based on the Ghost and Wraith platform (both of which are based on the current generation BMW 7-Series) and is targeted at a young, dynamic and exceptionally affluent customer base.
While it may seem like the Wraith at first glance, Rolls-Royce says that almost 80 percent of the Dawn’s body panels are new. The doors have been carried over, but the chin is pulled forward by 2.1-inches compared to the Wraith and the grille is recessed by 1.7-inches. The belt-line arches up around the back of the cabin, like a up turned collar on the jacket. The wheelbase is 180 mm shorter than that of the Ghost, but not much of a worry since the Dawn is still a proper four-seater with ample of space dedicated at the front and rear.
Keeping things decidedly different, Rolls-Royce has opted for a soft top on the 2016 Dawn that matches the automaker’s brand roots while also complimenting the aesthetics of the coupe. Despite being a soft top, Rolls claims that the interior is as quiet as the Wraith with the roof up, thanks to the six-layer canvas top and insulation which opens and retracts in silent operation at speeds up to 50 km/hr within 22 seconds. The soft top stows away nicely behind the open-pore wood finished deck.
Inside the cabin, the luxurious appointments and mesmerisingly top notch quality are shared with the Rolls-Royce Ghost and Wraith, while the Mandarin orange interior is done up in leather and wood and compliments the Midnight Sapphire blue bodywork beautifully. You also see certain familiar bits from the BMW parts bin including a touchpad with character recognition, heads-up display, dynamic cruise control and a bespoke audio system with 16 individually tuned speakers. You also get the Safety Aided Transmission that debuted on the Wraith as standard on the Dawn.
Rolls-Royce continues with its emotive mechanicals under the hood with a 6.6-litre V12 engine producing 563 HP at 5250 RPM and 780 Nm of torque at 1500 RPM. Power to the rear wheels is sent via an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission that allows for seamless gear changes. Propelling this 2560 kg convertible from 0-100 km/hr takes just 4.9 seconds. The 2016 Rolls-Royce Dawn comes with 20-inch alloy wheels as standard while customers also get the option of 21-inch run flats mounted on 10-spoke rims. Orders for the 2016 Dawn are already being accepted and the model is sold out for the first year.
