Rolls-Royce Dawn is the Quietest Open-Top Car Ever Made
Having already enjoyed an online debut last week, the Rolls-Royce Dawn has dropped its luxury top at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show.
Rolls-Royce is making a bold claim that the Dawn is “the world’s only true modern four-seater super-luxury drophead,” although Mercedes-Benz might have a word or two for the British automaker with the debut of the Mercedes S-Class Convertible. Comparison arguments aside, the Rolls-Royce Dawn will likely demand a price premium over the S-Class Cabriolet, putting it in a class of its own.
The company was quick to remind everyone that the new Rolls-Royce Dawn is not a Wraith drophead, with 80 percent of its exterior body panels newly designed to accomodate an evolution of the company’s design language. Rolls-Royce’s primary goal for the Dawn was to create a car that looks as beautiful with its roof up as it is down, adding that it’s a feat “no other car manufacturer had achieved so far.”
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Whether or not Rolls-Royce achieved that feat will be up to luxury car shoppers, but the Dawn does feature the ability to lower or raise the fabric roof in almost complete silence in just over 20 seconds at speeds up to 31 mph.
Powering the Dawn is the same 6.6-liter V12 engine found in the Wraith, providing 563 horsepower and 585 pound-feet of torque for the luxury 2+2 convertible. Despite weighing 5,644 pounds, the Dawn accelerates to 62 mph from a standstill in under five seconds. The Dawn is equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission sourced from ZF.
“At Rolls-Royce, we pride ourselves as creators of fine motor cars that also serve as social spaces,” said Giles Taylor, director of design for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “The idea of creating a car like Dawn that can be used in comfort by only two adults on a day to day basis is anathema. In creating Dawn we have accepted no compromise to the comfort and luxury of four adults who want to travel together in the pinnacle of style.”
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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Pin strips on this car needs to go.