Not long ago, the average age of a Rolls-Royce buyer was a fairly understandable 55 – now though, with astronomical wealth coming from China and the Middle East, that number has dropped to just 45.
Cars like the smaller, more focused Ghost and Wraith have played a big part in attracting a newer, more youthful audience. Models like the upcoming Cullinan SUV will further cement that youthful push, alongside the car you see here – the brand-new Rolls-Royce Dawn.
It’s only the manufacturer’s third convertible in 50 years. The original Corniche arrived in 1966 and after various iterations, revisions and body changes, was finally axed in 2001. It was followed by the exclusive Phantom Drophead Coupe in 2007, but even that is will be dropped by the end of the year.
So while this Dawn isn’t a replacement for the Drophead, it’ll sit alongside Phantom, Ghost and Wraith as the brand’s only cabriolet for the time being.
But quite the cabriolet it is. It uses a detuned version of the Wraith’s 6.6-litre twin-turbo V12, with power and torque cut from 624bhp and 800Nm to 563bhp and 780Nm. Rolls bosses say that while this is still more driver-focused than a Phantom, it’s more for boulevard cruising than back-road blasts.
It’s no slouch, though. It’ll do 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds and continue on to an electronically governed 155mph. It feels effortlessly fast but never rapid – speed builds in a way that few other V12’s manage, ensuring complete comfort. It’s incredibly composed, too, with soft suspension dealing with quick corners far better than you’d expect from a 2.5-tonne cabriolet.
There’s only one drive setup, but turn in is sharp and while the steering is light, it is accurate. As with the Wraith, the Dawn is devoid of steering wheel paddles. Drivers get a ‘low’ mode that keeps the transmission one gear lower than usual for a more instant response – but even in the standard setting the satellite-aided eight-speed ZF shifts seamlessly and will unknowingly change down if you need more grunt from the 6.6-litre V12.
And that’s part of the beauty. It’ll do all this in absolute silence. On the motorway there is nothing but a murmur of wind whistle, while tyre roar is non-existent – even on 21-inch wheels. The six-layer fabric roof eliminates almost everything the outside world– making you almost reluctant to lower it.
But the roof folds into the boot at speeds of up to 30mph – taking just 20 seconds. It’s rather blustery with the windows in place, however. This is likely to be vastly improved when fitted with the standard-fit wind deflector, but as our test car was a very early pre-production model, it wasn’t quite ready in time. This considered, it’s acutely more pleasurable to lower all four double-glazed windows, for the full wind-in-the-hair experience.
In the centre of the dashboard is a screen that’ll feel very familiar to any current BMW driver – and indeed anyone who has sat in a Wraith or Ghost. Of course, Rolls-Royce has added individual menu settings and standardised fonts to make it feel more upmarket, but it’s easy to navigate and incredibly responsive.
The huge armchair-like front seats are adjustable in an infinite number of directions, and the dainty control stalks are a pleasure to use. The thin-rimmed steering wheel is typical Rolls, too, with the interior oozing quality from every angle.
The long nose and tall grille make the Dawn a challenge in tight spaces, however. It’s a vast car that despite sitting some way below the Phantom is quite a handful to park. You’re never entirely sure where the bonnet ends – but most owners will have valets to worry about that, anyway.
The benefit of such a lengthy body is evident as soon as you step in the back. Roof up or down the Dawn is hugely spacious and entry is easy thanks to the stunning rear-hinged coach doors. And while you wouldn’t usually consider practicality a priority on a car like this, passenger space in a Rolls-Royce is often as important as driver enjoyment. Bosses like their cars to serve as “social spaces” – and as a result, room in the back seats is quite unlike any other convertible we’ve sat in.
With the roof up, there’s actually more room inside than you’ll find in the fixed-roof Wraith. Where the coupe slopes towards the rear, the Dawn’s designers have effectively moved the C-pillar backwards to give occupants more head space. Knee room is generous, too. We’re not talking Ghost-sized proportions, but it shames the likes of Bentley’s Continental GTC.
- Model: Rolls-Royce Dawn
- Price: ￡265,000
- Engine: 6.6-litre V12 twin-turbo
- Power/torque: 563bhp/780Nm
- Transmission: Eight-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
- 0-62mph/Top speed: 4.9s/155mph
- Economy/CO2: 19.9mpg/330g/km
- On sale : Now