A Model Aimed at Rejuvenating the Owner

Rolls-Royce's new model,Dawnhas finally gone on sale. With deliveries in Japan expected in the second quarter (April-June), anticipation is high. After all, it is a luxurious and beautiful car that the manufacturer itself describes as a "stylish and contemporary ultimate four-seater convertible."

The press drive event for journalists from around the world was held in Cape Town, South Africa, in March 2016. Located at the southern tip of the African continent, near the Cape of Good Hope. The city is said to have begun when the Dutch East India Company designed a supply base in the 17th century.

Cape Town is the first place where white settlers arrived in South Africa, and the city's layout is somewhat reminiscent of a Western European resort. In fact, it has recently focused on wine tourism, with many wineries attracting tourists by building restaurants and accommodations with modern tasting rooms.

"We searched for various locations that would suit the image of the Dawn (for the test drive). California, Australia, Dubai... Places that are bright, open, and where sophisticated people gather. That's how we found Cape Town."

The Dawn's press drive event was based at a resort hotel run by a winery in a place called Stellenbosch, near Cape Town. A member of the company's PR team shared a small glimpse behind the scenes.

The Dawn is apparently not a car that embodies solemnity. It is bright, open, and designed for the enjoyment of driving. In the words of Rolls-Royce, it is a "model aimed at rejuvenating the owner." Despite its large 5.3-meter body and 6.6-liter V12 rear-wheel-drive powertrain, which might evoke only the image of a solemn Rolls-Royce, this stylish, fully open four-seater has the power to uplift its occupants.

80 Percent of Body Panels Are Newly Designed

The Rolls-Royce Dawn features a body with ample space for four adults, mounted on a 3110mm wheelbase. As the development team stated, "In keeping with Rolls-Royce tradition, we have not adopted a hardtop." The roof is a soft fabric top. However, its thick, six-layer construction provides astonishing quietness when closed.

Interestingly, in its open-top configuration, Rolls-Royce exhibits two slightly classical touches. One is the rear glass, deliberately kept to a minimum size. The reason, according to the development team, is "occupant privacy." The other is that when exiting the rear seats in the open state, the front seats slide forward to create ample space, allowing for "an elegant exit while standing" (same source).

Hearing this, one can't help but picture Hollywood stars. Discreetly hidden in the rear seats around town, then emerging in a dazzlingly elegant style at party venues.

The roof's operation is designed to be extremely quiet, with Rolls-Royce describing the opening and closing motion as "Silent Ballet." Both opening and closing take about 20 seconds, and the operation can be performed at speeds up to 50 km/h. The silhouette when closed is also quite beautiful, as the soft top wraps around the sides. The reduced height of the side windows creates a stylish profile, akin to a coupé.

As mentioned, the rear seats of the Dawn are more spacious and comfortable than those in many large sedans. The thick carpeting effectively absorbs vibrations from the road. When the top is up, the headroom is surprisingly generous. Despite its stylish exterior, the packaging is superb, ensuring occupants experience no compromises.

"The Rolls-Royce philosophy of car manufacturing is never to stop at 'this is good enough.' We must strive for perfection." This policy was explained by a development team member encountered at the Cape Town press drive.

The same applies to styling. According to Giles Taylor, the company's Design Director, "To achieve a highly contemporary four-seater super-luxury drophead (convertible), 80 percent of the body panels have been newly designed. It is by no means simply a drophead version of the Wraith."

To slightly emphasize an aggressive image in terms of style, the traditional Parthenon grille has been set back 45mm, and the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot above it tilted forward by about 15 degrees. While its style is instantly recognizable as a Rolls-Royce, it has been meticulously crafted as a new generation model.

A Rolls-Royce this engaging to drive is rare.

Suspension That Firmly Grips in Corners

The roads in Cape Town are excellent. If you enjoy driving, I would recommend driving here at least once. The pavement is far superior to that in Japan, and the road surface is exceptionally smooth. The roads are wide, and whether on winding mountain passes or along scenic coastlines, there is no better stage for driving the Rolls-Royce Dawn.

The drive is utterly smooth. The twin-turbo 6.6-liter V12 engine is set to deliver 780 Nm of torque from just 1500 rpm, so there's no stress from the moment you start moving. Even as the revs climb, there's no perceptible lag or interruption in torque. Engine noise is minimized, a nod to tradition. After all, it is called "Dawn," so it should be silent.

The engineers' goal with the air suspension and active roll bars is described as a "magic carpet ride." The aim is a comfortable ride, free from any interference from the road surface, as if floating on a magic carpet. Indeed, the first impression upon driving was how quiet and flat the ride was. Despite being equipped with run-flat tires, the only drawback is the slight noise intrusion from the front wheel wells. Even that is minimal. When driving with the top down, there is absolutely no sense of chassis flex.

As the speed increases, the driver feels increasingly exhilarated. While the steering felt a bit vague at low speeds, the power assistance seems to be reduced, increasing weight but also improving responsiveness. The suspension system is air-based, sharing its basic design with the Wraith, which was released earlier as a coupé, but tuned specifically for the Dawn, which is about 200kg heavier. It firmly grips corners and maintains a stable posture. You can also confidently approach the next corner with agility. In fact, it feels like its true character is revealed in such driving.

The claim of 4.9 seconds for the 2640kg vehicle to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h initially seemed questionable when seen on the spec sheet. However, once you experience it, you truly understand its powerful acceleration. The acceleration response relative to throttle input uses a unique mapping, reportedly set to react 30 percent faster in the mid-range acceleration zone. Rolls-Royce calls the Dawn a "Boulevardier," suggesting its position as a town coach in the old sense, for use in the city. However, it is clearly a car designed for enjoying spirited driving at higher speeds.

Almost no autonomous driving features are employed. This was explained as part of Rolls-Royce's policy. In the Dawn, only adaptive cruise control, active headlamps, and a lane departure warning system are apparent. More emphasis is placed on the control of the 8-speed automatic transmission's shift schedule, which offers completely seamless gear changes, incorporating information from GPS. The "Satellite Aided Transmission" allows for driving without heavy reliance on the brake pedal, such as downshifting to the appropriate gear before a curve.

Rolls-Royce Dawn
Body Dimensions | Length 5,295 x Width 1,945 x Height 1,500mm
Wheelbase | 3,110mm
Vehicle Weight (DIN) | 2,640kg
Engine | 6.6-liter V12 Twin-Turbo
Max. Output | 420 kW (570 ps) / 5,250rpm
Max. Torque | 780 Nm / 1,500-5,000rpm
Transmission | 8-speed AT
Drivetrain | FR
0-100km/h Acceleration | 4.9 seconds
Max. Speed | 250 km/h (limited)
Trunk Capacity | 244-295 ℓ
Price | From ¥37,400,000