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This morning at 9am EST, Rolls-Royce publicly revealed its latest creation, the Rolls-Royce Dawn drophead coupe, in an online global webcast event this morning ahead of the Frankfurt Auto Show from their factory in Goodwood, England.
After the darkness comes Dawn. Its striking silhouette transformed at a touch, its inviting interior opened to the elements – to friends, to the unexpected, to endless possibilities. Dawn lives in the moment. The moment is now.
Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös gave Robb Report an exclusive preview of the Dawn during the 2015 Monterey Car Week in August.
Deliveries of the Dawn are set to begin in April 2016.
No pricing announced yet.
Dawn is powered by a 563 hp V-12 that generates 575 ft lbs of torque.
Its 8-speed transmission uses GPS data to select the optimal gear.
The chassis is adapted from the marque’s Wraith and Ghost models.
Rolls-Royce’s new Dawn has taken inspiration from the 1950’s Silver Dawn
The new 2+2 convertible is a departure from the rest of the company’s current lineup. Smaller than the two-door Wraith, but slightly longer than the four-door Ghost Series II, the beating heart and soul of any Rolls-Royce motor car is the beloved twin-turbo 6.6-litre V12 powertrain. With a power output of 563bhp or 420kW @ 5,250rpm and a torque rating of 780Nm or 575 lb ft @ 1,500rpm, Dawn’s driving experience is exceptional.
Rolls-Royce’s new Dawn has taken inspiration from the Silver Dawn — a small, lightweight Rolls-Royce produced between 1950 and 1954, whilst delivering a world first in super-luxury motoring – a cool, contemporary interpretation of what a super-luxury four-seater convertible motor car should be in 2015 – rare, refined and the most social super-luxury car there is. Like the Silver Dawn, today’s Dawn drophead coupe was designed for those who want to drive, rather than to be driven. The new Dawn also represents a shift in the brand’s nomenclature, from names drawn from the supernatural to a sunnier, more optimistic denotation.
“Our new Rolls-Royce Dawn promises a striking, seductive encounter like no other Rolls-Royce to date, and begins a new age of open-top, super-luxury motoring. Dawn is a beautiful new motor car that offers the most uncompromised open-top motoring experience in the world. It will be the most social of super-luxury drophead motor cars for those who wish to bathe in the sunlight of the world’s most exclusive social hotspots.
Quite simply, it is the sexiest Rolls-Royce ever built.
The name ‘Dawn’ perfectly suggests the fresh opportunities that every new day holds – an awakening, an opening up of one’s senses and a burst of sunshine. In its tentative, inchoate, anticipatory state, dawn is the world coming to light from the ethereal dark of the night. The early-day chill of dawn provides an erotic tingle on the skin, awakening the senses and passions as the day begins.
Like Eleanor Thornton, thought by many to be the inspiration behind the Spirit of Ecstasy, the Rolls-Royce Dawn will itself prove to be the muse that leads its owner to believe that at the start of the day, anything is possible.” – Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
As with every Rolls-Royce, the Dawn can be customized in a seemingly infinite array of colors, finishes, and materials. The company has been quietly taking orders for the car over the past few months, with production slated to begin in February 2016 and deliveries scheduled to begin in April. While Rolls-Royce has not stated exactly how many Dawn dropheads it will sell, Shepherd stresses that the car will remain exclusive.
“You certainly don’t want to see one on every corner,” – Shepherd