The first thing you need to know about the Rolls-Royce Dawn is that it is not a 2+2. Rolls is quite firm on this fact, saying that 2+2 convertibles are needlessly compromised and that its new drop head, based on the Wraith coupe, is a proper four-seater. "In the world of Rolls-Royce, day to day mathematical norms don't always apply.
That's why I say in the case of the new Rolls-Royce Dawn, 2+2 does not equal 4" said Giles Taylor, Director of Design, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. "At Rolls-Royce, we pride ourselves as creators of fine motor cars that also serve as social spaces. 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."
Mind you, Rolls is also saying that this is not merely a Wraith drop head - in fact, 80 per cent of the body is unique to the Dawn, although you'd have to say that they look pretty similar. While the larger Phantom drop head has drawn on classic motor launches and yachts for its inspiration, the Dawn's inspiration is rather more Cold-War-ish - the 'wake channel' on the bonnet is meant to be reminiscent of a jet fighter's vapour trail, while the front of the car is meant to mimic the look of classic jet planes too. Mind you, at the back Rolls still talks of a taped, boat-like rear and it has a similar wooded deck treatment to the bodywork behind the cabin.
The boat theme continues inside, where there are four individual bucket seats set within a 'slingshot' shape that's mean to look a little like a classic 'Barchetta' - not a small Fiat sports car, but a classic boat design. There are the usual acres of leather and whole forests of wood, of course.
The massive fabric roof can be retracted in just 22 seconds, and at speeds of up to 50km/h, in what Rolls calls 'The Silent Ballet.' The luxury car maker is claiming that the Dawn will, roof-up, be the quietest convertible you can buy, even going to the trouble to create a smooth, internally seamed construction for the fabric so as to minimise wind noise.
It won't be quiet all the time inside though - the 16-speaker Bespoke Audio stereo system will see to that...
On the mechanical front, the Dawn sits 24mm wider than the Ghost saloon with which it shares much of its mechanical package, while the wheelbase is 180mm shorter. The company claims that the Dawn is the most structurally rigid four-seat convertible you can buy, while the suspension has been redesigned to compensate for the higher weight relative to the Wraith.
The engine is more or less unchanged from the Wraith; it's still the same 6.6-litre V12 with 563hp and 780Nm of torque, although Rolls does tell us that the throttle pedal is 30 per cent more responsive than before. You can have either 20- or 21-inch alloy wheels, with runflat tyres.
As with other models, the Dawn runs a Rolls-ified version of BMW's iDrive system, and what other car maker would suggest you test the sat-nav's voice recognition by ordering it to 'navigate to San Tropez?" There's a swipe and pinch sensitive touch pad in the top of the system's rotary controller, and a 10.2-inch high-definition main screen. The automatic cruise control has a traffic creep function and a pre-crash safety system. The Dawn also benefits from the Ghost and Wraith's sat-nav-linked automatic transmission, which knows what terrain you're approaching and picks the right gear before you get there.
"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" said Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.