After nearly a decade, Rolls-Royce announced that it has finally ended the production of its convertible luxury grand tourer, the Dawn.
Providing the Rolls-Royce Dawn a fitting farewell, the British automotive marque looks back at the nameplate’s history.
“In reviving the Dawn nameplate, Rolls-Royce reinvigorated something much more than a motor car — like the glamorous convertible it drew inspiration from, the contemporary Dawn has come to characterize a modern expression of ‘la dolce vita;’ a way of living that embraces the beauty and richness of life. Dawn truly reflects the joy of good company, the thrill of adventure and the peace of quiet reflection. Indeed, this motor car is a testament to the modern art of living, recalling ‘la dolce vita’ spirit in every detail. As production of Dawn draws to a close, we can reflect on an extraordinary chapter in the marque’s history. This beautiful motor car perfectly embodies contemporary luxury while celebrating the marque’s founding principles and heritage,” Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Chief Executive Officer Torsten Müller-Ötvös was quoted saying.
The Rolls-Royce Dawn, as its name suggested, symbolized new beginnings.
According to Rolls-Royce, the Dawn was born out of the company’s desire to address the needs of its increasingly youthful, universally self-confident, and sociable client base.
These new super-luxury consumers — the London-headquartered automotive brand pointed out — needed an automobile that captured the glamor and romance of classic super-luxury motoring, but required so in a fashion completely in tune with their contemporary tastes and lifestyles.
Sure, Rolls-Royce just launched the Wraith Fastback Coupé back then but for a brand of its caliber, repurposing it to cater to its client’s new-found needs was never considered.
On that note, Rolls-Royce’s Chief Executive challenged his designers to create not just a stablemate to the Phantom Drophead Coupé, but an entirely new kind of super-luxury convertible.
Rolls-Royce’s design team then looked into the company’s vast and storied history and found that between 1950 and 1954, the brand made just 28 examples of the Silver Dawn Drophead Coupé.
That said, reviving the Dawn moniker was immediately regarded and because of its connotations of new beginnings, fresh opportunities, and glorious vistas, was unanimously approved.
Another inspiration for the Rolls-Royce Dawn convertible was the movie La Dolce Vita. The film, per the carmaker, was sensuous and sensual, a celebration of decadence, indulgence, and pleasure in all its forms.
The boldness of that vision was reflected in the Rolls-Royce Dawn’s design, which gave it a flowing coachwork and a chic cabin. It also featured a “wake channel” on the hood and an intricate roof mechanism, dubbed the “Silent Ballet.”
Powering the first iteration of the Rolls-Royce Dawn convertible was a 6.6-liter twin-turbo V12 engine that made 555 horsepower.
It was built on a chassis that delivered the brand’s signature “Magic Carpet Ride,” combining responsiveness and engagement with an almost supernatural smoothness.
In 2017, Rolls-Royce added a Black Badge variant of the Dawn convertible, which received an entirely new exhaust system and a tuned engine that delivered more power and torque.
Since its launch in 2015, the Rolls-Royce Dawn has ensured its legacy by providing customers of the famed luxury car brand with a car that boasted an exquisite marriage of seductive design, contemporary materials, and a social, open-air driving experience.
Photos from Rolls-Royce
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