Rolls-Royce Dawn - Auto China 2016

Priced from around £ 264,000 in the UK.

Along with the Rolls-Royce Wraith Inspired by Music and Rolls-Royce Black Badge Ghost, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars showcased the Rolls-Royce Dawn at Auto China 2016. The Rolls-Royce Dawn is the convertible equivalent of the Rolls-Royce Wraith coupe.

The Rolls-Royce Dawn is more than just an open-top Rolls-Royce Wraith, because it's a lot more different than it appears to be. 80% of the parts are new, and so are the tyres as well as the suspension setup. The modestly different exterior possibly previews the changes expected in the Wraith. To focus on the jet air intake face, the grille recessed by ~45 mm whilst the front bumper has been extended 53 mm compared to Wraith.

The Rolls-Royce Dawn features a fabric roof which takes just 22 seconds (revised from previously stated 20 seconds) to operate, and can be opened or closed at speeds of up to 50 km/h. The roof operates so silently, that the engineering teams calls it ‘The Silent Ballet’. The interior is finished in black and tan leather, and features Canadel open-pore veneer on the doors, dashboard and rear deck.

The Rolls-Royce Dawn is powered by a 6.6-litre twin-turbo V12 engine that produces 563 bhp at 5,250 rpm and 780 Nm of torque at 1,500 rpm. It can do 0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds and has an electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h.