ANALYSIS/OPINION
Indulge me (and yourself) just a little as you read my column because I am going to describe to you the details of the 2017 Rolls-Royce Dawn. If you have an extra $400,000 laying around, then don’t hesitate to take one of these immaculate driving machines home with you. Otherwise, put it on your bucket list.
For Rolls-Royce fans you already know about the Wraith, well the Dawn is a close sister, but with noticeable changes. For example, the exterior body panels are different on the Dawn and notice the new bumper design in the rear. There is also a powered soft top that has a few differences too. It’s those little Rolls-Royce tweaks that make for good driving.
Standouts for me when I took the Dawn for a weekend spin with some of the Rolls-Royce folks in Sheridan, Wyoming, were the rear-hinged side doors and the triangular taillights. I was especially delighted when I opened the door and in the side panel there is an umbrella just in case there is a sudden rainstorm and you are caught unaware.
Expect lots of tantalizing surprises on the Dawn, I could have curled up like a baby and slept with the comfortable leather seats in the front and back. In fact, I hate sitting in the back seat but with the top down in the Dawn it feels alright.
Competition for the Rolls Royce Dawn, as I have been telling everyone, is the yacht you have your eye on and perhaps a Piper plane. Really, though when the Dawn goes on sale in a few days in July I’ve been told that real competition will come from the Bentley Continental GT Convertible, Bentley Falcon or the Aston Martin Vanquish.
Still Rolls-Royce demands a certain respect that the competition just can’t command. The 2017 Dawn is for certain the quietest convertible you will ever ride in with room enough for four to sit comfortable in the lap of luxury with the top down. If you dare, driving at speeds up to 155, you will feel the rush of the road, but you can still have a conversation even if the top is down. After all, the 2017 Rolls-Royce Dawn can go from zero to 60 in a little under five seconds. I think my colleague, Guillaume de Vaudrey and I actually did that as we were passing folks on the barren roads of Wyoming heading to Yellowstone National Park for the perfect afternoon drive.
Rolls-Royce Dawn lovers will have a choice of colors as they build their own special machine, my favorite was the Mandarin leather interior and the choice of a Midnight Sapphire exterior is going to be just one more reason folks are turning their heads when you drive.
Under the hood of the 2017 Rolls-Royce Dawn you get a 6.6-liter, twin-turbo V-12 engine and that produces 563 horsepower and 575 pound feet of torque with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Take note too of the dynamic accelerator pedal that offers the driver as much as 30 percent more response time at medium throttle.
The tires on the Dawn or 20-inch runflat tires meaning if there is a deflated tire the driver can travel for another 100 miles as fast as 50 miles per hour for a tire change. That means, naturally that there is no need for a spare tire and jack- translation – more room for luggage if needed. There is also the option for the 21-inch wheels on 10-spoke rims if you prefer.
Another big safety measure is the concealed roll-over protection system that will deploy from behind the rear head restraints if needed. This mechanism deploys fast too with a ratchet system locking the roll-over system into place and surrounding the full windscreen of the vehicle.
For driving at night the Dawn has a head-up display and heat detection system so you will be alerted to animal or human heat signatures offering a warning so the driver can avoid the danger in the dark.
As we were driving through Yellowstone National Park a rain storm suddenly hit while we had the top down. No problem because when you hit the mechanism the insulated cloth top will go up or down while the car is driving at low speeds quietly and with ease.
You can expect the 2:1 wheel height to body height, a long bonnet and overall a sophisticated tapering with a contemporary design that rolls down the road in full-on “look at me” mode.
Inside notice the interior with wood on the deck and the interior door panels, which the customer gets to choose, creating a well-rounded classy design. There are four separate bucket seats front and back and take note of the dials and particularly the new clock design.
The Bespoke audio has been tweaked for the perfect sound in the Dawn and whether the top is up or down it’s all good with perfect acoustics. There are 16 speakers and both a theatre or studio setting for the best sound in the cabin.
A four-seat drophead motor car that is pretty much perfection all around - consider this tip in closing, especially if you are sitting in the backseat. The driver and passenger in the front seat embark first from the car with grace and ease, of course. You are sitting in the back seat, here’s how you make your entrance from that position. Stand up in the back seat gracefully and slide out of the Dawn – or should I say disembark. All eyes will be on you and of course, on the Dawn as well, ushering in a new age for Rolls-Royce.
Should You Need to Know: The 2017 Rolls-Royce Dawn weighs in at 5,644 pounds.
Miles Per Gallon: Expect a combined miles per gallon of 19.9.
Cost: Get ready to write a check for up to $400,000 if you want a 2017 Dawn to sit in your garage.
For more auto tips and information follow Rita @RitaCook13.
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