The Rolls-Royce Dawn is heading off into the sunset.
The British luxury automaker has announced that it is ceasing production of the drophead.
So, what’s next?
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Well, we’ve got the Rolls-Royce Spectre to look forward to, but before we look to the future, let’s look back at the Dawn’s illustrious history.
The modern-era Dawn debuted in 2015 following the success of the larger Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe.
Its primary responsibility was to appeal to an emerging “youthful, universally self-confident and social client base” that was “drawn to the Rolls-Royce brand.”
The Rolls-Royce Dawn was a sales success, becoming the best-selling drop-top in the company’s history.
No surprise really, as the luxurious four-seater convertible with its fabric roof and hinged doors was a thing of beauty.
Although the Dawn shares common styling cues with the closely related Wraith coupe and the discontinued first-gen Ghost sedan, the company insists 80 percent of the body panels were “entirely unique”.
What’s more, a unique blend of materials, including fabric, cashmere and high-performance acoustic composites, made the Dawn the world’s quietest convertible.
Under the hood, it’s powered by a twin-turbo 6.6-liter V12 producing 563hp.
The Black Badge variant, which followed in 2017, was slightly more powerful than the standard trim, with an output of 593hp.
Ceasing Dawn production marks “the end of a glorious, glamorous era,” according to an official statement.
It means there’s no convertible alternative to the Dawn in Rolls-Royce’s current line-up, though.
Although the brand remains tight-lipped about future plans, nobody expects them to stay without a convertible offering for long.
It may sound obvious, but a drophead variant of the fully electric Spectre could well follow in the future.
From the Phantom Drophead Coupe to the Dawn, Rolls-Royce has a knack for making the most refined convertibles in the business.
Watch this space.
