Rolls-Royce Dawn convertible unveiled

Rolls-Royce has unveiled the Dawn drophead (convertible). The car is expected to be the most affordable convertible in the company's line-up.

The Dawn is based on the Wraith coupe and Ghost sedan. It measures 5,285 mm in length, 1,947 mm in width and 1,502 mm in height. It has a wheelbase of 3,112 mm and an unladen weight of 2,560 kg.

The car maintains Rolls-Royce design principles - 2:1 wheel height to body height, a long bonnet, short front overhang, a long rear overhang, a tapering rear end and a high shoulder line. At the front, the grille is recessed by approximately 45 mm while the lower front bumper has been extended by 53 mm compared to the Wraith.

Rolls-Royce claims that the soft-top of the Dawn can be operated in 22 seconds when the car is moving at speeds of up to 50 kph. It has French Seam stitching that is said to reduce wind noise in the cabin when the roof is up.

The interior of the Dawn is upholstered in Mandarin leather with a liberal use of wood. The car has a 2+2 seating configuration. There is a rotary controller for the media and navigation functions and a 10.25-inch HD screen.

The Dawn is equipped with features such as adaptive LED headlights with anti-glare technology, head-up display, heat detection system, satellite aided transmission, rollover protection system and automatic cruise control among others.

Rolls-Royce claims that it has tuned the Dawn's suspension to deliver a luxurious ride. The car runs on 20-inch alloy wheels shod with run-flat tyres that can travel for a distance of 160 km at speeds of up to 80 kph even when deflated. Customers can opt for 21-inch wheels as well.

The Dawn is powered by a 6.6-litre, twin-turbocharged, V12 petrol engine mated to an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission. The engine develops 563 BHP @ 5,250 rpm and 780 Nm of torque @ 1,500 rpm. Rolls-Royce claims that the car can do a 0-100 kph sprint in 4.9 seconds and touch an electronically restricted top speed of 250 kph.