A new Dawn

IT may not be the fastest or the biggest Rolls-Royce but it is the most special model the ultra-luxury marque says it has ever made. The iconic British manufacturer arguably makes very exclusive cars but even the new Rolls-Royce Dawn convertible is unusual for its unique combination of design, dynamism and useability. The Dawn name was first seen on a rare Rolls-Royce drophead built from 1950-1954. The 2016 version is of course very different but looks surprisingly "light" and almost compact for a contemporary Rolls-Royce.

It has well-balanced proportions and uncharacteristically for a convertible, a sensuous profile when the roof is up, with a high shoulder line and shallow glass area. French seams and six layers of fabric for the hood insulate against traffic noise for almost the same hushness as a Wraith coupe, on whose basic platform it is based, and which itself is a shortened version of the Ghost limousine.

Like the Wraith, the Dawn has the same 3,112 mm wheelbase. But 80 per cent of its body panels are new, with wider hips, curvaceous flanks and a tapered tail.