Rolls-Royce Dawn review

All-new Rolls-Royce’s don’t come along very often, so the Dawn is a very big deal. According to designer Giles Taylor, the objective of the open-top Wraith was to make its occupants look like rock stars. It’s named after the ultra-rare 1950s Silver Dawn and fills a newly emerging gap in Rolls’ portfolio: the Phantom Drophead Coupe is winding down and won’t be replaced until 2018. The Dawn thus leads the charge for a younger, more dynamic clientele.

It’s more than just a Wraith soft-top too. 80 per cent of the body panels are unique and even the tyres are bespoke. It’s not for shrinking violets and is a jaw-dropping thing to behold in the flesh: needless to say, the quarter-million pound price tag is just the starting point.