2018 Rolls-Royce Dawn Review

Name: 2018 Rolls-Royce Dawn Review
Brand: Rolls-Royce
Price: 133963 USD

Price Estimate: $133,963 - $170,423

Rolls-Royce Dawn Base Convertible Exterior Exterior

Read full review See all features & specs

Price & Payment

31 cars

$248,314 avg. price

Min$

Max$

See listings

Appraise This Car

For sale nearby

31 listings

Sort by:

See all for sale

Rolls-Royce Dawn model years

Rolls-Royce Dawn for Sale

Edmunds' Expert Review

byCalvin Kim^{Vehicle Test Engineer
Calvin Kim is an automotive journalist at Edmunds.}

Pros

Exceptionally smooth and quiet
Adults can fit in the back seat
Seemingly infinite customization possibilities

Cons

So many options, you'll have to speak with a specialist to build one
Navigation display not a touchscreen
The build you laboriously worked on might not match next season's fashion

What's new

Dawn Aero Cowling replaces the rear seats with carbon-fiber and leather tonneau covers
Dawn Black Badge adds more power and replaces colors with gloss black
Part of the first Dawn generation introduced for 2016

If you think the 2018 Rolls-Royce Dawn is merely a convertible version of the Rolls-Royce Wraith, you'd only be partially correct. Rolls-Royce says the two share only about 20% of their parts. And though they share similar twin-turbo V12 powertrains, the Wraith produces 624 horsepower, while the Dawn puts out 563 hp. After all, you wouldn't want to mess up your hair in the Dawn.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2018 Rolls-Royce Dawn 2dr Convertible (6.6L 12cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.77 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

$321/mo

$187/mo

Avg. Large Car

Calculate my fuel costs

The most important aspect of the Dawn, and what differentiates it from its competitors, is its ability to remove you from reality. While other cars shove technology in your face, with blinking lights and beeping noises, the Dawn brings you back into the old world. It has analog gauges and knobs for climate control functions, and all the latest technology is carefully hidden behind a layer of veneered wood and leather.

A new Aero Cowling variant transforms the Dawn into the largest two-seat roadster available, while a Black Badge version swaths the exterior and interior with gloss-black trim and ups the power to 593 hp. Even the Spirit of Ecstasy, Rolls-Royce's trademark hood ornament, is adorned in gloss black. But that doesn't mean you're locked into any particular specification. Rolls-Royce's craftspeople can put your Dawn together in virtually any color or material you'd like.

Are there others that compare to the Dawn with respect to customization and performance? Certainly, the new Bentley Continental GT convertible is more affordable and possibly better-handling on a mountain road. But once you're in the driver's seat of the Dawn, none of that will matter. You'll only revel in the purr from the V12 and the confidence in the knowledge that you're driving the absolute top of the luxury food chain.

Edmunds' Expert Rating

Trim tested

Edmunds has not yet driven any version of this vehicle. The following is our first take on what's significant about it and what you can expect.

Driving

Rolls-Royce prides itself on creating the smoothest driving experience, and we have no reason to doubt the Dawn will be any different. Don't think of it as a sports car but rather an incredibly smooth and comfortable cruiser.

Comfort

Aside from simply being a Rolls-Royce, the Dawn's chief selling point is as a convertible four-seater. Rolls-Royce made sure that four adults could fit in complete comfort, and that the top opens and closes in complete silence.

Interior

With about as much leather and wood as a luxury steamship, the Dawn's interior is inviting, warm and comfortable. It's not a jet plane cockpit-like experience, but more like a tearoom or a cigar lounge. The large reverse-hinged doors make entry and exit an event.

Utility

The trunk space is deep and perfect for a couple's luggage. But unless you travel with light packers, fitting four people's worth of stuff might be tough. You won't have to worry about bringing an umbrella — it's included. The silk-lined door pockets are perfect for holding delicate items.

Technology

Though you can't touch the screen on the Dawn, the touch surface on top of the Spirit of Ecstasy Rotary Controller features handwriting recognition. Otherwise, luxury-car staples such as night vision and adaptive cruise control are standard.

2018 Rolls-Royce Dawn models

The 2018 Rolls-Royce Dawn comes in one mechanical specification, which is a two-door four-seater powered by a turbocharged 6.6-liter V12 engine (563 horsepower and 575 lb-ft of torque or 593 hp and 620 lb-ft of torque for Black Badge models) driving the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. But the owner gets to pick how the rest of the car is built. Thankfully Rolls-Royce made sure the Dawn includes all the technology and customization options that luxury-car owners expect.

Such options include a 16-speaker Bespoke Audio system, a 10.3-inch navigation display based on BMW's familiar iDrive system, and adaptive cruise control. This system was chosen specifically for its ability to provide a button-free aesthetic thanks to voice command and a multitouch compatible pad atop the Spirit of Ecstasy Rotary Controller (yes, that's what it's called) that recognizes touch and handwriting inputs. The Dawn lacks touchscreen capability due to the obvious unwanted side effect of fingerprints on the screen. All the better, so you can have more square footage of natural or lacquered-finish wood paneling.

Adaptive LED headlights illuminate the way, and radar cruise control aims to take the edge off of bumper-to-bumper seaside traffic. When you get out on the open road, a clever GPS-based system can fine-tune the engine and transmission for ultimate smoothness by knowing the grade and radius of the road ahead. Finally, the doors hinge from the back, and, as is typical with Rolls-Royce, an umbrella is stored in the forward doorjamb in its own vented compartment.

Black Badge models feature more power and a complete entrapment of gloss-black materials. Even the Spirit of Ecstasy, Rolls-Royce's famous power-retractable hood ornament, is gloss black as well. The Dawn Aero Cowling version eschews the rear seats in favor of leather-wrapped carbon-fiber tonneau covers that double as storage compartments.

See Edmunds pricing data

Has Your Car's Value Changed?

Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.

See pricing history

Consumer reviews

There are no consumer reviews for the Used 2018 Rolls-Royce Dawn.

Be the first to write a review

2018 Dawn Highlights

Trim:

Base

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$353,000
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	14 MPG
Cost to Drive	$321/month
Seating	4 seats
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / unlimited miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Our experts like the Dawn models:

Adaptive LED Headlights: Motorized reflectors keep the headlight beam pointing in the direction of travel, increasing nighttime visibility.
Rollover Protection System: Should the Dawn roll over, a concealed roll bar, combined with a single-piece windshield frame, deploys to protect occupants.
Satellite-Aided Transmission: GPS works with the transmission, letting it shift early or hold a gear, depending on driver behavior, for a curve or hill ahead.

2018 Rolls-Royce Dawn Review

Price & Payment

For sale nearby

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary

Edmunds' Expert Review

Pros

Cons

What's new

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2018 Rolls-Royce Dawn 2dr Convertible (6.6L 12cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.77 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.

Edmunds' Expert Rating

Trim tested

Driving

Comfort

Interior

Utility

Technology

Which Dawn does Edmunds recommend?

2018 Rolls-Royce Dawn models

2018 Dawn Highlights

Safety

Related Used 2018 Rolls-Royce Dawn info

Vehicle reviews of used models

Shop similar models

Shop used vehicles in your area

Popular new car reviews and ratings

Research other models of Rolls-Royce

Research similar vehicles

Other models

Join Edmunds

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2018 Rolls-Royce Dawn 2dr Convertible (6.6L 12cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.77 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.}