Poll: Buy a $400,000 House or a $400,000 Rolls-Royce Dawn?
After driving the 2016 Rolls-Royce Dawn, I asked myself, is a $400,000 Rolls-Royce really worth that kind of money? After all, it drove like most $100,000 luxury cars I’ve driven before. So why the extra change?
One answer—because Rolls-Royce customers can. According to Rolls-Royce, the “hip and fresh” Dawn convertible has a starting price, but doesn’t have an average, or even a ceiling, as it’s really up to the owner just how much equipment, custom paint, specialty leathers and other amenities they want to install in their land-yatchs. That being said, our press-car clocked in at right around $385,000 dollars.
From a distance the Dawn doesn’t really stand out all that much, specially in the anthracite exterior color, at least until you retract the stunningly-quiet soft-top and expose the mandarin leather interior which various cows had to pass to a better life for. Given the sumptuousness of the interior, I seem to be okay with that…
Push the engine start-button, and hear… crickets. The V12 engine under the hood is as powerful as it is quiet, but once you select drive via the steering column-mounted shifter, its mighty torque is noticeable right away. After all, it’s impossible to completely tame a 6.6 liter twin-turbo V12 engine, even if it is from Goodwood.
Once on the road, the nearly 6,000 pound machine is composed and very, very soft, but not disconnected-from-the-road soft, just soft, but I still remained in full control. Remaining in control is a good thing, specially when I had 563 horsepower at my disposal, and they were all eager to propel me to illegal speeds in a very silky smooth and linear way. In the end, I don’t think I exceeded 65 mph during my back road rural drive.
Instead of focusing on speed, I focused on enjoying the 13 speaker, 18 channel amplifier pumping “Whoop That A$$” at 1300W of Rolls-Royce Bespoke audio power. Oh, and in case you’re wondering, I did check out the door-inserted $1,300 dollar umbrella.
It seems that the old adage remains true, if you have to ask the price (or wonder if it’s worth it), then you most likely can’t afford it.
Chime in with your thoughts on the forum. >>
Photos via: [@DrivesWGirls]
