2009 Rolls Royce Phantom 2dr Coupe on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Rolls-Royce's next bespoke project is a Dawn-based two-seater roadster

After the Sweptail, a customer-commissioned one-off coupe unveiled in 2017 and priced at $13 million, Rolls-Royce is transforming the Dawn into a two-seater roadster inspired by some of the opulent cars it made during the 1920s. The BMW-owned company released a quartet of early design sketches to preview the model. It's visibly based on the Dawn, which is a topless evolution of the Wraith, but it gains a tonneau cover that Rolls-Royce refers to as an Aero Cowling. Dark trim on both ends and a model-specific shade of silver add a finishing touch to the look. Although the interior images reveal little, Rolls-Royce noted every Silver Bullet will feature an open-pore carbon fiber insert and a quilted transmission tunnel whose design is inspired by leather jackets. All told, the company promised its next limited-edition car will "meld the nostalgia of the past with the sophisticated innovation of the future." Needless to say the Silver Bullet will be made almost entirely by hand in Goodwood, England. The firm made no mention of mechanical modifications. Power will likely come from the Dawn's 6.6-liter V12, which is twin-turbocharged to 563 horsepower and 605 pound-feet of torque in its standard configuration. We expect the Silver Bullet will benefit from the 593-horsepower, 620-pound-feet evolution of the V12 found in the Black Badge model, because the extra power would suit the model's touring pretensions rather well. Just 50 units of the Dawn Silver Bullet will be available worldwide. Pricing hasn't been announced yet, but keep in mind the standard model carries a base price of approximately $350,000. The company will encourage owners not to stash their roadster in a heated garage as an investment by organizing road trips they can participate in. Related Video:    

2016 Rolls-Royce Dawn debuts [w/video]

"It expresses this notion of opening up and the light coming in." Rolls-Royce officials said this of the new Dawn convertible during a private showing in Beverly Hills back in May. It was quite a coincidence, then, that the Friday I saw the Dawn in person was the first clear day in southern California after a stretch of unseasonable rain and clouds. I already told you many details about Rolls-Royce's new convertible Drophead, but now, ahead of its official debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next week, we have the official release. And while the Dawn shares its underpinnings with the Ghost sedan and Wraith coupe, Rolls sees this new model as different enough to warrant a separate name. "It speaks of fabulous places and beautiful people." "Given its character, [the Dawn] deserved a name that was not ethereal," Rolls-Royce said. "It speaks of fabulous places and beautiful people. It's a lot sexier [than the Phantom]." And while the design seems like a convertible Wraith at a glance, nearly 80 percent of the Dawn's body panels are new. The doors carry over, but the chin is pulled forward by 2.1 inches compared to the Wraith and the grille is recessed by 1.7 inches. The beltline arches up around the back of the cabin, "how you turn a collar up on a jacket," according to one designer. The Dawn is a very pretty car, and the effect of the dark blue exterior contrasting with and orange interior stunning in person, if muted in the photos. The six-layer canvas top retracts in a silent operation, stowing neatly behind the open-pore wood deck just aft of the rear seats. In yet another breathless passage, Rolls says passengers should not be "inconvenienced by noise." With the top up, the profile of the Dawn is more three-box hot rod than the fastback look of the Wraith. A choice of 20- or 21-inch polished or painted wheels round out the exterior. Inside, Dawn is fitted with the same luxurious appointments and technology as Wraith and Ghost, with seating for four. Accessing the rear seats is easy, and there's ample legroom for tall passengers – I watched several six-foot-plus journalists nestle themselves back there without issue. That said, on planet Rolls-Royce the Dawn is not a 2+2. "In the world of Rolls-Royce, day-to-day mathematical norms don't always apply. That's why I say in the case of the new Rolls-Royce Dawn, 2+2 does not equal 4." But it holds four people. So, yeah. Rolls-Royce says the Dawn is its "most versatile canvas" yet.

Time to catch up with Jay Leno's Garage, including his Lamborghini Espada restoration

If you're already jealous of the time, effort and money that Jay Leno can devote to his massive car collection, prepare to get a little greener with envy with this latest video from Jay Leno's Garage. Instead of the usual format of discussing a model for about ten minutes and then taking it out for a test drive, this week Leno gives viewers on a tour of over a dozen projects concurrently happening in his stable. The breadth of the vehicles shown and the things being done to them run the entire span of the automotive hobby. At the same time, Jay's shop is working on just a simple restoration of his 1969 Lamborghini Espada (pictured), and at the other side of the building, the team is rebuilding a wood-bodied 1914 Detroit Electric from scratch. He eventually plans to slot a more modern electric drivetrain into it. If bikes are more your interest, there's a freshly completed Brough Superior just waiting for a ride, and if American models are your thing, a Ford Bronco is getting a Coyote V8 installed into it. You have some very specific tastes if you can't watch this clip and start wishing at least one of these vehicles could be in your own garage. Other than the personal projects his mechanics are working on in the shop, Jay gets to have them all, plus plenty more.