A New Dawn For Rolls-Royce
What do you get the man who has absolutely everything? Why a bespoke Rolls-Royce of course, what else? The very epitome of luxury, nothing tells the world more about your personality than a Rolls-Royce. Yet, the car maker extraordinaire has taken this personalisation a step even further with the brand new Rolls-Royce Dawn ‘The Kita’. Here the marque’s engineers worked with a world-renowned architect to inspire a car that truly reflected the philosophy behind one of the finest buildings he has yet created.
Kengo Kuma is the architect so on top of his game, he was entrusted with re-envisioning the venerated Japanese National Stadium for the Olympics we, hopefully, will finally be able to enjoy this year. Another of his recently completed projects is the Kita; a four-storey, 12-unit complex in Kitasando at the heart of Tokyo, overlooking the Meija Shrine and within a stone’s throw of Mr Kuma’s majestic new stadium. A residential complex of staggering beauty, it is also extraordinarily spacious and refined considering its location right in the middle of the largest city in the world, where elbow-room is always at an unbelievable premium.
This is where the marriage between Mr Kuma’s Kita and Rolls-Royce reaches its zenith, as both have one obvious goal that rises above all others; the luxurious comfort of their occupants. Kengo Kuma gave the Kita so much room and space because he wanted to create a luxurious calm mood and atmosphere and Rolls-Royce have had the Spirit of Ecstasy grace the prow of every model since 1911. So it made perfect sense for Mr Kuma to bring some of the seamless indoor/outdoor flow from the Kita into the Rolls-Royce Dawn. The result is a peaceful and intimate space for the driver to enjoy without losing stock of the world outside.
To help create this atmosphere is a customisation featuring a range of colours from the Kita with Selby Grey leather interior highlighted with Arctic White and black accents and seatbelts in Slate Gray. The front fascia also graduates horizontally from Piano Selby Grey to Piano Black, while the bespoke clock and umbrellas are colour-matched to the interior.
Externally, the Dawn is rendered in Silver Haze which, when illuminated by the sun, gives off a pleasing bronze sheen more than a little reminiscent of the Kita’s finish itself. The look is completed with a sleek silver hood and crisp-cut black coachline with a rear deck in Royal Walnut to reflect the rich walnut panelling in the lobby of the lofty penthouse Tea House atop the Kita complex. As a final signature, a stainless steel Kita logo inlay has been set into the front fascia of the Dawn.
In describing his experience during the project, Kengo Kuma said “This is the first time I have consulted on a project of this kind and I am proud that I was able to do so for Rolls-Royce, a company with which I share a respect for traditional craftsmanship and a desire to bring out the best in natural materials.” They have done each other proud.