5 things we learnt at the Rolls-Royce Summer Studio

The Rolls-Royce Summer Studio has returned to Porto Cervo this summer for the third consecutive year. We were invited along to drive the recently launched Dawn - the car as luxurious as your superyacht - and experience first-hand the new Dusk until Dawn project. Here’s what we learnt on our trip…

Location Is Everything

Could there be a more suitable location for one of the world’s top luxury brands, than superyacht hub and destination of the world's elite, Porto Cervo?

The Rolls-Royce Summer Studio resides within a private enclave tucked inside the highly secretive walls of the Promenade Du Port. Just a stone’s throw away from the marina and its surrounding fine-dining establishments, and a short drive from the stunning coastal roads of Costa Smeralda ­– there simply could not be a more appropriate venue for the studio-cum-exclusive social club.

Rolls-Royce made good use of the dramatic sunsets, romantic twilights and spectacular seascapes in Porto Cervo to unveil two bespoke models built to reflect the unique atmosphere of this Sardinian hotspot. “The stunning bespoke Wraith and emerald embellished Dawn, inspired by the sights and colours of Porto Cervo, have been commissioned in the spirit that so many of our customers delight in,” commented Isobel Dando, general manager of Future Retail at Rolls-Royce.

The Rolls-Royce Dawn is the brand’s first drop-top for eight years, and has been declared the most luxurious four-seater drophead going, and we would have to agree that this really is the ultimate car to be seen driving onshore this summer.

Designed to be supremely sociable, the backseat is no longer second best thanks to spacious leather seats, a top-of-the-range sound system, sleek wooden detailing and, most importantly, leg room aplenty.

Described by the marque as a ‘magic carpet ride’ due to its smoothness, quietness and all-round effortlessness – once in the Dawn's driving seat, this statement began to resonate. With music blaring, the sea shimmering beside us and a nifty sat-nav cleverly projecting direction onto the windscreen just below eyeline, nothing could stop us. Fun, comfortable, sociable and incredibly luxurious – the Dawn is an experience designed to be shared.

Need more convincing? Find out what all the fuss is about with our guide to the top cars to see at this year's Monaco Yacht Show.

After a morning driving the Dawn, with the sun on our shoulders and the sea breeze flowing through our hair, it was time to step out of the Mediterranean heat and into the more British-weather-friendly coupé, the Wraith.

The Wraith was by no means a compromise, not just because it has the most powerful Rolls-Royce engine ever created, but because it felt like being inside a super-luxurious bubble. Floating smoothly above the bumpy Sardinian roads, calmly curving around those notorious hairpin corners and gliding effortlessly past oncoming tourist buses whilst the air conditioning kept the coast's soaring temperatures at bay – it was an experience like no other.

Much like the world's largest and most luxurious superyachts, the Wraith’s finer details can only be enjoyed to their full extent once actually inside. Preferably while sat on one of the cooled leather seats enjoying the built-in massage machine and nestling your toes in the thick lambswool floor mats.

Rolls Royce’s lesser-known co-founder, Charles Rolls, tragically died at the young age of 32 – yet he fitted more into this short lifetime than most people do in their 70+ years.

An experienced pilot, knowledgeable engineer, motoring enthusiast and, of course, a savvy car salesman – Rolls knew how to make the most out of life and how to do it in style.

This year's Rolls-Royce Summer Studio is therefore dedicated to celebrating his lavish lifestyle. Practically, this means that visitors to the Summer Studio are able to indulge in the finest British wines and cuisine, lounge in the bespoke Fendi Casa lounge and consider an investment in impeccable made-to-measure tailoring, as well as admiring Rolls-Royce's magnificent machines.

Admittedly, the cars are the main event at the Studio, but superyacht fans need not be disappointed as Rolls-Royce has partnered with Edmiston & Company to create the Edmiston Yacht Zone. Attendees can marvel at the latest model from innovative German shipyard Blohm+Voss – the 80 metre semi-custom BV80, designed by London-based studio Eidsgaard Design. Feeling impulsive? Edmiston's brokers are on-hand to assist with sales and charters.