Photo: Rolls-Royce
One of the most prestigious and recognizable hood ornaments is, without a doubt, the Spirit of Ecstasy on a Rolls-Royce. Also known as the Flying Lady, the figurine is now 111 years old and, to mark the occasion, Rolls-Royce has given her a complete redesign.
Throughout the marque’s history, the hood ornament has seen several iterations and modifications, it’s true, but none as significant as this one, Rolls-Royce says in a statement. Marking the 111th year since the Spirit of Ecstasy was officially registered as intellectual property of Rolls-Royce, the company has given a figurine a redesign that will make her the most aerodynamic yet and, as such, a perfect fit for the most aerodynamic Rolls-Royce to come, the all-electric Spectre.
To the untrained eye, the redesigned Flying Lady could look the same. To the Rolls-Royce connaisseur, her stance is different: it’s lower and more aerodynamic, with the robes flying behind her in a slipstream given a more realistic look. The figurine is now “braced for speed,” with one leg in front of the other and bent lower at the waist, which translates into a shorter silhouette, and her eyes “focused eagerly ahead.”
Rolls-Royce say that the changes bring the Spirit of Ecstasy closer to how original creator, illustrator and sculptor Charles Sykes imagined her. They also turn her into a perfect match for the upcoming, all-electric, aerodynamic Spectre, with a drag coefficient of just 0.26 in early prototypes, according to wind tunnel tests.
“The Spirit of Ecstasy is the most famous and desirable automotive mascot in the world,” Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, says in a statement. “Like our brand, she has always moved with the times while staying true to her nature and character. In her new form she is more streamlined and graceful than ever before – the perfect emblem for the most aerodynamic Rolls-Royce ever created, and for gracing the prow of our bold electric future.”
The redesign of the Spirit of Ecstasy represents the culmination of 830 combined hours of design and testing. The new figurine will appear on the 2023 Spectre and all future models, while the Phantom, Ghost, Wraith, Dawn, and Cullinan will continue to use the current model.
To the untrained eye, the redesigned Flying Lady could look the same. To the Rolls-Royce connaisseur, her stance is different: it’s lower and more aerodynamic, with the robes flying behind her in a slipstream given a more realistic look. The figurine is now “braced for speed,” with one leg in front of the other and bent lower at the waist, which translates into a shorter silhouette, and her eyes “focused eagerly ahead.”
Rolls-Royce say that the changes bring the Spirit of Ecstasy closer to how original creator, illustrator and sculptor Charles Sykes imagined her. They also turn her into a perfect match for the upcoming, all-electric, aerodynamic Spectre, with a drag coefficient of just 0.26 in early prototypes, according to wind tunnel tests.
“The Spirit of Ecstasy is the most famous and desirable automotive mascot in the world,” Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, says in a statement. “Like our brand, she has always moved with the times while staying true to her nature and character. In her new form she is more streamlined and graceful than ever before – the perfect emblem for the most aerodynamic Rolls-Royce ever created, and for gracing the prow of our bold electric future.”
The redesign of the Spirit of Ecstasy represents the culmination of 830 combined hours of design and testing. The new figurine will appear on the 2023 Spectre and all future models, while the Phantom, Ghost, Wraith, Dawn, and Cullinan will continue to use the current model.
Google News