Rolls-Royce Has Given Its Spirit Of Ecstasy Mascot A Makeover
British luxury car maker Rolls-Royce has revealed a redesigned version of its Spirit of Ecstasy hood mascot.
The new figurine was revealed over the weekend, exactly 111 years since Rolls-Royce first registered the patent for its Spirit of Ecstasy, a sculpture of Eleanor Velasco by Charles Sykes. Remodelled with a lower, more dynamic stance, the new mascot will be debuted on the first electric Rolls-Royce, due at the end of 2023.
Called Spectre, that car will be the most aero-efficient Rolls-Royce ever, and the lower, sleeker hood mascot has been designed to play a role in lowering the car’s drag coefficient. The ornament stands at 82.73mm tall, compared to her predecessor’s 100.01mm. Her robes, which flow behind and are often mistaken for wings, have also been reshaped to make them more aerodynamic and lifelike.
The biggest difference is with her stance.Whereas before her feet were together, they are now apart and with one ahead of the other. Rolls-Royce describes her as “a true goddess of speed, braced for the wind, one leg forward, body tucked low, her eyes focused eagerly ahead.”
The hood ornaments are made using a casting technique known as ‘lost wax casting’ or ‘cire-perdue’, but as each figurine is finished by hand they will all be minutely different. The new ornament is to be used on all new Rolls-Royce cars going forward, while the current version will continue to be used on the Phantom, Ghost, Wraith, Dawn and Cullinan.
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, chief executive of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said of the new figurine: “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.”
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