The Spirit of Ecstasy of Spirit of Ecstasywhich is the name by which the winged woman facing the wind on the majestic grille of Rolls-Royce cars is known, is, along with the three-pointed star of Mercedes-Benz, one of the automotive ornaments, or mascots , most recognizable cars in automotive history.
It is also one of the oldest, having been officially adopted as the mascot for Rolls-Royce automobiles on February 6, 1911, after the English manufacturer commissioned sculptor Charles Robinson Sykes to create a figure that represented “the spirit of the Rolls-Royce: speed with silence, the absence of vibrations, the mysterious harnessing of great energy and a beautiful living organism of supreme grace.” Today 111 years later Rolls-Royce announced the modification of the Spirit of Ecstasy.
Fortunately, it is not a substantial modification and whoever sees it will not confuse it with anything other than the Spirit of Ecstasy. However this time Eleanor, as she is also known in honor of the model Eleanor Velasco Thornton who served as inspiration for Sykes, is shorter, leaning more forward as if braving the wind and not completely upright but crouched with the legs bent and one slightly in front of the other making it more streamlined than ever before. Rolls-Royce refers to the new figure as a “true goddess of speed”.
The new version of the Spirit of Ecstasy will debut in the brand’s first electric vehicle, the Rolls-Royce Specter which is expected to debut during 2023. The need to improve wind resistance in the trim focuses on the fact that in the Spectre, as in any other electric car, aerodynamics are of fundamental importance to maximize the use of available energy . Rolls-Royce has yet to officially show off the Specter EV but has said it will feature an extraordinarily low coefficient of drag of 0.26.
Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös said that “the Spirit of Ecstasy is the world’s most famous and desirable automotive mascot”, adding that “more than just a symbol, it is the embodiment of our brand and a constant source of inspiration and pride for the brand and its customers”. The executive also recalled, probably in anticipation of criticism from purists, that like the brand itself, the Spirit of Ecstasy “has always moved with the times while remaining true to its nature and character.”
In 1930, for example, Rolls-Royce commissioned an alternate version of the kneeling figure, to be used in a more sporty car, to prevent the figure from obstructing the driver’s vision. The kneeling Spirit of Ecstasy was used between 1934 and 1939.
The current Spirit of Ecstasy will continue to be the mascot of Rolls-Royce models equipped with internal combustion engines, while the new version will increase its presence as the historic English manufacturer, now owned by BMW, continues to incorporate electric models.
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