The Spirit of Ecstasy Sculpture is a iconic bonnet mascot for Rolls-Royce cars, featuring a woman leaning forward with her arms outstretched. The mascot’s origins can be traced back to Eleanor Thornton, a maverick and visionary of the early motoring era. The mascot was inspired by a secret affair between a journalist, an artist, and a model.
Originally called “The Spirit of Speed”, the mascot became a symbol of the brand and won a gold medal in a 1920 Paris competition for the best car mascot in the world. The mascot has been a symbol of dreams, energy, grace, and beauty for over a century, and Rolls-Royce has recently revealed a redesigned version of its Spirit of Ecstasy hood mascot, named “The Whisper”. This small aluminum statuette of a young woman in fluttering robes with a forefinger to her lips represents the heights pursued by a unique and progressive group of friends.
The Spirit of Ecstasy symbolizes the pursuit of dreams, energy, grace, and beauty, and has been a part of Rolls-Royce’s legacy since 1904. The mascot has become a symbol of the pursuit of excellence and achievement, showcasing the company’s commitment to innovation and design.
📹 Rolls Royce Phantom Spirit of Ecstasy Flying Lady Mascot History Legends Carjam TV 2014
The “Spirit of Ecstasy”, also called “Emily”, “Silver Lady” or “Flying Lady”, was designed by “Charles Robinson Sykes” and carries …
Why is it called the spirit of ecstacy?
Rolls-Royce’s mascot, initially called ‘The Spirit of Speed’, was later redesigned to be ‘The Spirit of Ecstasy’, a symbol of road travel and the fresh air. The mascot was registered as intellectual property in 1911, but Sir Henry Royce and The Hon Charles Stewart Rolls never fully approved it. The Spirit of Ecstasy was an optional extra until 1939, only gracing about 40% of the 20, 000 cars delivered during this period.
In 1915, Eleanor Thornton and John Montagu were on a ship sailing through the Mediterranean when a torpedo struck the ship and sank. Montagu spent 38 hours adrift in a lifeboat, suffering from a broken shoulder and a damaged lung. Despite the loss, Eleanor continued to grace Rolls-Royces. The Spirit of Ecstasy was an iconic symbol of road travel and the joy of road travel.
What is the name of the Rolls-Royce doll?
The Spirit of Ecstasy Sculpture is a bonnet mascot of the Rolls-Royce cars. It is in the form of a woman leaning forwards with her arms outstretched behind and above her. Billowing cloth runs from her arms to her back, resembling wings.
The Whisper, precursor to the Spirit of Ecstasy. ( edit )
The first Rolls-Royce motorcars did not feature radiator mascots; they simply carried the Rolls-Royce emblem. When John, 2nd Baron Montagu commissioned his friend, sculptor Charles Robinson Sykes, who worked in London under the nobleman’s patronage, to sculpt a personal mascot for the bonnet of his 1909 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, Sykes chose Eleanor Velasco Thornton as his model. Sykes originally crafted a figurine of her in fluttering robes, having placed one forefinger against her lips – to symbolize the secret of the love affair between Thornton and Montagu. ( 1 ) The figurine was consequently named The Whisper and is on display at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu along with other Spirit of Ecstasy figurines.
What is Rolls-Royce front logo called?
Rolls-Royce’s Spirit of Ecstasy has evolved over time, changing from a statuesque 6 7/8 inches in 1911 to a more petite 4 5/16 inches tall by the 1960s. The distance from her nose to the tip of her robes has also shrunk proportionally. There have been subtle variations in her base shape, stance, and precise inclination of her wings over the decades. From 1934 until 1959, clients could choose a kneeling figure, which some considered better suited to the coachwork designs of the period.
What is the nickname of the Rolls-Royce logo?
Rolls-Royce motor cars have been adorned with the Spirit of Ecstasy mascot for over a century. Montagu, a renowned publisher, met Eleanor, a highly intelligent and beautiful woman, and offered her the position of Office Manager at his magazine. They had a passionate 13-year affair, which was both inevitable and clandestine.
In 1903, Eleanor became pregnant, and Montagu decided to adopt the baby at birth. Eleanor held the baby for a few seconds before handing it to Montagu, who instructed him not to mention the baby’s name. Montagu arranged for Joan to be raised by an ex-sergeant and his wife, and later a doctor and his wife.
The story begins with Eleanor and Sykes, who met through their work at The Car Illustrated. Eleanor had taken rooms at The Pheasantry, an artists’ colony in Chelsea, where she lived a secret double life: a demure, respectable assistant to Johnson at The Automobile Club by day and a sensuous exotic dancer and life-model by night. One of the artists she regularly posed for was Charles Sykes.
What is the Bentley mascot?
The falcon mascot serves as a symbol of the Falcons, a team that represents the dynamism and momentum of Bentley Athletics. It may be utilized independently or in conjunction with the athletics shield. The wordmark, “Athletics Wordmark,” is designed to encourage all members of the Falcon community to participate in the athletic program. The spirit of the Falcons is reflected in their athletic attire.
Why is Rolls Royce Ghost called Ghost?
The Silver Ghost, named for its quiet engine and “extraordinary stealthiness”, was produced by Rolls-Royce in Springfield, Massachusetts. Its quality is evident through nickel trim and the silver-plated hood ornament. The Springfield factory produced around 3, 000 vehicles before ceasing production in 1931, when the Rolls Royce was considered outdated and overpriced by American luxury car buyers.
What is the real name of the hood ornament?
A hood ornament, also known as a motor mascot or car mascot, is a crafted model that symbolizes a car company on the front center portion of the hood. It has been used as an adornment since the inception of automobiles. The first “hood ornament” was a sun-crested falcon mounted on the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun’s chariot. In the early years, automobiles had radiator caps outside the hood and on top of the grille, which served as an indicator of the engine’s coolant fluid temperature.
In 1912, the Boyce MotoMeter Company was issued a patent for a radiator cap with a thermometer that measured the heat of water vapor, which became useful for drivers as early engines did not have water pumps but a circulation system based on the “thermo-syphon” principle.
What are Rolls-Royce stars called?
The Starlight Headliner on the Celestial Phantom, designed to commemorate the unveiling of the first Phantom at Goodwood, is a unique creation that showcases the constellations as they were over Rolls-Royce’s home. Each constellation formation can be personally selected by the owner, requiring at least nine hours of meticulous attention from at least two craftspeople. The leather is perforated with 800 to 1, 600 holes, and fibre optic lights are woven through and set into the perforations.
Once the fibers are correctly positioned on the concealed side, they are expertly placed on the visible leather surface. Since its 2007 debut, the Starlight Headliner has expanded to 2, 117 individual lights across the entire length of the car’s roof.
Who is the Rolls-Royce girl?
Eleanor Thornton, a pioneer in the pursuit of personal liberty and freedom from conformity, was born in 1909 as an ornamental figurine by Charles Sykes. This figurine, now an exclusive addition to every Rolls-Royce motor car, symbolizes the pursuit of dreams, energy, grace, and beauty. The Spirit of Ecstasy, a symbol of dreams, energy, grace, and beauty, embodies the heights pursued by a unique and progressive group of friends.
The Spirit of Ecstasy’s aura is now free to imbue the dreams of those inspired by her legacy. Charles Rolls’ desire permeates his creations, and every statuette on a Rolls-Royce personifies Eleanor’s own tilts at freedom. When luxury affords the opportunity to enjoy this illusion, we are in the company of Eleanor’s spirit, leading now and forever, as she is a guiding light for the fearless and the star to set their course by.
What is the Rolls-Royce hood ornament called?
The Spirit of Ecstasy, a symbol initially crafted in 1909, serves as the hood ornament on every Rolls-Royce model, making its appearance only a few years later.
📹 Can You Steal The Spirit of Ecstasy?
Mark Powell, Sales Director for Rolls-Royce Tampa Bay demonstrates the latest anti-theft technology on every new Rolls-Royce.
So RR takes a great deal of pride in letting craftsmen handle material and items by hand. In fact I saw a documentary wherein they seemed almost apologetic that they use robots to paint their cars…. The Spirit of Ecstacy however, I feel, is one of those items they should just let machines handle. It’s stainless steel, not the bloody star of Africa.
If you are commited to stealing it, you could simply take a sheet of thick metal with a cutout on one side, like a U really.. the cutout being wide enough for the base of the Spirit of Ecstasy but the whole steel plate being wider than the whole opening.. so if the car would try to retract the Spirit of Ecstasy, it couldnt and would pull against a fat metal sheet the electric motor isnt stronger as.. Im not sure if the motor would just break because it keeps trying or if it would abort. But in the end, it is definitely possible to steal the Spirit of Ecstasy with enough commitment
Spoiler alert – it’s real purpose isn’t to prevent the theft of the hood ornament, it’s really there to keep it from injuring someone in case the driver were to run into them. A lot of cars back when hood ornaments were a thing had their hood ornaments on some bendy wire so they could bend back. Mine does that.
Actually speaking, the disappearing Eleanor was introduced in 1981 and available on all Rolls-Royces, but not Bentley . The story goes that an inspector doing a MOT on a RR complained about that if a RR hit a pedestrian, he/she would be impailled on Eleanor ? So, RR designed it for the Silver Spirit,Wraith, and Spur to disappear when ruffled.
Really nice feature, tho I believe it was actually designed to retract upon impact for pedestrian protection… Still. Very nice feature… Wonder if it can be wired to the battery to give thieves a nice shock so they learn not to touch… Wish I could have an emblem-taser on my Mercedes. I’ve had my hood ornament stolen once.
Yes, it just takes more brains that simply grabbing it. Unless you have a good grip. Seen people rip the mechanism right out because it’s only held in with 3 10mm bolts into thin sheet metal. Humans will always be able to bypass a defense. It’s notphysicslly.possibke to build or engineer a defense that a human cannot plan around and utilize the proper tools to supercede its capabilities. Thats because a built defensive structure can only provide what its maximum cability is, whereas a human can go beyond that with their ingenuity, and the building can’t build itself around the humans attempts to supercede its capabilities.
> Sales Director can’t Wikipedia…. “Today’s Spirit of Ecstasy, from the 2003 Phantom model onward, stands at 3 inches and, for safety, is mounted on a spring-loaded mechanism designed to retract instantly into the radiator shell if struck from any direction. There is a button within the vehicle which can raise/lower the emblem when pressed. She can be made from highly polished stainless steel, stainless with 24-carat gold plating, or from illuminated frosted crystal – the latter two being optional extras. Aftermarket customized versions are also available, including those covered in a matte black paint or studded in diamonds.”
A forked pry bar would make quick work of that, but I’m sure it helps in case of children accidentally breaking it off playing with it. That was a big problem in my neighbourhood back in the day with Chrysler hood ornaments attached with an elastic band. Then again, the automatic nature of the mechanism might entice children to play with it and wear it out, like many children can’t resist pressing buttons.
Okay seriously, how powerful is the mechanism that retracts that sculpture? Like, if some roughneck really set his mind on stealing it and tried grabbing it with both of his hands, would he be able to rip it off or would the car still be able to pull it down, ripping up his hands instead? I’d hate if the first is true, but I’d also kinda hate to be sued because he failed to deface my car.
What if the RR’s lid, which comes up when statue goes in, has a led screen that can glow through the body-coloured surface? And when that lid is forced up by someone touching the statue, then the screen would display a middle finger? And replacing that lid would come with the lifetime warranty by RR for whenever someone stabs that lid? There’s a comment in this comment section by T. T99, that suggested a displayed middle finger to whoever tries to steal the SoE, which inspired me to think of a modern solution for that idea 😀
The Spirit of Ecstasy is a sculpture originally comissioned by a very wealthy guy, who owned a Rolls Royce and put it on his car as a symbol of status. Rolls Royce had nothing to do with it originally. It was purely out of his personal interest that he visited the artist. Only after it gained popularity, lots of rich people wanted to do the same for their cars. So Rolls Royce adopted it until it becomes the standard we know today. The model used for the sculpture is the guy’s Mistress. A lady who worked in his company.
The standard adornment is crafted from stainless steel using the lost wax process, but World Car Fans tells us that buyers will soon have three more Spirit of Ecstasy ornaments to choose from. First is a translucent and illuminated polycarbonate version, as debuted on the electric-powered Rolls-Royce 101EX concept.
ive always thought about having a super nice car. and then i remember the fact that someone could easily just see it as pretentious and hit it with a brick while walking by like people do to shit cars. on top of that where are you going to park it? not in public thats for sure or bad shit will happen. you can only do this if you expect it not to be damaged at your home either. i don’t have a garage so i couldn’t have one. you have to be in a nice neighborhood so that your neighbors or thugs don’t fuck it up. and even then, if you have all that, you could get rear ending and it would set the other guys honda civic back a few hundred bucks and your car a few thousand or total it as they are fragile. i mean damn. get a nice car thats 50-100k and doesn’t put you in the open like that. and people won’t know unless they are looking. it narrows your options for travel. it’s also difficult to see the quality difference after 50k in cars.