Celebrate the winged emblem on the front of any Rolls Royce
What comes to mind when one thinks of the famous British ultra luxury carmaker, Rolls Royce? Perhaps one may think of the opulent interiors, or the roof option where it mimics the stars in the sky on the day the owner was born or any number of things, but one thing everyone immediately associates with the brand is the Spirit of Ecstasy.
What is the Spirit of Ecstasy? No, it has nothing to do with the drug, it is the official mascot of the Rolls Royce brand and as of 6 February 2023, the brand celebrated the anniversary of its mascot which was first registered as intellectual property of Rolls-Royce on 6 February 1911.
Moreover, ever since then, the Spirit of Ecstasy has been universally recognised, respected and admired. It is not hard to see why either, the Rolls Royce mascot is beaming with a poise and grace that makes her a global icon and has become synonymous with the Rolls Royce brand itself.
Throughout these 112 years, the Spirit of Ecstasy has changed with the passage of time. At various points in her long life she’s adopted different stances, sometimes stood slightly taller or shorter, and allowed the wind to sculpt her flowing garments in subtly altered forms but always stayed instantly recognisable.
The Spirit of Ecstasy celebrates her 112th anniversary in her most streamlined and aerodynamic form, having been specially recreated in 2022 for the British marque’s all-electric Spectre, which, in addition to being the brand’s first electric vehicle (EV), is also the most aerodynamic Rolls Royce ever.
On top of that, the Spirit of Ecstasy is also truly ageless. Today, she more closely resembles the original drawings made in 1911 by her creator, the illustrator and sculptor Charles Sykes, than she ever has. After being redesigned and changing slightly throughout the years, this is a refreshing update to her design.
The origins of the Spirit of Ecstasy are the stuff of legend and myth, but also intertwined with recorded facts. To this day, some details are still shrouded in mystery and intrigue. Her backstory involves many integral characters in the history of Rolls Royce, including the marque’s first managing director, Claude Johnson.
This celebration carries a lot of meaning as even though many don’t consider the Spirit of Ecstasy when thinking of a Rolls Royce car, to customers and fans of the brand around the world, she personifies ambition, achievement, excellence and success. She inspires greatness as having her on your car means you have made it.
So are you guys excited that the Spirit of Ecstasy is now more similar to what it originally was on a Rolls Royce or did you prefer one of the iterations between 1911 and today?
