British luxury car firm Rolls-Royce has redesigned its iconic ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ figurine to fly at the prow of its first ever battery-powered model, the 2023 Spectre limousine.
Bosses say the iconic brand’s debut EV is currently undergoing testing around the globe ahead of being ‘launched under a light disguise’ in September.
It will be the most aerodynamic Rolls-Royce ever and has merited an even more streamlined and dynamically graceful Flying Lady.
The timing of the announcement was made to commemorate the 111th anniversary of the date on which the original Spirit of Ecstasy figurine – with her rather racy origins that draw on an illicit love affair between an aristocrat and an artist’s muse – was officially registered as the intellectual property of Rolls-Royce.
The new zero-emissions Spectre will be on sale by the end of next year and the entire Rolls-Royce range will be battery powered by 2030, said the firm – owned by BMW – with its boutique factory headquarters at Goodwood in West Sussex.
A new spirit: This is the redesigned Spirit of Ecstasy emblem that will grace its cars as the iconic British marque moves into the world of electric vehicles in 2023
The figurine will debut on the forthcoming Spectre EV, which is currently undergoing testing around the globe ahead of being ‘launched under a light disguise’ in September
Rolls-Royce said it had ‘reimagined’ its iconic figurine ‘to grace the bonnet of its new all-electric motor car, Spectre, 111 years to the day the Spirit of Ecstasy was first registered as intellectual property of Rolls-Royce on 6 February 1911’.
It explained that the figurine has been remodelled with ‘a lower, more dynamic stance’ that brings her much closer to the drawings made by her original creator, the illustrator and sculptor Charles Sykes who used Eleanor Thornton as his ‘muse’, in the early years of the 20th century.
The new Spirit of Ecstasy stands 82.73mm tall, compared to her predecessor’s 100.01mm.
The company said: ‘Her robes, which flow behind her in the slipstream – often but erroneously characterised as ‘wings’ – have been subtly reshaped to make them more aerodynamic and realistic.’
Rolls-Royce said it had ‘reimagined’ its iconic figurine ‘to grace the bonnet of its new all-electric motor car, Spectre, 111 years to the day the Spirit of Ecstasy was first registered as intellectual property of Rolls-Royce on 6 February 1911’
The Spectre, which was previewed late last year, will be the most aerodynamic Rolls-Royce ever and has merited an even more streamlined and dynamically graceful Flying Lady
The new Spirit of Ecstasy stands 82.73mm tall, compared to her predecessor’s 100.01mm. The figurine has been remodelled with ‘a lower, more dynamic stance’ that brings her much closer to the drawings made by her original creator
Rolls-Royce says: ‘Her robes, which flow behind her in the slipstream – often but erroneously characterised as ‘wings’ – have been subtly reshaped to make them more aerodynamic and realistic’
But the most visible change is her stance, it said: ‘Previously, she has stood with her feet together, legs straight and tilting at the waist. Now, she is a true goddess of speed, braced for the wind, one leg forward, body tucked low, her eyes focused eagerly ahead.’
Rolls-Royce said the changes provided both practical and stylistic benefits by contributing to the new all-electric Spectre’s ‘remarkable aerodynamic properties’.
Early Spectre prototypes have a drag coefficient of just 0.26, which will make it the ‘most aerodynamic Rolls-Royce ever created’, said the company.
Rolls-Royce said: ‘This new expression captures the essence of Charles Sykes’ original drawings, but rather than simply being ‘redrawn’ or ‘redesigned’, her new shape has been digitally sculpted by a computer modeller, working at the home of Rolls-Royce, who has a passion for life drawing and sculpture.
It explained: ‘Their experience in this field was invaluable in developing the figurine’s elegant lifelike facial features as well as her expression, which deftly combines focus and serenity.’
The designers also consulted stylists at Goodwood for their perspective on her hair, clothes, posture, and expression to add ‘an authentically contemporary aura to her dynamism and commanding presence’.
All Spirit of Ecstasy figurines are made by specialists in Southampton using a traditional technique called ‘lost wax casting’ or ‘cire-perdue’. Each is then finished individually by hand, so will be minutely different from all others.
Rolls-Royce said: ‘As well as continuing a long Rolls-Royce tradition – until 1939, the mascots were made and polished by Charles Sykes himself – this subtle, ephemeral human element creates an intriguing contrast to the precise, highly engineered motor car she sits atop.’
Spirit of Ecstasy hasn’t always been fitted to every Roller
The Spirit of Ecstasy was introduced in 1920 and sold as an optional ectra until 1939
In 1920, Rolls-Royce entered the Spirit of Ecstasy in a competition in Paris to find the world’s best motor car mascot. She won, of course, and Sykes received a gold medal.
It was sold as an ‘optional extra’ for all Rolls-Royce cars until 1939 – gracing only about 40 per cent of the 20,000 or so cars delivered during this period, though many were later retrofitted with the bonnet figure.
Today, it’s a factory fitting, with the latest models – such as the brand’s Phantom – having a safety feature that makes the graceful lady disappear into a hidden compartment when cars are not in use.
And this reimagined sculpture it’s not the first redesign as the Spirit has been ‘subtly reshaped’ through its history.
In her original 1911 form, she was a statuesque 6 7/8 inches (18cm) in her bare feet; by the 1960s, she had passed through eight iterations and stood a more petite 4 5/16 inches tall (11cm).
The distance from her nose to the tip of her outstretched robes had also shrunk proportionally, from five inches to three.
There have also been subtle variations in her base shape, stance and precise inclination of her ‘wings’ over the decades.
From 1934 until 1959 owners had the option of a kneeling figure.
In the 1970s, some countries tried to ban the mascot on safety grounds. In Switzerland clients weren’t allowed to display her at all and received their cars with it languishing in the glove compartment.
Rolls-Royce’s solution was to mount the mascot on a spring-loaded base, allowing her to sink into the radiator out of harm’s way: ‘ This retraction mechanism has evolved into a smooth, graceful movement known as ‘the rise’ and is a standard feature on every Rolls-Royce motor car hand-built at Goodwood.’
Only around 40% of Rolls-Royces produced between 1920 and 1930 – approx 20,000 cars – featured the flying emblem. However, many were later retrofitted with the bonnet figure
There have also been subtle variations in the Spirit of Ecstasy’s base shape, stance and precise inclination of her ‘wings’ over the decades
Rolls-Royce said the new version created for Spectre will appear ‘on all future models though current design will continue to be used on Phantom, Ghost, Wraith, Dawn and Cullinan and their Black Badge variants where applicable.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars chief executive Torsten Müller-Ötvös said: ‘The Spirit of Ecstasy is the most famous and desirable automotive mascot in the world.
‘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.’