It took Rolls-Royce a mind-blowing amount of time to design the new Spirit of Ecstasy

Rolls-Royce is known for its painstaking attention to detail in each of its cars, and—of course—that extends to the iconic ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ figurine that graces the hood of every car it produces.

The Spirit of Ecstasy is prominent on the front of every Rolls-Royce car as a mark of quality and one of the most recognized brand features in the motoring universe.

So, it won’t surprise you to learn that they put the time and effort into making each one just right – as they do with everything else.

However, the total amount of time might come as a bit of a shock.

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The story behind the iconic Spirit of Ecstasy

Much like the iconic Ferrari ‘Prancing Horse’, there is a story behind the Rolls emblem.

The Spirit of Ecstasy was originally created by artist and sculptor, Charles Sykes, near the beginning of the 20^th century, who was commissioned by Lord Montagu of Beaulieu to create a mascot for the front of his Rolls-Royce.

He created something that became known as ‘The Whisper’ featuring a woman in flowing robes with a finger over her lips.

After that, Sykes was then commissioned by Rolls-Royce to create a mascot for the company, which was much closer to the sculpture that we know today.

Initially, it was called the ‘Spirit of Speed’ but was later renamed.

The model is also sometimes known as the ‘Flying Lady,’ the ‘Silver Lady,’ or simply Eleanor, as it is believed to have been modeled on Eleanor Thornton, lover of Lord Montagu.

Updating a classic for the modern era

Back in 2022, the world’s most iconic hood ornament got a bit of an upgrade as Rolls recreated the figure for the company’s ‘all-electric future’ and the new Spectre.

To do so, they put some serious hours into the redesign.

According to the marque, ‘830 combined hours of design modeling and wind tunnel testing’ to be precise.

This redesign coincided with the 111^th anniversary of the original model and saw the Silver Lady given a ‘lower, more dynamic stance’ that brought her back towards the original design by Sykes.

There were other changes too.

Rolls-Royce wrote: “The most visible change is her stance.

“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.

“These changes have both practical and stylistic benefits, contributing to Spectre’s remarkable aerodynamic properties.”

They’re not the only brand to give their logo a bit of a spruce up, Lamborghini also recently followed suit.

Audi also gave their rear badges an edit as well, although some found that confusing.

Returning to the past to inspire the future

The company added: “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.”

Torsten Müller-Ötvös, the Chief Executive Officer of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said in a statement at the time: “The Spirit of Ecstasy is the most famous and desirable automotive mascot in the world.

“More than just a symbol, she is the embodiment of our brand, and a constant source of inspiration and pride for the marque and its clients.

“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.”

Now, she stands proud atop all of the great Rolls-Royce cars that cruise the roads of the world – including the brand new Phantom Scintilla, which is outstandingly beautiful.

It’s a testament to Rolls-Royce’s commitment to luxury and spending the time to make every single detail just right.

That’s really what sets them apart.