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The Spirit of Ecstasy embodies beauty, style and luxury
It is probably one of the world's most well-known automotive brand symbols, the Spirit of Ecstasy from Rolls-Royce. It embodies the beauty, luxury, style and sophistication of the British automotive brand. Rolls-Royce celebrates its 110th anniversary and with it the history of the Spirit of Ecstasy.
History of the Spirit of Ecstasy
It was conceived by Charles Sykes, an illustrator for The Car magazine in 1909. He was commissioned to do this by British automobile pioneer Lord Montagu von Beaulieu. He wanted to have a kind of bronze statue placed on the hood of his Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost.
The Whisper Eleanor Thornton
Sykes was not only an illustrator but also a sculptor. He made a bronze statue of a young woman in flowing robes. He called her "Whispers". It is said that Eleanor Thornton was his muse for the Whisperer. The story of the Spirit of Ecstasy was born.
[dropcap size=big]1911[/dropcap]More and more owners also wanted to see their own icon placed on their hood. They commissioned their own, more or less creative ideas. Much to the displeasure of then Rolls-Royce CEO Claude Johnson. In 1911 he commissioned Charles Sykes to design an official mascot for Rolls-Royce. Sykes improves on his Whisper model and thus the mystical figure of the "Spirit of Ecstasy', the 'Spirit of Rapture'.
Spirit of Ecstasy
Then, on February 6, 1911, the design of the statue was registered as the intellectual property of Rolls-Royce. It became the defining feature of the luxury car brand from Great Britain. Originally the Spirit of Ecstasy was 18 cm high. Today it still measures a full 9,5 cm in height.
Sykes manufactured his statues in-house until 1939. He was actively supported by his daughter Josephine.
Making the Spirit of Ecstasy
Until 1999, the Ecstasy figures were produced using the so-called lost wax process. A process that is over 5.000 years old. When the Phantom was introduced in 2003, the BMW Group then switched to the more modern investment casting process.
Even the manufacturing process seems to be an ecstasy in itself. Each figure is created from a mold filled with 1.600°C molten stainless steel. Once the steel has cooled, the figure is removed from the mold. After a special blasting and cleaning process, the casting is shot at with millions of stainless steel balls with a diameter of only 0,04 mm. They polish the surface of the statue.
After a final mirror polish and further refinement processes, the Spirit of Ecstasy then finally its place on the legendary Rolls-Royce radiator grille.