Rolls-Royce has sent the Spirit of Ecstasy emblem to training camp.
The sculpture has been made more aerodynamic, as Rolls prepares to reveal its first electric car in the form of the Spectre. This being Rolls-Royce, there is a story behind the revamp.
“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, in the early years of the 20th century,” the company says in its press release.
Most people shrink as they age, and the 111-year-old Spirit of Ecstasy is no different. The new emblem is just shy of 83mm tall, 17mm shorter than the previous design, while the robes billowing behind her are now “more aerodynamic and realistic”.
Rather than try to paraphrase, we’ll let Rolls-Royce take over from here.
“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,” it says.
Why put so much time (and so many words) into redesigning an emblem? Because bad aerodynamics are the enemy of good electric vehicle range, and Rolls-Royce will this year release its first production electric car.
The Spectre will have a drag coefficient of 0.26, a figure the company says is its best-ever. The lowest-drag production car is the Mercedes-Benz EQS, with a claimed drag coefficient of just 0.20.
The electric-Spectre won’t float into showrooms until 2023 at the earliest, but the company is already taking deposits.
Rolls-Royce wouldn’t be drawn into how many it’s taken, either in terms of the number of deposits or their monetary value, as it traditionally doesn’t like to talk sales figures.
However, regional sales manager Ian Grant said there’s been a “pleasing” number.
Interest in the company’s first electric vehicle has been spread around the country, and includes prospective buyers both new to the brand and existing Rolls-Royce clientele.
The Spectre will launch in the fourth quarter of 2023, and Rolls-Royce says it’s doing its “level best” to get them in Australia at this time too.
The company will offer a smart charging box to buyers, as well as consultative services via local suppliers to ensure customers have the correct charging set-up in their homes.
Rolls-Royce is far from alone in redesigning one of its emblems; brands often rework their badges or logos.
Badge Histories: French brands – Korean brands – American brands (part 1, part 2) – British brands (part 1, part 2) – German brands – Japanese brands – Italian brands (part 1, part 2)
Keyword: Rolls-Royce preparing for EV era with aero-inspired emblem