Wednesday 5th January 2011

Happy Hundredth Birthday, Spirit Of Ecstasy

Rolls-Royce celebrates the centenary of an iconic, er, icon...

---

Looks good for an old girl, doesn't she?

This year marks a century since Rolls-Royce first popped a certain flying lady atop the radiator cap of its cars.

To mark the centenary of the iconic Spirit of Ecstasy, every Ghost and Phantom produced at the Rolls-Royce factory in Goodwood will bear a Spirit of Ecstasy with the inscription 'Spirit of Ecstasy Centenary - 2011'. This will be etched into the base of each statuette.

Naturally, Rolls is also planning a veritable cornucopia of events for 2011 to mark the momentous year (dare we suggest they might be tempted to milk the anniversary a tad?).

First up on 6 February - the date when the Charles Sykes design for the Spirit of Ecstasy was first registered - is a Rolls-Royce parade through central London.

One hundred contemporary and historic Rolls-Royces will wend their way through the capital's streets, taking in key (Rolls-Royce based) landmarks along the way, such as Berkeley Square and Conduit Street, the current and original homes of Rolls-Royce in London.

So happy centenary, Ms Ecstasy. We hope you enjoy the inevitable year of publicity and general adulation, and may your next hundred years continue to be spent at the prow of the pinnacle of motoring luxury...

[mylesmcd]

I have one!!!



albiet mounted on a block of wood in my office.

[Riggers]

mylesmcd said:

I have one!!!



albiet mounted on a block of wood in my office.

Is it the first instalment of a Rolls-Royce partwork? Part one £9.99...part two (the car) £279,999...

[Ex Boy Racer]

The very best motoring symbol ever

[k-ink]

I've always disliked it to be honest. The Aston wings look far better. Still, happy birthday to the German's

[AndrewW-G]

Nice to see that the original Eleanor is still going strong and still as beautiful all these years later

[geoffracing]

k-ink said:

I've always disliked it to be honest. The Aston wings look far better. Still, happy birthday to the German's

Very good!
It is of course completely old fashioned. Imagine it on a Veyron!

The Aston wings are very elegant and not so "have you seen me?".
And as you more or less remind us, the Rolls is only a super BMW; although I prefer the design of almost any BMW to the Rolls: what a hideous heavy lump.
Perhaps it's because it looks like an ingot it is so expensive!

As for the Bentley, it's only a super VW (= people's car). The design is OK there.

[cathalm]

Jesus what a bunch of xenophobic little people. Get over it little Englanders.

Edited by cathalm on Wednesday 5th January 15:20

[Dangermouse78]

Happy birthday RR, im sure Sir Charles & Henry would be proud to know their cars hit the century

[PompeyM3]

The Rolls Royce is still the ultimate in luxury and just has so much more of a presence than a maybach in my opinion.

Like many on here I was lucky enough to do the factory tour on a recent PH Sunday Service.

[ess]

Riggers said:

mylesmcd said:

I have one!!!



albiet mounted on a block of wood in my office.

Is it the first instalment of a Rolls-Royce partwork? Part one £9.99...part two (the car) £279,999...

I doubt you could buy the old girl for £9.99

[sdmurray]

Happy birthday from my kneeling version.

[sdmurray]

Oh, and just to add that they definitely do not go for £9.99! More like £500 (depends on the version required).

[Riggers]

k-ink said:

I've always disliked it to be honest. The Aston wings look far better. Still, happy birthday to the German's

The German's what?

[M666 EVO]

[quote=cathalm]Jesus what a bunch of xenophobic little people. Get over it little Englanders.

Little people? That's just Heightist...

Englanders? That's just racist...

Rule Brittania.

[Zad]

Many happy returns to the Spirit!

The modern ones always seem to be rather coarsely detailed and lacking something. Whereas those made up to the 1950s or so always seem to have that extra grace.

I'm not a collector, but if I had decent money, I would collect Lalique bonnet ornaments.

[anonymous-user]

I'll polish both of mine later today in respect

[carreraplanes]

Beautiful art deco icon that IMO never dates. Still perceived by peoples around the world as the premier brand. So rather than milk it for all its worth what do we do - sell it abroad and let someone else take the profit.

Cruel Britannia!!! British Captains of industry all jumped ship years ago. Ever wondered why the German economy is leaving the rest of Europe trailing in its wake?

The fact that it was the Germans who bought RR just rubs salt into the wound. Hopefully not biased, I drive German cars, and Classic British ones for that matter. British Icon should stand atop a British car IMO just as a Korean owned Porsche would be unthinkable. Whatever next an Indian Jag **!**?

[geoffracing]

Riggers said:

k-ink said:

I've always disliked it to be honest. The Aston wings look far better. Still, happy birthday to the German's

The German's what?

Don't you know RR belongs to BMW and Bentley to VW ?
The Germans have won the war: those English cars are (I think) still made in England, but under German orders.

[k-ink]

Zad said:

The modern ones always seem to be rather coarsely detailed and lacking something.

Taste

[cathalm]

geoffracing said:

Riggers said:

k-ink said:

I've always disliked it to be honest. The Aston wings look far better. Still, happy birthday to the German's

The German's what?

Don't you know RR belongs to BMW and Bentley to VW ?
The Germans have won the war: those English cars are (I think) still made in England, but under German orders.

He is making a grammar joke.