Pedestrians are to blame. Why did Rolls-Royce and Jaguar decide to eliminate hood ornaments?

Today, only a few high-end car manufacturers still utilize magnificent hood ornaments, while most early vehicles were adorned with various figures and emblems. Unfortunately, over time, manufacturers had to abandon their use for several reasons, as noted by Popular Science.

Initially, over a century ago, hood decorations emerged as a disguise for unsightly radiator caps. At that time, radiator caps were positioned outside the vehicle, allowing drivers to monitor the temperature of the cooling liquid's steam. These caps were not particularly attractive, prompting car manufacturers to get creative by adding "car mascots" to the design.

Later, the company Moto-Meter developed a temperature gauge that could be installed on the radiator. Subsequently, more manufacturers began incorporating coolant temperature indicators, leading to the decline of Moto-Meter, but hood ornaments remained with some brands.

Today, researchers state that only a few high-end car manufacturers still use hood ornaments, including Rolls-Royce and Bentley. But what caused manufacturers to largely abandon these decorations?

According to the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum in Auburn, Indiana, safety experts began closely examining hood ornaments as a potential hazard in collisions during the 1960s. As a result, ornaments were eliminated in subsequent models of cars like the Mustang, Corvette, Camaro, or the aerodynamic Plymouth Superbird.

As vehicles became faster, manufacturers noticed that anything increasing drag and affecting fuel efficiency posed a danger. Unfortunately, tests revealed that hood ornaments, such as the whimsical Bugatti bear or the Spirit of Ecstasy from Rolls-Royce, definitely impacted the car's aerodynamics.

Simultaneously, in Europe, hood decorations were phased out due to the risk they posed to pedestrians involved in accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, pedestrian fatalities rose by 57%, from 4,779 to 7,522, between 2013 and 2022.

In September 2024, the organization proposed a new rule establishing "testing procedures simulating head impacts with the hood" to minimize the risk of traumatic brain injuries. Results indicated that mascots like those from Jaguar could act as "spears" in collisions with pedestrians. Unfortunately, finding statistics on actual injuries from hood ornaments proved to be quite challenging.

However, not all automotive companies removed mascots from the fronts of their vehicles back in the 1960s. For example, Cadillac retained its crest on the hoods of some models even into the early 2000s. Nevertheless, manufacturers adhered to a rule requiring that the ornament bend upon impact.

Interestingly, hood ornaments from Cadillac and Mercedes-Benz were often subject to thefts, prompting manufacturers like Rolls-Royce and Bentley to solve the "vandalism issue" with a clever trick: their ornaments would disappear into a special compartment using electronics.

Interestingly, hood ornaments on cars 50 years ago were also marketed as useful tools. Manufacturers believed that these decorations helped drivers aim toward the center of the road, making vehicle control simpler and safer.