You Can’t Steal the Spirit of Ecstasy

When it comes to high-end cars, Rolls-Royce is in a class all its own. It costs $2.50 just to say the name. If you have been around long enough to remember when it was cool to wear stolen Mercedes hood ornaments around your neck, you might wonder why wearing ripped off Rolls-Royce ornaments isn’t a thing. Mostly it’s because you rarely see a Rolls, and the little fact that since 2004 Rolls-Royce isn’t taking any crap.

You see, Rolls has put a fancy anti-theft device in place for its “Spirit of Ecstasy” hood ornaments in every car for more than a decade. If you walk up and grab the ornament as if you want to steal it, the car slurps ole Ecstasy down under the body so it can’t be swiped. I had no idea this even existed.

It happens fast too. I have to wonder how much that bit of engineering adds to the price of the car. If you are buying a Rolls, I guess it really doesn’t matter how much it costs.