Hood designs began as a cover for domestic radiators over a century ago. At one time, radiator vents were displayed on the outside of the car so drivers could keep an eye on the temperature of the cooling water vapor. These caps were not considered a design feature, so automakers began to get creative by adding “car mascots.”
Early cars did not have coolant temperature gauges. An independent company developed the Moto-Meter, a temperature gauge placed on the radiator. When manufacturers began to include coolant temperature gauges, the Moto-Meter disappeared, but the hood decoration remained for other products.
Today, only a few high-end manufacturers still offer these beautiful hood jewels, such as Rolls-Royce and Bentley. What happened to these traveling works of art?
Pushed outwards for safety and design
According to the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automotive Museum in Auburn, Indiana, safety experts began examining hood ornaments as a potential crash hazard in the 1960s. The hood decorations were left on subsequent designs at the same time; think of a well-tuned Mustang, Corvette, Camaro, or Plymouth Superbird. As cars became faster, car manufacturers saw that anything that increased the coefficient of drag and affected its fuel efficiency was to blame. Hood decorations like Bugatti’s whimsical bear or Rolls-Royce’s Spirit of Ecstasy can, sadly, affect the car’s driving spirit.
In Europe, motoring laws pushed out hood ornaments because of the danger they pose to pedestrians who are hit by cars. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the number of pedestrian fatalities increased by 57 percent from 4,779 to 7,522 between 2013 and 2022. In September 2024, the agency proposed a new law “that when will you develop test methods similar to head-to-hood impact and performance requirements to reduce the risk of head injury.” Carvings like “Leaper,” Jaguar’s mascot, can act as a spear when they collide with a pedestrian, I think, although it’s hard to find actual accident statistics. it’s a hood ornament.
However, not all car companies got rid of mascots before the 60s. Cadillac kept its cover on the hood on some models until the early 2000s, following a law that required the piece to bend on impact. Unfortunately, Cadillac and Mercedes-Benz hood ornaments were often stolen, and some famous rappers wore them as necklaces instead (I’m looking at you, Rick Ross). Rolls-Royce and Bentley have both eliminated damage and safety concerns with a cool trick: their electronic mascots disappear into a special compartment in front of the hood opening.
Hood decorations of the past, future
One of my favorite hood ornaments of the past is Chrysler’s winged mascot, which looks a bit like the golden snitch from Harry Potter’s quidditch games. I have a 1956 Buick Roadmaster hood ornament on my desk, ridiculously heavy jet chrome. Pierce-Arrow’s Archer graced the fairways of its pre-war vehicles, and is an icon worthy of an art museum.
You may remember Cadillac’s three-sided Crest, however, the American brand also created two distinctive designs featuring a flying goddess and fog in the 1930s. The goddess returns to GM’s Celestiq as a glass-encrusted piece in the cabin and front fender, and it will be good to see her back. Perhaps many car manufacturers will find ways to bring back their past decorations as a sign on the side of the car or integrated into the cabin.
Fifty years ago, car bling was also introduced as a valuable accessory before car cameras came into effect. In the December 5, 1972 issue of New York Timeswriter Jerry M. Flint said that Detroit auto mechanic executives “agree [hood] the trims give the driver a place to look towards the middle of the road, possibly making the car easier to handle and safer.” Dick Macadam, Chrysler Corporation’s chief stylist, called the hood ornament “a driving tool.”
William Mitchell, vice president for styling at GM, defended the use of car mascots as a stylistic distinction.
Mitchell said: “I can’t stand a hood that looks like a turkey roaster or a sleeping pan. I can only imagine what Mr. Mitchell would say about the other lozenge-shaped cars on the market today.” .The next time you’re wandering through a vintage car museum or car show, take note of the historic decorations. And join me in lamenting their decline.
This story is part of Popular Science’s Ask Us Everything Serieswhere we answer your weird, mind-bending questions, from the mundane to the off-the-wall. Is there something you’ve always wanted to know? Ask us.
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