For a brand like Bentley, hood ornaments are quite important.
Hood ornaments are one of the most undeniably classic symbols of automotive luxury, as they speak to the glory and craftsmanship of luxurious cars from eras past. Bentley, as a brand with over 100 years of history, is one of the few brands that still uses hood ornaments on its cars, and its current “Flying B” hood ornament is the sixth generation of the Bentley hood ornament. Creating it involves a level of craftsmanship that evokes historical coachbuilding and artisanal dedication, and although it’s a simple and seemingly superfluous touch, the Bentley hood ornament symbolizes the incredible level of luxury that Bentley is able to offer.
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The Flying B is ordered for 97 percent of all Flying Spurs. Cast as a single piece of 316-grade stainless steel, the emblem takes 11 weeks to create from start to finish, after which it is fitted with the crystal acrylic wings by WCM Europe, as well as LEDs that add brilliance to it when it’s deployed. The Flying B has been a part of Bentley’s legacy since the 1920s, when it was a set of horizontal brass wings, to a streamlined single wing in the 1930s, then to rear-facing wings through the 1970s. There was a long period in which prominent solid hood ornaments were banned for pedestrian protection, but eventually, they came back in 2006 with a retractable design for the Azure and Brooklands, and in 2019, the current design took shape on the Flying Spur. With the Flying B, a historical icon of luxury still is made with the craftsmanship of the past.
Source: Bentley
