There was a time when hood ornaments served an aesthetic purpose. Popular Science said they were originally designed to disguise unsightly radiator caps, back when they were featured on the vehicle exterior, enabling drivers to keep an eye on their coolant vapor.
And while their popularity as brand emblems grew in the decades that followed, they eventually fell out of favor for a few key reasons: for one, they were no longer needed due to vehicle design changes and, two, they actually created some aerodynamic drag, which caused vehicles to consume more fuel.
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But there was a third reason, and it had to do with safety: pedestrians who were struck by vehicles could be further injured by the sharp or protruding metal, not to mention loosened or detached hood ornaments had the risk of turning into projectiles. These types of safety concerns led Europe to regulate them out, whereas in America they fizzled on their own to the point of just being utilized by select luxury vehicles like the Rolls-Royce.
But a recent patent filing by Stellantis has raised some questions about the company’s intentions surrounding the hood ornament, particularly around the automaker’s Ram pickup.
Motor Authority has pointed out a Stellantis patent published in January by the United States Patent and Trademark Office that takes the form of the iconic Ram’s head hood ornament, originally featured on the Dodge brand trucks, though notably modernized.
It appears Stellantis is seeking a 15-year patent on this design, though with auto patents – as always – it’s never clear whether the point is to use it, or to prevent others from doing so. That said, one auto blog noted that the design did appear in 2022 on a one-of-a-kind Ram customized for musician Chris Stapleton.
And though we don’t know if Stellantis would choose to buck the trend by using the ornament in the future, Motor Authority points out that it is a time of change for the Ram.
The report points to the fact that Ram – which traditionally has shared a chief executive with the Dodge brand – as of December has its own CEO, dedicated to what Motor Authority calls “the mother ship's best-selling and most profitable product.”
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X-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:0
00:00.009 --> 00:03.029
There was a time when hood ornaments served an
aesthetic purpose.
00:03.400 --> 00:08.000
Popular Science said they were originally
designed to disguise unsightly radiator caps
00:08.000 --> 00:12.119
back when they were featured on the vehicle
exterior, enabling drivers to keep an eye on
00:12.119 --> 00:15.390
their coolant vapor.
And while their popularity as brand emblems
00:15.390 --> 00:20.014
grew in the decades that Followed, they
eventually fell out of favor for a few key
00:20.014 --> 00:22.895
reasons.
For one, they were no longer needed due to the
00:22.895 --> 00:27.625
vehicle design changes, and 2, they actually
created some aerodynamic drag,
00:27.774 --> 00:31.284
which caused vehicles to consume more fuel.
But there was a third reason,
00:31.295 --> 00:33.034
and it had to do with safety.
00:33.330 --> 00:37.639
Pedestrians who were struck by vehicles could
be further injured by the sharp or protruding
00:37.639 --> 00:42.110
metal, not to mention loosened or detached hood
ornaments had the risk of turning into
00:42.110 --> 00:45.290
projectiles.
These types of safety concerns led Europe to
00:45.290 --> 00:50.000
regulate them out, whereas in America they
fizzled on their own to the point of just being
00:50.000 --> 00:53.369
utilized by select luxury vehicles like the
Rolls-Royce.
00:53.599 --> 00:57.520
But a recent patent filing by Stelantti has
raised some questions about the company's
00:57.520 --> 00:59.533
intentions.
Surrounding the hood ornament,
00:59.893 --> 01:04.833
particularly around the automaker's Ram pickup,
Motor Authority has pointed out a Stalantti
01:04.833 --> 01:08.803
patent published in January by the United
States Patent and Trademark Office.
01:09.053 --> 01:13.333
It takes the form of the iconic Ram's head hood
ornament, originally featured on the Dodge
01:13.333 --> 01:15.722
brand trucks, though notably modernized.
01:15.972 --> 01:19.163
It appears Stellatis is seeking a 15-year
patent on this design,
01:19.292 --> 01:23.093
though with auto patents, as always, it's never
clear whether the point is.
01:23.195 --> 01:26.426
To use it or to prevent others from doing so.
That said,
01:26.585 --> 01:32.545
one auto blog noted that the design did appear
in 2022 on a one of a kind ram customized for
01:32.545 --> 01:35.935
musician Chris Stapleton.
And though we don't know if Stalanttis would
01:35.935 --> 01:38.575
choose to buck the trend by using the ornament
in the future,
01:38.905 --> 01:42.676
Motor Authority points out that it is a time of
change for the Ram.
01:42.905 --> 01:47.176
The report points to the fact that Ram, which
traditionally has shared a chief executive with
01:47.176 --> 01:52.760
the Dodge brand, As of December has its own CEO
dedicated to what Motor Authority calls the
01:52.760 --> 01:56.279
mother ship's best selling and most profitable
product.
01:56.750 --> 01:58.510
I'm Anna Wells, and this is manufacturing now.
