Rolls-Royce has illuminated Spirit of Ecstasy badge but it is banned. Here's why

One of the things that define wealth, pomp and splendour while on the move is a Rolls-Royce luxury car. The ultra luxurious and ultra expensive vehicles are at the pinnacle of automotive excellence and a very obvious choice in the garage of the rich and powerful. And while the car itself may be highlighted by several features, it is the Spirit of Ecstasy badge that instantly stamps that this here is a Rolls-Royce. That in some of the cars, this badge illuminates is like putting a spotlight on a star. Just that the European Union has reportedly banned the illuminated badge.

Media outlets in Europe recently reported that the EU has decided to ban the illuminated Spirit of Ecstasy badge from Rolls Royce cars because it apparently does not comply with its light pollution norms.

As such, any Rolls-Royce vehicle which has this feature in the badge will have to get the badge uninstalled.

A company official told UK's Daily Mail that while new products won't feature the illuminated badge, existing customers are being reached out to. "In February 2019 we sent our dealers a bulletin saying we were removing the option of an unlit Spirit of Ecstasy. It was no longer to be sold to customers. It came off the options list," the person said. "Sadly, we are telling our customers that we will by law have to disconnect their Spirit of Ecstasy."

Reaching out to customers won't be a tremendous task though because the customer base would be significantly smaller than that of a car maker in the mass-market business. That the illuminated badge is part of the options list also means that not all buyers would have chosen it.

It is however not clear if it is mandatory for such vehicles to be driven in for the badge to be removed and what is the course of action if such a vehicle is stopped by law enforcement officials only because of this illuminated badge.

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