Will Ram Resurrect The Hood Ornament?

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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WEBVTTX-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:000:00.009 --> 00:03.029There was a time when hood ornaments served anaesthetic purpose.00:03.400 --> 00:08.000Popular Science said they were originallydesigned to disguise unsightly radiator caps00:08.000 --> 00:12.119back when they were featured on the vehicleexterior, enabling drivers to keep an eye on00:12.119 --> 00:15.390their coolant vapor.And while their popularity as brand emblems00:15.390 --> 00:20.014grew in the decades that Followed, theyeventually fell out of favor for a few key00:20.014 --> 00:22.895reasons.For one, they were no longer needed due to the00:22.895 --> 00:27.625vehicle design changes, and 2, they actuallycreated some aerodynamic drag,00:27.774 --> 00:31.284which caused vehicles to consume more fuel.But there was a third reason,00:31.295 --> 00:33.034and it had to do with safety.00:33.330 --> 00:37.639Pedestrians who were struck by vehicles couldbe further injured by the sharp or protruding00:37.639 --> 00:42.110metal, not to mention loosened or detached hoodornaments had the risk of turning into00:42.110 --> 00:45.290projectiles.These types of safety concerns led Europe to00:45.290 --> 00:50.000regulate them out, whereas in America theyfizzled on their own to the point of just being00:50.000 --> 00:53.369utilized by select luxury vehicles like theRolls-Royce.00:53.599 --> 00:57.520But a recent patent filing by Stelantti hasraised some questions about the company's00:57.520 --> 00:59.533intentions.Surrounding the hood ornament,00:59.893 --> 01:04.833particularly around the automaker's Ram pickup,Motor Authority has pointed out a Stalantti01:04.833 --> 01:08.803patent published in January by the UnitedStates Patent and Trademark Office.01:09.053 --> 01:13.333It takes the form of the iconic Ram's head hoodornament, originally featured on the Dodge01:13.333 --> 01:15.722brand trucks, though notably modernized.01:15.972 --> 01:19.163It appears Stellatis is seeking a 15-yearpatent on this design,01:19.292 --> 01:23.093though with auto patents, as always, it's neverclear whether the point is.01:23.195 --> 01:26.426To use it or to prevent others from doing so.That said,01:26.585 --> 01:32.545one auto blog noted that the design did appearin 2022 on a one of a kind ram customized for01:32.545 --> 01:35.935musician Chris Stapleton.And though we don't know if Stalanttis would01:35.935 --> 01:38.575choose to buck the trend by using the ornamentin the future,01:38.905 --> 01:42.676Motor Authority points out that it is a time ofchange for the Ram.01:42.905 --> 01:47.176The report points to the fact that Ram, whichtraditionally has shared a chief executive with01:47.176 --> 01:52.760the Dodge brand, As of December has its own CEOdedicated to what Motor Authority calls the01:52.760 --> 01:56.279mother ship's best selling and most profitableproduct.01:56.750 --> 01:58.510I'm Anna Wells, and this is manufacturing now.