The History Of The Hood Ornament

Blog by Mercedes-Benz of Santa Rosa, MBofSantaRosa.com




Mercedes-Benz is known for their beautiful 3-pointed star hood ornament. Have you ever wondered how it all started? And what about the evolution along the way? 

Here at Mercedes-Benz of Santa Rosa, we were curious, too, so we looked into it. We hope you find this modern history as interesting as we do!

It All Started With A Radiator Cap!

An original 1913 Boyce Moto Meter

Hood ornaments, or “mascots”, were originally created as radiator thermometers out of the necessity to keep cool an internal combustion engine, essential to the function and longevity of an engine.

In 1912, Harrison Hurlbut Boyce invented a functional (and timely) sensor that would tap into the radiator just above the water line to measure ongoing temperature of the water vapor, rather than the water itself. The gadget was quite effective, and therefore, sought after.

Boyce started making custom models, patented his nifty little invention in 1913, and then partnered with George H. Townsend, who was President of the Moto Meter Company of New York, and the first official Boyce Motometer was in production.

As the gadget grew in popularity for it’s function, the style of Moto Meters was developed, also  out of necessity—to sell cars. After all, who wants a brand new automobile with an ugly adornment on the front, functional or not? Boyce was keen to offer customized versions of his Moto Meter for different manufacturers, as well as for car clubs for distribution to its members. 

Function Meets Design

By the 1920’s, Moto Meters were replaced with radiator caps, and in order to make (functional) radiator caps a part of the (beautiful) vehicle design, the hood ornament was born. In the art deco period of the 1930’s and 40’s, manufacturers began to get their artistic flair for the “ornamental” with Goddesses, birds, and sleekly sculpted animals that represented their brand.

The Mercedes-Benz hood ornament, the renown 3-pointed star, stands for the premier German auto-maker’s pride in quality “by land, by air, by sea”, having developed what they feel are the best engines for all three modes of transportation.  

Modern Hoodies

In the 1980’s, largely due to the popularity of Rappers, a new type of celebrity influencer, the Mercedes-Benz hood ornament became a popular accessory…as a necklace or wall décor for a bachelor pad. This was both a frustrating and costly trend for Mercedes owners in the 1980’s. Between  that, and the constant desire to stay ahead of it’s competitors in design, Mercedes began evolving its valuable hood-brand into a less thief-friendly version, embedded into the car rather than standing up externally.

But you didn’t think Mercedes would stop there, did you? Oh, just check out what we’re up to now! Here’s the “tomorrow” of hood ornaments… 

Thank you for reading our blog! If you have topics you'd like us to research and write about, we welcome your suggestions! 

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