For the period immediately after World War II, and throughout the '50s, Mercury would mine the Jet Age for skull-piercing designs that only grew more pointed as time went on.

When your brand is named after a winged god of speed, it only makes sense to embody that aerodynamic principle in the various design elements that make up your vehicles. It's also worth noting that modern iterations of this ornament retract automatically into the grille surround at the touch of a button, making it easy for ultra-rich perps to hide the weapon. One of the few life-threatening hood ornaments to carry on into the current era, this now-crystallized lady is perfectly positioned to snag you on the way down, gaffe-style, after you've been hurtled into the air by the flat coffin-nose of any of Rolls-Royce's modern luxo-machines. Bonus points to Jag for not only streamlining the shape of its chromed spirit animal for maximum penetration, but also for giving it ACTUAL TEETH that will no doubt cause the coroner to sigh deeply as they write up the accident report. Jaguar really didn't pull any punches with its famous Leaper, that springing silver cat aimed straight at one of your internal organs as you attempt to make it safely through the crosswalk.

Let's take a quick look at the most murderous hood ornaments in history. For every sword-like swatch of chrome striking towards the future in the eyes of the designer, there's an innocent victim out there missing an eye-and that's the best-case scenario. Hood ornaments have mostly disappeared, and there's really only one reason: Historically, they've probably the least-safe aspect of any automobile's exterior design, especially from a pedestrian's perspective. 10 Most Murderous Hood Ornaments In Automotive History

1950 buick hood ornament