Luxury car firm Bentley is recalling hundreds of vehicles over fears that its "Flying B" hood ornament could impale pedestrians.

The recall affects 620 cars in the U.S. and Canada and a total of 1,436 worldwide, the company told msnbc.com.

It covers the Arnage, Azure and Brooklands models sold between October 2006 and October 2009 for suggested retail prices of $246,999 to $363,000.

The winged B is meant to retract if there is a collision, but the U.K.-based Bentley Motors said it had discovered the mechanism needed to be better protected against rust and corrosion.

An auto-retracting hood ornament that's prone to impaling pedestrians ? Now that is simply splendid. For too long I've been content with merely breaking the pelvises and legs of the pedestrians I run into. Sure, there's a satisfying thump as they bounce into the gutter and writhe. But, I had never considered impaling them, too! But now, well, this news changes everything. I need a Bentley! Imagine how swell it will be to snag a pedestrian off the sidewalk and carry him around the city, as he dangles, impaled on my shiny silver B, somewhat like the manatees I skewer on the rudder of my yacht (except in front, not back; and on top not below), while I tend to my affairs. Splendid!

I just hope there's a way to disable this auto-retract mechanism.