A new drifting category has been added for this yearThe motoring extravaganza returns to the Goodwood Estate in June, with Mazda taking centre stage and plenty of new metal on display
The Goodwood Festival of Speed will play host to multiple vehicle debuts, motorsport stars and classic cars this summer as the motoring festival returns between 25-28 June. Here's the full guide to what to expect.
New metal
Leading the charge of new vehicles on display will be the Ford Focus RS, which gets its UK debut at the show, as well as the Ford GT. Bentley's updated Continental family will also be on show, as will McLaren's 986bhp P1 GTR and the all-new Mazda MX-5.
Peugeot has also confirmed that its new 308 GTi will be revealed at the show. Acting as a range-topper for the 308 line-up, the GTI should come with 266bhp from its 1.6-litre turbocharged engine.
Also hotly tipped to appear at Goodwood following its Le Mans debut is the Renault-Alpine sports car. A display celebrating 60 years of the Alpine brand has already been confirmed, so a dynamic debut seems likely for the £50,000 two-seat coupé.
The Goodwood Festival of Speed also includes the annual Moving Motor Show, which takes place on the Friday. In total, eighteen vehicle manufacturers have signed up to allow potential owners to experience their latest models, with most taking on Goodwood's famous hillclimb course.
Motorsport stars
Attractions at the Festival of Speed include five current F1 teams - including current world champions Mercedes-Benz - on display, as well as MotoGP's Valentino Rossi. Marking the 60th anniversary of Sir Stirling Moss's victory at the Mille Miglia in 1955, seven of the remaining eight Mercedes-Benx 300 SLRs will also be on show.
Among the many cars set to take on the hillclimb course over the weekend is the 28-litre Fiat S76, which receives its first public run for 101 years. The car will be taking part in a new race category dubbed "Edwardian Leviathans".
Several motorsport stars will be honoured as part of the event, with displays commemorating the careers of Derek Bell and Gilles Villeneuve. Motorbike riding legends Casey Stoner, Freddie Spencer and Kenny Roberts will also be taking to the hill, while the Festival of Speed also features the largest ever representation of NASCAR racers, including a display by Richard Petty.
Other highlights this year include a dedicated category for drifting, which will see the likes of Ken Block taking to the hill to thrill fans. Block will be bringing his modified 850bhp Ford Mustang, dubbed the ‘Hoonicorn’ to the event.
Also taking to the hill in the ‘catch my drift?’ category will be Norwegian drifter Joachim Waargaard, and drift champion James Deane.
Concours d'elegance
As well as the hillclimb stage, the Festival of Speed also features the traditional Concours d'elegance, with categories celebrating the 80th birthday if Figoni et Falaschi cars, plus the 60th anniverdary of the Citroën DS brand. The Michelin Supercar Run and supercar paddock also returns.
Mazda has been chosen as the event's featured manufacturer for 2015. The Japanese brand will be presenting its take on the iconic statue in front of Goodwood house, created by artist Gerry Judah, and showcasing its vehicle line-up. The firm will be showing off road and racing models from its classic collection, including the Le Mans-winning 787B, which will be taking on the hillclimb course.
The theme of the 2015 Festival of Speed is “Flat-out and Fearless: Racing on the Edge”, something which festival founder Lord Charles March says “aligns perfectly with Mazda’s continual push to reject engineering conventions and strive for something unique.”
Highlights from the 2014 event included the launch of the new Elemental RP1, our ride in a Hyundai i20 rally car, and driving a 350bhp Ariel Atom 3.5R up the hill. See more pictures from this year's Festival of Speed here.
Dates for the Goodwood Revival have also been set, with the retro-themed weekend returning to the Goodwood circuit on 11-15 September.
Autocar will be bringing you the very latest pictures and news from both events.
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