The Goodwood Festival of Speed is so great because you have people of all ages and types celebrating cars of all ages and types. It’s a true love fest that is organic at its core, even as it has become larger and more commercial each year.
We traveled to West Sussex to experience the majesty of the manor of His Grace, the Duke of Richmond (formerly the Earl of March) to see the lawns dotted with car displays and the driveway that is the Hillclimb.
Here are some things that caught our eye this year at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Porsche celebration
Porsche celebrated its 70th year showing production cars at Goodwood, with a strong collection on display and moving up the Hill. A sculpture with six Porsches was displayed in the lawn of Goodwood House to mark the anniversary. Climbing the hill in the Supercar group was the new 911 Speedster concept with retro wheels, mirrors, and a tan interior. Also to be ogled: the 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder with a steel space frame, aluminum body, and 110-hp flat-four engine good for 140 hp. The example pictured below was No. 5 of 90 built.
Toyota Supra
A camouflaged Toyota Supra was there to delight and tease. It doesn’t go on sale until next year. In fact, we won’t even see the production car unwrapped until 2019. Like the BMW Z4 that was also developed in this collaboration, it will have a German 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six engine and eight-speed transmission in a light and well-balanced car. At Goodwood, it was driven by Toyota chief engineer Tetsuya Tada.
McLaren
McLaren debuted the 600LT at Goodwood this year, and the longtail with its 3.8-liter twin-turbo V-8 made the Hillclimb along with the Ultimate Series Senna and the 720S, 570GT, and 570S Spider. On display was the 1995 McLaren F1 original hypercar with a V-12 that rocketed it to 240 mph and won Le Mans in 1995, as well as a 1993 McLaren F1 and the 1966 Ford GT Mk II driven by Bruce McLaren. Unrelated to McLaren, a one-off custom builder displayed the P1 GT Lanzante, reminiscent of the F1 GT of the late ’90s, with a huge fixed wing.
We did the Hillclimb as a passenger in a 720S driven by Ben Barnicoat, part of the McLaren GT Driver Academy, who showcased the car’s capability. He loves the stability and handling of the 720S. I loved the thrill ride. The car wiggled and bounced but remained planted and stayed out of the hay bales that line the course.
Aston Martin V8 Cygnet
The little hatchback looked bizarrely out of place in the supercar Hillclimb, a stubby hatch surrounded by sleek sports cars and a few high-performance SUVs. Until you heard the 4.7-liter V-8 stuffed inside. Love it or hate it, you couldn’t help noticing the little car from Aston Martin Lagonda.
1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible
The giant fins on the 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertible drew attention in England, screaming American heritage on the Goodwood lawn. The Eldorado is laden with chrome and was a marvel in its day for having six-way power seats and electric windows and roof. Its huge 6.4-liter V-8 only churned out 345 hp.
1960 Chrysler 300 E convertible
Beside the Caddy was a 1960 Chrysler 300 E convertible with large diagonal rear fins. Designed by Virgil Exner, it had a forward look that Chrysler designers would later bring back. It also had power swivel seats that turned to the curb when the doors opened. Only 125 were made.
Apollo Intensa Emozione
In the car’s first public run, the Apollo Intensa Emozione’s throaty 780-hp V-12 thrilled the crowd on the Hillclimb. The IE’s owner said the tech in today’s supercars makes them too easy to drive—they should require skill and talent. Back to the future.
W Motors Fenyr SuperSport
Sure to inspire debate on styling, the Fenyr SuperSport by W Motors is now on sale, and the $1.2 million car held its own on the Hillclimb. Its 3.8-liter twin-turbo flat-six pumps out 800 hp. Built in Dubai, this car is the son of Lykan from Furious 7. It made its debut this year in Geneva, but this was its dynamic debut: a chance to see all those sharp, crazy lines in motion.
Roborace
This self-driving car made it up the Hillclimb repeatedly without incident, which is more than a Siemens-equipped 1965 Ford Mustang could say, as its backup driver kept bailing it out of near collisions with the hay. The 500-hp electric Roborace had no driver aboard, just a lot of cameras, sensors, radar, lidar, and ultrasonic. (It also had onboard GPS, but trees that line the Duke’s driveway blocked satellite signals on part of the course.) The private company is developing automated systems it hopes to see other automakers use.
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