Aston Martin Vantage GT12The motoring extravaganza has opened its doors for 2015, with today's Moving Motor Show showcasing new metal for the first time
The 2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed weekend has officially begun, with today offering visitors their first look at both the festival itself, and the new metal on display at the Moving Motor Show.
Designed to offer visitors a chance to not only see new vehicles, but also drive them up Goodwood's famous hillclimb route, the Moving Motor Show this year features 20 different manufacturers.
Among the new models on display here are the Peugeot 308 GTi - the range-topping hot hatchback which gets 266bhp from its 1.6-litre turbocharged engine - as well as Seat's facelifted Ibiza, the all-new Mazda MX-5.
While the focus today is very much on cars already on sale, this also serves as the warm-up act for the Festival of Speed proper, which opens tomorrow.
You can read our full 2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed preview below, and read our 'how to do Goodwood' guide here. Remember to check back throughout the day as we'll be updating this page with new pictures and information from the Moving Motor Show.
New metal
The Aston Martin Vantage GT12 and the Lexus GS F will both be driven for the first time in public at Goodwood, being driven up the hill by Aston Martin boss Andy Palmer and Toyota Gazoo racing driver Mike Conway respectively. The McLaren 570S Coupe will also be making its dynamic debut in the Supercar Run.
Also 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.
Morgan will show off its all-electric EV3 for the first time at the event. Based on the successful 3 Wheeler, the EV3 is powered by an electric motor developing 101bhp. It's capable of travelling up to 150 miles, and can reach 60mph in 6.0 seconds.
Lotus is planning to unveil its new 3-Eleven at the Festival. The super-fast track-day sports car is understood to be capable of lapping the Nürburgring in just over seven minutes - just a few seconds slower than the McLaren P1, Porsche 918 Spyder and LaFerrari - and should cost less than £100,000 when it goes on sale.
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.
Another concept set to make its Goodwood debut is the Nissan Juke-R Nismo. Claimed to offer 'supercar beating' performance, the new concept gets several new styling upgrades, and could offer over 592bhp.
Volkswagen, meanwhile, is bringing its Sport Coupe GTE, XL Sport and Golf R400 concepts to the Festival, as well as its 2015 Polo R WRC car - all of which are making their UK debuts.
The Goodwood Festival of Speed also includes the annual Moving Motor Show, which takes place on the Thursday. 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.”
Read more:
Autocar's guide to the Goodwood Festival of Speed
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