That's to say nothing of the huge array of vintage racers, ultra-exclusive supercars, Formula 1 stars and Group B heroes that continue to provide endless entertainment for fans of all ages throughout the festival. Porsche chose Sussex to host its 75th birthday party, and the Le Mans legends, dune-bashing Dakar dominators and streamlined mid-century sports cars it had shipped over from Stuttgart provided a deafening and enthralling festival highlight. Of course, there will always remain ardent traditionalists, and Goodwood’s unparalleled mix of classic road, race and rally cars continues to provide refuge to those enthusiasts for whom there will simply never be any substitute for the raw sensory appeal of unburned four-star and unfiltered exhaust notes. Instead, the prevailing themes of the festival this year were of welcome variety and commendable experimentation - the welcome diversification of the new car parc as manufacturers embrace warmly emerging propulsion technologies and vehicle segments. This was not the year 'electric vehicles stormed Goodwood' for the first time - EVs have been well-represented here for years now, and though the hillclimb was perhaps a quieter affair this year as combustion-engined entrants were matched in number and profile by their noiseless counterparts, it was plain to see that any resentment at their presence has become vanishingly rare. ![]() But you could see those same spectators peering curiously and admiringly at Kia's new seven-seat EV9 SUV, the Ineos Grenadier fuel cell prototype, Ford Explorer crossover and MG 4 XPower hatchback - each a far less overtly exotic proposition, and each whose run was accompanied by no more than the screech of tyres and a faint whine from an electric motor or two. ![]() It was also impossible to ignore the cartoonish Bugatti Bolide as its thumping W16 propelled it noisily and blisteringly quickly up the climb. When the shiny new 'First Glance' batch took to the hill for the first time – a festival highlight every year, and the Autocar team's busiest hour of the week – the sense of variety and intrigue was palpable, and there was not a single car that didn't invite intrigue and discussion.Ĭrowds were obviously captivated by McLaren's screaming, V10-engined Solus track car, which would top a diverse collection of road and race cars in Sunday's Timed Shootout to claim bragging rights. Of course, some are of great interest to more than others, but if the weather-affected 30th running of the Goodwood Festival of Speed showed nothing else, it is that all cars merit celebration - or, at the very least, conversation. There is no such thing as a boring car anymore.Įvery new car – no matter how mundane, outlandish, challengingly styled, expensive, raucous, heavy or unconventional – is of great interest to someone. Read on for our full show report, and a full round-up of all the new machines that were on display. From the motorsport archive: on this day in 1968ĭespite the weather, however, the 30th running of the Goodwood Festival of Speed was memorable for its ever-eclectic mix of road and competition cars, and a host of big new reveals.Used car buying guide: Porsche 911 (993). ![]()
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