Goodwood’s iconic Festival of Speed (FOS) is upon us once again, and there’s plenty of automotive goodness from across the years to sink your teeth into.
Kicking off at 5.30pm on July 11 (AEST), this year’s theme looks back on the earliest years of the automotive industry and highlights the evolution of propulsion, starting with the steam-powered Salversen Steam Wagonette from 1893.
It’s quite literally all uphill from there, with a wide range of production cars, race cars, supercars, Formula One cars, motorcycles, unseen concepts, and everything in between set to make an appearance this weekend.
There’s also a plethora of famous faces set to make their way up the famous Goodwood Hill, including multiple past and current Formula One drivers – headlined by reigning three-time world champion Max Verstappen on July 14.
Following the Salversen will be early 1900s offerings including the 1905 Darracq 200 HP, 1911 Fiat S76 ‘Beast of Turin’, joined by several primitive 1920s race cars from the likes of Sunbeam, Bugatti, and Delage.
The 1930s will then bring a pair of then-British MGs including the C-Type and Magnette K3, along with the iconic Auto Union Type C.
After the Second World War it was the Italian companies waving the performance flag, and reflecting that will be a selection of Ferraris including the 156 ‘Sharknose’ and 250 GTO making their way up the hill.
A standout in the historic crowd prior to the arrival of high-powered Group B rally cars will be the stunning 1970 Plymouth Superbird, which will be piloted by none other than the ‘King’ – seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty. He’ll also be celebrated in a special balcony event on day two of the festival.
The rally monsters of the 1980s will then be followed by supercars of the 1990s including the ’96 McLaren F1 GTR ‘Longtail’, which will be in action on the hill alongside fellow Le Mans competitors like the ’93 Ferrari F40 LM and ’99 BMW V12 LMR.
Seeing out that group will be the 2005 Maserati MC12 GT1, which just received a tribute in the form of a special edition version of the current Maserati MC20 supercar. That’s the Leggenda, and it’ll also climb the hill this weekend alongside its Icona brother.
Bringing the festival to the modern day will be a spate of the newest cars from many major manufacturers, including multiple electric models from around the world. Notably, multiple Chinese brands will be on show over the course of the weekend, including MG, Chery, and BYD.
There will also be several cars money can’t buy, including (but not limited to) the latest Ford Supervan 4.2 driven by French endurance competitor Romain Dumas, as well as the ridiculous Goodwood record-holding McMurtry Spéirling.
WATCH: The McMurtry Spierling’s record-breaking run from the 2022 Goodwood FOS.
There will even be some brand new models making their public debuts, alongside an array of Formula One classics, rally icons, and bespoke special cars testing their might in the competitive timed hillclimb.
Read on for a sneak peek at what’s to come over the next few days at the Goodwood FOS.
New models in the spotlight
As has been seen at the festival in previous years, multiple manufacturers will be bringing upcoming models – some of which have yet to be displayed publicly.
Aston Martin Valiant
Setting the pace will be Aston Martin’s latest weapon, the hardcore Valiant supercar. It’ll be driven up Goodwood Hill by two-time Formula One champion and current Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso, who personally commissioned the car and influenced its development.
Showing its face will be the new Honda Prelude, which will soon make its return after more than 20 years out of production. The hybrid sports coupe unfortunately won’t be climbing the hill, with Honda instead opting for a static display alongside a first-generation Prelude from 1980.
Another car due for its physical reveal is the contentious new Ford Capri, which is set to be an electric coupe SUV utilising the classic Capri nameplate. It’ll be sharing its underpinnings with Volkswagen, and unlike the Prelude it will be doing a demonstration run before taking its place on Goodwood’s Electric Avenue.
It’s not to be confused with the Ford Capri RS3100 Cologne touring car, which will be taking on the timed shootout.
Jaecoo 7
Heading the Chinese entrants is Chery’s Jaecoo spinoff, which will preview its 7 SUV and give it a demonstration run.. The brand is set to make its way Down Under with this same model, to be called the J7 here, in the second half of this year.
Another Chinese brand confirmed for Australia is Xpeng, which will be showing off the G6 electric SUV it’s already selling in China. Local pre-orders for the G6 have already opened, and it’s expected to go up against the Tesla Model Y when it hits our shores in the fourth quarter of this year.
BYD will also be in attendance, along with its Yangwang spinoff. The Seal and U8 will be on show from each brand respectively – the former already established in the Australian market.
The next-generation MG HS will be making its grand reveal at the beginning of the festival, and it’ll be on display alongside the manufacturer’s first electric sports car, the Cyberster.
Genesis G70 Track Taxi
Genesis will be showing off three models too, one of which being the G70 Nürburgring Track Taxi intended to give passengers a high-speed lift around the notorious ‘Green Hell’.
Its two hot Magma concepts will also be hitting the hill, starting with the G80 EV Magma Concept. It’ll be followed by the GV60 Magma Concept, which has already been spied testing and will be making a timed run up Goodwood Hill.
As for the Europeans, Audi will be bringing its e-tron GT Performance, which has already been confirmed to be its most powerful production car ever.
Another EV being displayed is the upcoming Alpine A290. The quirky hot hatch has been officially revealed but is yet to be seen in public, so its run up the hill will be a first for the French manufacturer.
Other vehicles in attendance will include the new Porsche Macan Turbo and three Polestar models.
Motorsports in full swing
Less than a week after the British Grand Prix, the Formula One circus will be on full display at Goodwood with a large number of cars and drivers in attendance.
Red Bull RB16B
Headlining is the Red Bull Racing team, which is this year celebrating its 20th anniversary. Leading the way is Verstappen, who will be driving the 2021 RB16B – his first championship-winning car – on the last day of the event.
Current teammate Sergio Perez will take the helm of the 2022 RB18, while Red Bull team boss Christian Horner is set to drive the championship-winning RB8 from 2012.
Former Red Bull drivers Mark Webber and Christian Klein will drive the RB6 and RB1 respectively, while Daniel Ricciardo will pilot the championship-winning 2011 RB7 up Goodwood Hill.
Also part of the Red Bull stable is Yuki Tsunoda, though he hasn’t been given Red Bull machinery. He’ll instead be driving the eye-catching Honda RA272 from 1965. Every other Red Bull car since 2005 that isn’t being driven will be on display throughout the weekend.
Current Williams drivers Alexander Albon and Logan Sargeant will share in driving the 1982 Williams-Cosworth FW08-02, while team boss James Vowles and junior Lia Block – daughter of the late Gymkhana king Ken – will also join in the action.
Emerson Fittipaldi will be in attendance to drive his 1974 title-winning McLaren, while Juan Pablo Montoya and Bruno Senna are set to drive the 2004 Williams-BMW FW26-06 and 1988 McLaren-Honda MP4/4 respectively.
Alpine F1 juniors Jack Doohan and Sophia Floersch will take turns in the then-Renault E20 from 2012. Jack won’t be the only Doohan at Goodwood this year, as superbike legend and father Mick will also be riding his title-winning 1998 Honda NSR500V up the hill.
Other bikes include a 1972 MV Agusta 500/3 piloted by legend Giacomo Agostini, and a 2024 Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade ridden by Michael Dunlop – the rider with the most wins of anyone at the infamous Isle of Man TT.
Also featured is a Niki Lauda tribute, which will see a range of his most iconic cars parading up the hill. Of note, the controversial 1978 Brabham BT46B ‘fan car’ – which Lauda drove to victory in Sweden – will be in action, driven by five-time grand prix winner John Watson.
F1 pundit Karun Chandhok will drive Lauda’s 1975 Ferrari 312 T2 as part of his busy weekend. He’s also scheduled to drive Jaguar’s Formula E challenger and the 1973 Shadow-Dodge DN4B F1 car, the latter being part of Shadow’s Goodwood showcase.
Joining Chandhok in the Shadow demonstration is ’96 world champion Damon Hill, who will drive the former team’s 1975 DN6 challenger.
Mercedes-Benz are also celebrating 130 years of motorsport, with an eclectic mix of race cars from 1907 to today set for a drive up Goodwood Hill. Notably, Mercedes-AMG’s W12 F1 car from 2021 will tackle the course at the hands of current Le Mans Series driver Frederik Vesti.
Two-time F1 champion Mika Hakkinen will take the wheel of the McLaren Solus GT, which won the timed shootout last year.
Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2
There will be plenty of rally cars on display too, including multiple Group B beasts from the 1980s. Headliners are the Audi Quattro A2 and Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2, both from 1984, which will be driven by their former title-winner Stig Blomqvist.
The Renault 5 Turbo and Lancia Delta S4 will also be in attendance, followed by World Rally Championship challengers from the 1990s. These include the Subaru Legacy and Impreza, Mitsubishi Evolution 6 from 1999, and the 1992 Toyota Celica GT-Four.
Ford’s Sierra, Escort, and Focus cars are set for runs up the hill, followed by modern rally challengers like the Hyundai i20, driven by current Hyundai WRC drivers Thierry Neuville and Daniel Sordo.
Current Toyota WRC driver and two-time champion Kalle Rovanperä will also be in attendance, but not behind the wheel of a rally car. He’ll instead be taking his Toyota GR Supra drift car up the hill in the spectacular drift category.
All to play for in the timed shoot-out
The headline event of each year’s Goodwood FOS is the timed shoot-out, which will this year be contested by a wide range of different competitors.
Leading the way will be the 1905 Darracq 200 HP, though the heat is set to be turned up before the field is even halfway through with competition from the likes of the 1979 Ferrari 512 BB LM and 1990 Nissan Skyline GT-R R32.
Travis Pastrana will once again return in his 1983 Subaru GL Wagon, known as the ‘Family Huckster’. With its wild active aero, it was certainly an eye-catcher last year.
This year, it’s got fresh competition from its bespoke cousin in the form of the Subaru WRX Project Midnight. It’s a 500kW monster, and former F1 and Rallycross driver Scott Speed is set to put it through its paces.
Subaru WRX Project Midnight
Also competing is the Ford Supervan 4.2, alongside the Koenigsegg Jesko Attack, Lotus Evija, Alpine A110 Pikes Peak, and several M Sport BMWs. Also expect to see the Genesis GV60 Magma Concept pushing up the hill, followed by the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT and Rolls-Royce Spectre.
The Ford Puma Rally1 Hybrid WRC car will make a run too, with the shoot-out to be rounded out by the formidable Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 Hybrid.
For more information on the event and how to watch live, visit the official Goodwood website.
