Motorshow’s are generally quite standard affairs. There is usually much hype in the run up, with manufacturers teasing pictures of new cars, then on the day a silky sheet draping said car is whipped off to much forced applause. Models walk around and open doors and sometimes there is a smoke machine. Tragically though the cars just tend to sit still, bathed in artificial light not moving one inch. The Goodwood Festival of Speed however likes to do things a bit differently.
Goodwood Festival of Speed 2014
As the name eludes too, Goodwood is more about celebrating speed than just standing watching it rotate on a plinth. And announced for this year’s festival is an event that celebrates speed better than ever. For the first time, the world’s supercar manufacturers are being invited to run their cars up the iconic 1.16 mile hillclimb against the clock, and against one another in the Michelin Supercar Run. Expect competitiveness as manufacturers like Ferrari, Porsche, McLaren and Mercedes set out to prove who’s quickest. Excitingly, Honda has also confirmed they will be running a car up the hill, choosing Goodwood to debut their new highly anticipated NSX against the competition.
Festival Highlights
Other things to look forward to at this year’s festival include French rally hero Sebastien Loeb being reunited with his 208 T16 Pikes Peak car for what I suspect will be a seriously quick blast up the hill. Richard “The King” Petty a NASCAR legend will also blast up the hill in his 1967 Plymouth Belvedere, the car in which he won the most races. Le Mans drivers like Derek Bell and Emanuele Pirro will also make an appearance as will Porsche’s latest sports car racing signing Mark Webber.
Supercar Run
Also new for this year’s show is a special Supercar Forward Parking area. This means if you do happen to be attending and you own a car that appears on this list, Goodwood will let you park within the actual showground. Unfortunately my A4 Quattro doesnt quite make the cut!
The Festival of Speed takes place this year from the 26th to the 29th June at the Goodwood Estate in West Sussex. MotorVerso hopes to be there so we can report on everything you need to know, and see and hear from cars spanning over one hundred years of speed.
