The Goodwood Festival of Speed opened its gates on Thursday 11th July to thousands of car enthusiasts, all eager to enjoy the manufacturer preview day, the Moving Motor Show (presented by RAC Cars.) Once the Festival was properly underway, from 12th – 14th July, car fans were treated to the annual Bonham’s car auction, the famous World Champions’ hillclimb, a paddock full of luxury cars to feast their eyes on and much more.
New car debuts
In terms of new cars making their first appearance at Goodwood, there was a range of exciting models on display. The new Rolls Royce Wraith enjoyed a successful debut, while the impressive 887 hp plug-in hybrid super sports car from Porsche, the 918 Spyder, made its first public appearance. Another hybrid supercar making waves was the P1 from McLaren, who showcased an unprecedented collection of models at the event.
Other production cars debuting at Goodwood included the Skoda Octavia vRS - perhaps more accessible to the average car buyer, and available now from Arnold Clark Skoda dealerships.
There were a few ‘concept cars’ for people to ogle, including the ItalDesign Giugiaro Parcour (which crashed at the event), the Aston CC100 and the Jaguar C-X75. The Citroen DS3 Cabrio Racing was also unveiled. F1 technology was pumped into the Renault Twizy to create an exciting electric concept car.
What else was going on?
The annual Bonham’s sale – auctioning off rare and valuable classic cars – this year achieved a record-breaking sale of £36 million in total, taking over £19 million in the sale of Juan Manuel Fangio’s Formula 1 Mercedes-Benz W196. This makes Fangio’s car the most valuable ever sold at auction.
World Rally Championship drivers set out to get the fastest time on the annual hillclimb – a 1.16 mile course through scenic forest tracks. An electric car, the Lola-Drayson EV racer, came third in the race, which was won by Justin Law in the Jaguar XJR8. A time of 45.95 seconds saw him grasp his fifth Festival of Speed victory.
The Goodwood Action Sports Area (GAS) saw two-wheeled vehicles and their drivers perform gravity-defying stunts while car buyers and fans closer to the ground enjoyed music and picnics in Goodwood Park. The festival closed with an awards ceremony, with prizes and medals handed out by Lord March.
For all our brand new car deals, search below.