Monday 27th June 2022

'Trailblazing' GT4 blazes into Chilton's trail

Porsche probably thought it had the Goodwood hillclimb sewn up with 1,088hp - but 2022 was a banner year for fast

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Apologies if you’ve beaten us to this epic bit of Goodwood highlightery today - but it’s too good not to shout about for anyone else that missed it on account of the fan car furore. We’ll obviously take nothing away from the McMurtry Spéirling that sits atop the countdown (we’ve covered it here, and it’s remarkable), but the top ten quickest countdown has some real humdingers in it, and no little variety. 

Every competitor deserves credit, but we’ll highlight a few for posterity. Firstly, Jensen Button and the FC1-X, because twinning the former F1 world champ with ‘the most powerful rallycross car ever built’ is just a lovely idea all by itself. Secondly, the Porsche GT3 Cup driven by Adam Smalley - mostly for that rev-tastic race start, but for also spearing a car up the hill that mere mortals would stand a chance of getting their heads around. And for doing it quicker than Jenson. 

Thirdly, the Jaguar XJR-12D, which gave a chance for any dad in the crowd of a certain age to bore any children nearby with stories of yore. Fourthly, the Pro Electric Supervan, because it allowed the children to return the favour (even if their gloating was like trying to argue an iPad is better than Apollo 11). And fifthly, the 862hp Subaru GL Family Huckster, which we didn’t have time to take about last week, but is, of course, manifestly brilliant and plainly (deservedly) a fan favourite. 

And finally, the 718 GT4 ePerformance. Obviously Porsche had talked about the remarkable 1,088hp EV previously, but it chose Goodwood for the car’s public world premiere, and in most other years it might have justly expected the impressive 45.5-second run to land it the coveted title of quickest up the hill - especially when you consider it outpaced a hard-charging Formula 2 car. But it wasn’t to be, thanks to Max Chilton and McMurtry. 

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[sidesauce]

That GT4 looks nuts.

[whp1983]

Although sounded dull this is interesting as it looks ace and can run for full 30 minute race.

Still don’t know how Porsche will get more soul into EV sports car but good to watch them trying and hope they manage it.

[blearyeyedboy]

Given that the (truly astounding) McMurtry is a single seater ground effect car, I would tentatively suggest that this Porsche is more relevant to the future of performance cars than the McMurtry.

*runs and hides*

[British Beef]

I think its absolutely brilliant a small team in a shed built a car that his completely obliterated the track record and the time set by this Porsche multi £million car!!

I was at FOS, and seeing the Mcmurty thing fire up its "suction turbines" on the start line and then fire up the road, was the most surreal thing I have ever seen from a car! Fantastic achievement!

[wong]

Excellent video
But, it highlights how crap electric cars sound.

[redroadster]

Why don't they add v12 noises to these leccy cars this would add more drama and safer too.

[mcpoot]

redroadster said:

Why don't they add v12 noises to these leccy cars this would add more drama and safer too.

Why not add a Brabham V16 soundtrack? If you're going to lie then lie big.

[Mr-B]

Out of all the leccy cars I thought the GT4 sounded the worst, like a dentist drill

[whp1983]

British Beef said:

I think its absolutely brilliant a small team in a shed built a car that his completely obliterated the track record and the time set by this Porsche multi £million car!!

I was at FOS, and seeing the Mcmurty thing fire up its "suction turbines" on the start line and then fire up the road, was the most surreal thing I have ever seen from a car! Fantastic achievement!

In fairness to Porsche they’ve created a useable race car that can be driven by any racer and will last a decent time again and again and meets various motorsport criteria.

The McThingy whilst hugely impressive engineering is a bit of a one purpose wonder.

Goodwood’s little hill climb wasn’t and isn’t Porsches only objective with their car.

[anonymous-user]

blearyeyedboy said:

Given that the (truly astounding) McMurtry is a single seater ground effect car, I would tentatively suggest that this Porsche is more relevant to the future of performance cars than the McMurtry.

*runs and hides*

I agree tbh. It's worth noting that the age old "race on sunday, sell on monday" thing about racing improving the road car breed has been total crock for years now, but ime Porsche are one company that do manage to transgfer something tangable from their race programs to their road ones, helped by being a sportscar manufacturer obvs, but also be actually making their race cars more road relevant than other more, er, outlandish, concepts......

[carl_w]

British Beef said:

I think its absolutely brilliant a small team in a shed built a car that his completely obliterated the track record and the time set by this Porsche multi £million car!

Financed by a billionaire though

[anonymous-user]

mcpoot said:

redroadster said:

Why don't they add v12 noises to these leccy cars this would add more drama and safer too.

Why not add a Brabham V16 soundtrack? If you're going to lie then lie big.

Personally I love the sport sound on the Porsche Taycan yes it's childish but it genuinely alerts pedestrians to your presence and is less offensive than the horn. I don't see why you can't make it about 10 times louder though, or upload your own soundtrack.

[pedrofish]

Despite all the extreme speed and futuristic looks, excitement and the thrill of speed is a combination of visual & aural....and EV’s will always lack that magic 50%. The real reason F1 is losing viewers. The March & GT3 were THE most thrilling despite not topping the speed charts.....imho

[GTRene]

great video, really liked that, also liked that GT4 good looks and stance, but the sound... EV times like some Sylvester Stallone future cop movie cars :-)

That last car, the bat mobile, wow, impressive so much of that time and the clouds it made behind the car, it looked as from another planet, great job.

edit: that GT3 cup porsche made the right sounds.

[pardonmyenglish]

1088hp? It gave me the impression it only had half that power. I guess it's the "magic" of electric efficiency.

[Guvernator]

Those EV's are impressive and can really move but I found myself looking on with a weird detachment while the sound of the ICE cars had me grinning like a Cheshire cat. For all their technical superiority, the EV's come nowhere close in the emotion stakes, something they really need to sort out.

[Steven_RW]

pedrofish said:

The March & GT3 were THE most thrilling despite not topping the speed charts.....imho

The GT3 Cup car run was lairy. Loved it.

[Terminator X]

Mr-B said:

Out of all the leccy cars I thought the GT4 sounded the worst, like a dentist drill

When CH drove it I had to turn the vid off as the racket was doing my head in.

TX.

[WonkeyDonkey]

Surely a GT4 is no longer a GT4 when it is faster than a GT3?

[anonymous-user]

Looks like some great runs fhis year. How many cars actually tried to set a decent time up the hill? The year I went seemed to be endless demo runs and burnouts.