Goodwood Festival of Speed
Another year, another success. Ted spent Sunday in the sun...
Once again this year the Goodwood Festival of Speed delighted visitors from across the world. The annual event used to be a well kept secret amongst Petrolheads but is now an internationally famous event patronised by most of the major manufacturers.
In fact, more effort is put into the festival by some manufacturers now than that for the British Motor Show. BMW were there with a two storey exhibition centre and many of the other manufacturers had stands bigger than were seen at the NEC.
The Festival is a delightful mixture of large manufacturer exhibits, smaller trade and club stands and the whole event is punctuated by a huge variety of cars hurtling up the hill. The race up the hill isn’t taken too seriously and many of the drivers take the opportunity to showboat in front of the crowds. From rally drivers doing doughnuts to Formula One drivers doing burnouts it’s all dramatic stuff.
The cars used vary each year and range from some rather ancient machinery right up to modern day concept cars. Thrown in the ‘Wacky Racers’ for the kids and dozens of historic race cars and you’ve got a mixture that will suit all tastes.
There were a few accidents this year although it's not thought that there were any serious injuries. A number of the 'soap box racers' crashed. These freewheeling cars head down the hill propelled simply by gravity and can reach speeds in excess of 60mph. Made by some of the top race teams there's some serious technology in many of them to produce such lightweight cars. Steering controls remain crude however and a few of them crashed spectacularly. The other notable crash of the weekend was the Mercielago which understeered straight into a hay bale!
Air displays are becoming a regular feature at the festival too. As well as the WW2 Spitfire, Hurricane and Mustang roaring overhead this year there was also a South African Airways 747 doing some scary manoeuvres!
Tickets were not available on the door this year unlike previous years meaning that numbers had been limited. Recent years have seen the Sunday extremely full whilst this year the balance was just right and whilst the crowds were enormous, getting around the venue was no longer a stressful experience. Lord March should certainly be congratulated on sacrificing some takings in the name of keeping the event pleasurable for all involved.
PetrolTed
jesprit said:
What's this all about?
See here
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=108351
jesprit said:
there was also a South African Airways 747 doing some scary manoeuvres!
What's this all about?
I wasnt there on Sunday but SAA have a 747-400 complete with a lunatic pilot who displays it. I assume it was doing the same show as when I saw it at Duxford last year and it was a little hairy to say the least. Displaying a fighter aircraft that can make 9G turns is fine as it can easily be kept in the confines of the display area. Keeping a 747 in the same area involves chucking it about quite a lot and putting it at angles that you don't normally see civil airliner at. Very impressive stuff. IIRC the pilot does the commentary too and you can hear the stick shaker and warning buzzers sounding in the background as he holds it just above stall speed whilst 100ft off the ground, gleefully telling a stunned audience about low speed flight characteristics
Big Al. said:
What's this all about?
See here
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=108351
Aha, I see.
buster said:
Angles like this at 100ft.... !
www.howveryenglish.com/FOS2004/142_4210.JPG
Holy Moly.
Thanks for filling me in.
Jason.
F1 cars and Dragsters doing burn outs.
My highlight was a ride in the Bowler Wild Cat.
My omission by Lord March from the Guest list for the party saturday night was a small disappointment however.
The whole event was piles better than the motor show.
It was well organised with no queues as such.
My ideal garage for the day was.
convertable tuscan s
bowler wild cat.
The silver hot rod with electronic dash
Kosenheggy thingy
new ford gt40
to name but a few
shadytree said:
Any more great Pics ?
I didn't really take many this year. I've a few interesting ones. Did some goodn's last year. I'll get my website sorted and some thown up there.
One thing. I'm a bit bandwidth limited so they're all low(ish) res versions.
Also, I own the copywrite on them, but feel free to use them...if you mail me first.
Canon 10D with a cheap 28-135IS if anyone's interested (got a 100-400IS and Sigma 15-30. Goes to show that you don't need mega £££ lenses to get good shots).
Cheers
Phil
The Formula one cars were wonderfull, 17,000 rpm from 20 feet away completely re-defines loud and the sound can't really be described-they sound ANGRY!- great stuff.
Then the Dragsters came out to play- 3000 bhp burnouts in front of the House that made my chest vibrate.
TVR had a Typhoon, Sagaris and a T350t, on Sunday the T350t did a 360 at the first corner to great applause from the cowd and the Mucialago driver bent his nose on the bales-take a long time to polish that one out.
And then there were the classics -Daimler Double Six with 24 inch wheels and a soft top- PW would have bought the company had he been around back then,and then there were all the true race exotics,and unique Maseratis,Ferrarri's
Then there were the women-very generous gesture towards an old man ladies-much appreciated.
The run back involved very responsible driving....yup. Absolutely. Indeedy. Slow and steady,all the way....and that includes all thoughs little german cars as well. They were very slow.
>> Edited by sideways mostly on Tuesday 29th June 18:42
For those who were impressed with the jumbo - you might be interested in the Farnborough Airshow which is on 24/25 July this year - unfortunately I'll be away on hols at that time otherwise it would be on my "Must Go" list.
I've got some pictures posted here on Scoobynet. I've also got some shots of the Jumbo aswell. I'll post them up if anyone wants them. I was standing just up the hill when the Murcielago decided to rearrange the hay bales!
Chris
BTW Stunning photo pbrett
>> Edited by scoobybloke on Monday 28th June 23:35
Fuel altereds redefining the term 'loud' whilst pumping out 3000bhp producing tear gas driven by a 70yr old. This has to be the peak of cool.
Thomas special Babs a 1926 27 litre 171mph land speed record car exhumed from Pendine sands where it was buried after killing its owner. after looking at it I think he was very brave or very foolish.
Bugatti type 32 tank
Merc w196 & W196 streamliner
BRM P261
Farrari 158
Looks like I have just acquired an expensive habit - a visit to the FOS every year!
>> Edited by gfun on Tuesday 29th June 18:46
Tank car is an all time favourite.
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=97855&f=23&h=0&hw=tank+car
"agent006 said:
Dearest Bugatti fans, get thee to Prescott Hillclimb on the 26th + 27th of June. Bugatti Owners club celebrating the 75th Aniversary."
Well, at Goodwood you had the chance to see the Tank after all.
) www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=109&t=108948
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