2009 Goodwood Festival of Speed (July 3-5)

[Wouter Melissen]

With less than two weeks to go the 2009 edition of the Goodwood Festival of Speed promises to be one of the best yet. Going against the trend, it seems that more manufacturers, teams and star drivers have promised to drop by. The list of old and new cars already confirmed are enough to make any enthusiast's mouth water.

We will of course be attendance all three days and will bring you every highlight of the Festival of Speed as well as the Bonhams auction. Some of the cars to be driven up the hill:

Citroën GT Concept

McLaren MP4/4 Honda

Pagani Zonda R

Williams FW07B Cosworth

One of the stars of the Bonhams auction is:

Sunbeam 2-Litre Grand Prix

Our report from last year:

2008 Goodwood Festival of Speeds

Surprisingly there are still tickets available, which can be ordered on the official Goodwood website.

Below are some of the press releases describing the coming attractions. You can use this thread to discuss the event, plan your trip and set up meetings at Goodwood.

[Wouter Melissen]

Introduction:

GOODWOOD ANNOUNCES THE 2009 FESTIVAL OF SPEED THEME: ‘TRUE GRIT – EPIC FEATS OF ENDURANCE’

The Earl of March has today (Wednesday 10 December) confirmed the theme of the 2009 Goodwood Festival of Speed as ‘True Grit ­ – Epic Feats of Endurance.’ The theme celebrates the drive and determination of motor racing’s heroes, who overcame huge physical, mental and mechanical barriers in their quest for glory. From Jackie Stewart’s enduring victory at the 1968 German Grand Prix, despite his broken wrist, to Mick Doohan’s courageous return to motorcycle racing in 1992, without full use of his right leg, there are countless amazing tales of performances far beyond what was thought possible for any human being. When most would have accepted defeat, these few continued to pursue their goals against all odds. The 2009 Festival of Speed will celebrate their unrelenting true grit and the legends born from it.

The 2009 Festival will run from 3-5 July and will celebrate the true motor sport heroes that went the extra mile in the pursuit of victory. Motor racing legends and modern day stars are expected to line up alongside their friends and adversaries at the celebrated 1.16 mile hillclimb, in a tribute to great feats of endurance in competition.

The selection of machinery at the 2009 Festival of Speed is expected to feature a sensational gathering of the world’s finest competition cars and motorcycles, each present to help an epic story of spellbinding performance. In action on two-wheels and four will be everything from early Grand Prix and endurance machines, to off-road and contemporary racers. Also featuring will be the centenaries of Bugatti, Audi and Morgan, 50 years of both Mini and the Daytona Speedway, 40 years since Jackie Stewart and Matra’s dominance in motor sport, plus 60 continuous years of both the Motorcycle World Championship and the most famous endurance race of them all, the 24 Hours of Le Mans – Goodwood will celebrate the huge and lasting influence of these marques, circuits and championships as part of the richest celebration of motor sport history in the world, the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Complementing the overall Festival of Speed theme will be a host of other attractions at the world’s greatest celebration of motoring. Aside from getting close to the action-packed hillclimb and paddocks, Festival-goers will be able to relish some of the most stylish vehicles ever designed at the Cartier ‘Style et Luxe’ concours d’elegance, glimpse into the future of personal transportation at the BP Ultimate FoS-TECH technology pavilion, see many of motor sport’s famous faces up close, swoon at the mouth-watering display of supercars in the world’s finest moving motor show, witness the exciting sideways action on the Forest Rally Stage and become a part of the action at the off-road activity fields and Junior Festival of Speed.

Goodwood Festival of Speed founder, Lord March says: ‘It will be fabulous to have so many great cars and drivers here at Goodwood to celebrate our endurance theme for 2009. I look forward with much anticipation to seeing some of the great endurance drivers, riders and machines in action.’

The date for next year’s Festival of Speed is now confirmed to be taking place from 3-5 July 2009 with the Goodwood Revival also confirmed for the weekend of 18.19.20 September.

For media enquiries, please contact Gary Axon or Janet Bradley in the Goodwood Motor Sport Press Office:

Telephone: +44 1243 755109

Fax: +44 1243 755115

Goodwood

[Wouter Melissen]

Press release:

With Father’s Day just weeks away (Sunday 21 June), Goodwood is encouraging all good sons and daughters to show just how much they appreciate their dad, by treating him to a visit for this year’s Festival of Speed, being held at Goodwood House from 3-5 July.

The Festival of Speed is firmly established as the world’s biggest celebration of the history of motor sport. Your hero (your dad) will be able to see a huge number of his favourite motor sport heroes in action, as many compete against the clock on the challenging 1.16-mile Goodwood Hill.

The theme of this year’s Festival is ‘True Grit ­ Epic Feats of Endurance.’ The theme celebrates the drive and determination of motor racing’s heroes, who overcame huge physical, mental and mechanical barriers in their quest for glory. From Jackie Stewart’s enduring victory at the 1968 German Grand Prix, despite his broken wrist, to Mick Doohan’s courageous return to motorcycle racing in 1992, without full use of his right leg, there are countless amazing tales of performances far beyond what was thought possible for any human being. The 2009 Festival of Speed will celebrate their unrelenting true grit and the legends born from it.

The list of competition drivers and riders due to appear at this year’s Festival of Speed is expected to read like a who’s who of motor sport champions. Current F1 stars, including Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, will rub shoulders with the big names in WRC, World Superbikes, NASCAR and many other motor sport categories, including Mark Webber, Allan McNish and David Coulthard. Father’s favourites like Sirs Stirling Moss and Jackie Stewart will join legends such as Jacky Ickx, Damon Hill, Rusty Wallace and Hannu Mikkola.

With over 350 vehicles entries, and 90 top drivers expected, the Festival of Speed will have something for every father’s taste:

* Racing cars, spanning the decades from early Edwardian racing pioneers, through to current F1 cars, not forgetting legendary Le Mans endurance racers, throaty CanAm cars, current Supercars and a wealth of motorcycles
* World rallying heroes going sideways on the exciting Goodwood Forest Rally Stage
* Stunning ‘central display’ featuring 100 years of Audi
* Cartier ‘Style et Luxe’ automotive design competition, including a dedicated class of special Bugattis, Rolls-Royce, Minis and custom chopper bikes.
* An air display featuring the Euro Fighter
* The FoS-TECH technology pavilion, with plenty of exciting new concept cars, many making their world debut

Add in great live music, plus the Junior Festival of Speed, and the Festival makes for the perfect summer outing, so that the whole family can have fun, not just dad.

Entry is by advance ticket only, with tickets available from the Goodwood Ticket Hotline:
Telephone: +44 (0)1243 755055
Fax: +44 (0)1243 755058
E-mail: bookings@goodwood.co.uk;
On-line via the Online Ticket section of the Goodwood website

[Wouter Melissen]

Press release:

In just five weeks time, a record number of legendary pre-War ‘Silver Arrows’ German racers will gather at the Festival of Speed from 3-5 July as part of Goodwood’s celebrations to mark 75 years since the first appearance of the dominant Auto Union and Mercedes-Benz competition cars.

Recognising this important moment in motor racing history, Goodwood plans to gather together the largest collection of Silver Arrows racers ever seen in one location, with at least a dozen or more Auto Union and Mercedes-Benz cars scheduled to attend the 2009 Festival.

The Silver Arrows name (Silberpfeile in German) was adopted by the press as a mark of respect for the all-conquering Nazi-backed Auto Union and Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix cars that raced pre-War between 1934 and 1939. The Silver Arrows tag was also applied post-War to the Mercedes-Benz Formula One cars of 1954/55.

Famous Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrows racers due to appear at Goodwood will include the 1934 W25 and 1937 W125 – both to be driven by Jochen Mass – plus the 1939 W165 and 1954 W196, the latter with Sir Stirling Moss behind the wheel.

A number of Auto Unions will also be on hand, helping to form part of the Centenary celebrations of Audi, as well as 75 years of the Silver Arrows. Audi will be the main featured marque at this year’s Festival of Speed, with an imposing ‘Central Feature’ art installation directly outside Goodwood House. Auto Unions in attendance will include the 1934 Type A and 1938 Type D, the latter due to be driven by Le Mans legend Jacky Ickx and Pink Floyd’s drummer and huge motoring enthusiast Nick Mason.

In addition to the Silver Arrows Auto Unions, an impressive collection Audi’s other important motor racing moments will be honoured at the Festival. These will include the pioneering rallying Quattros of the 1980s, through to the latest Audi R10s that have dominated endurance sport car racing in recent years.

Entrance to the 2009 Goodwood Festival of Speed is by advance ticket only. Please contact the Ticket Hotline by:
Telephone: +44 1243 755055
Fax: on +44 1243 755058
Email: bookings@goodwood.com
Online at: Goodwood Online

[Wouter Melissen]

Press release:

With just five weeks to go until the 2009 Festival of Speed (3-5 July), Goodwood can already confirm that over 75 of the greatest motor racing drivers and riders will be present at the world’s largest celebration of motoring culture, with more big names expected to follow over the coming weeks.

For the first time in its 17 years history, the Festival of Speed will be attended by both the reigning Formula One and WRC World Champions. Formula One ace and Goodwood regular Lewis Hamilton will be on hand to entertain the Festival crowds, as will five-times WRC champion and Festival rookie Sebastian Loeb. The current 2009 season Formula One championship leader Jenson Button is also confirmed for Goodwood, as are fellow F1 drivers Mark Webber and Timo Glock. In all six of the current-season F1 teams are scheduled to attend the Festival, including McLaren, Ferrari, Williams, Toyota and Red Bull, plus the new Brawn GP team.

Joining Sebastian Loeb in action on the Goodwood Forest Rally Stage will be a who’s who of rallying legends, including Walter Rohl, Bjorn Waldegaard, Stig Blomqvist, Hannu Mikkola, and Rauno Aaltonen.

Two-wheel heroes in action up the Goodwood Hill are set to include former World Champions Mick Doohan and Max Biaggi, as well as current World Superbike and World Supersport title contenders Troy Corser, Yukio Kagayama, Leon Haslam, Jonathon Rea, Cal Crutchlow, Troy Bayliss and Broc Parkes.

Famous names from motor racing’s past at the Festival will include Sir Stirling Moss, Jackie Stewart, Eddie Irvine, David Coulthard, Dan Gurney, Derek Bell, Damon Hill, Jacky Ickx, John Surtees, Rusty Wallace, and Takuma Sato.

Popular stars and vehicle enthusiasts from the world of entertainment will also be at Goodwood to enjoy the action, including cult American talk show host Jay Leno, Hollywood acting legend Peter Fonda, rock musician Nick Mason and celebrity chef James Martin.

A full summary of the drivers and riders, along with the vehicles they will be running up the challenging 1.16-mile Goodwood hillclimb, is attached.

To order advance tickets, please contact the Ticket Hotline:
Telephone: +44 1243 755055
Fax: +44 1243 755058
Email: bookings@goodwood.com
On-line via the Online Ticket section of the new Goodwood website

[Wouter Melissen]

Press release:

In just four weeks time Goodwood and the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula One team will be making dreams come true for a number of motor racing enthusiasts – including the reigning F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton – at the annual Festival of Speed (3-5 July).

Lewis Hamilton’s dream is set to come true at Goodwood when he demonstrates the 1988 McLaren-Honda MP4/4 turbo, as driven by his hero Ayrton Senna, up the famous 1.16-mile Festival of Speed hillclimb. Hamilton has been a life-long admirer of Senna, and the rare opportunity to drive the Brazilian’s World Championship-winning 1988 MP4/4 is too good to miss. It promises to be a real treat for both Lewis and his fan base.

In addition to driving Ayrton Senna’s 1988 car, Lewis Hamilton will also demonstrate his more familiar Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-23, which took him to F1 World Championship victory last year, at the Festival.

Lewis will also make a member of the public’s dream come true at Goodwood as well. One very lucky buyer of a Festival of Speed ticket for Sunday 5th July will get the unique, once-in-a-lifetime chance to be driven up the Festival hillclimb in the incredible Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, with Lewis Hamilton as his or her ‘chauffeur.’

Goodwood race fans who have bought, or plan to buy, tickets for the Friday and/or Saturday of the Festival of Speed will also be given the opportunity to ride up the Hill in the SLR with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes’s F1 test driver Pedro de la Rosa, who celebrates 10 years of F1 involvement this year.

Any buyer of a 2009 Festival of Speed ticket aged 18 or over that attends the event on any or all of the three days will be in with a chance of winning a ride up the Goodwood Hill in an SLR with either Pedro (Friday and Saturday) or Lewis (Sunday). A ticket stub will be drawn by Lord March once a day, and the lucky winner will be informed by midday on the day of his or her visit.

Admission to the Festival of Speed is by advance ticket only. Tickets can be obtained from the Goodwood Ticket Hotline:
Telephone: +44 1243 755055
Fax: +44 1243 755058
Email: bookings@goodwood.co.uk
On-line: Goodwood Online

[Wouter Melissen]

Press release:

With three weeks still to go until the 2009 Festival of Speed gets underway (3-5 July), Goodwood can now confirm that an all-time high of over 115+ star drivers and riders will be present at the world’s largest celebration of motoring culture. This beats the Festival’s previous best of 101 top attendees from the world of motor sport in 2008.

As well as having both the reigning Formula One and WRC World Champions at Goodwood (Lewis Hamilton and Sebastien Loeb) the latest confirmed list who will be driving or riding what the at the 2009 Festival of Speed reads like a who’s who of motor racing.

Joining existing confirmed drivers such as the current 2009 season Formula One championship leader Jenson Button and Sebastien Loeb’s team mate Dani Sordo, sharing his WRC Citroen C4, will be David Brabham, driving his father’s 1959 World Championship-winning Cooper T51, Bruno Senna driving his uncle Ayrton’s McLaren MP4/4 (as will Lewis Hamilton), and Eddie Irvine driving Gilles Villeneuve’s famous Ferrari 312 T3.

The latest summary of the drivers and riders, including new additions Riccardo Patrese and Johnny Herbert, along with the vehicles they will be running up the challenging 1.16-mile Goodwood hillclimb, is attached.

To order advance tickets, please contact the Ticket Hotline:
Telephone: +44 1243 755055
Fax: +44 1243 755058
Email: bookings@goodwood.co.uk;
On-line via the Online Ticket section of the new Goodwood website

[Wouter Melissen]

Press release:

As the 2009 Formula One (F1) circus comes home to the UK for this weekend’s last British Grand Prix at Silverstone, Goodwood is readying itself for the attendance of many of the F1 teams just two weeks later at the Festival of Speed (3-5 July).

The Festival of Speed remains unique in the world in its ability to attract the top current works F1 teams and drivers. Nowhere else on the planet can motor sport enthusiasts get so close to the latest and greatest current F1 cars and drivers. F1 attendees at Goodwood this year will include;

* Scuderia Ferrari – the popular F1 team will be here from Italy with its test driver Marc Gené to demonstrate the title-winning F2008
* McLaren-Mercedes – the MP4/23 that took Lewis Hamilton to F1 World Championship victory last year will be in action all weekend, with Lewis Hamilton and team test driver Pedro de la Rose at the controls. Hamilton and de la Rosa will also be driving one lucky Festival of Speed ticket buyer up the Goodwood hill each day in a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren supercar. Goodwood will also be making Lewis Hamilton’s dream come true when he drives the 1988 McLaren-Honda MP4/4 of his F1 hero Ayton Senna on Sunday 5 July.
* Brawn GP – The newest and to date most successful F1 team in the 2009 pit lane will bring along the Brawn-Mercedes BGP 001 and British hero Jenson Button on Sunday 5 July
* Red Bull – the Red Bull-Cosworth STR1 will smoke its tyres all weekend with Mark Webber and David Coulthard behind the wheel
* Toyota – the TF108 will be in action, with Timo Glock demonstrating its pace and power
* Williams-Toyota – the great British team will be at the Festival with the FW29 car as part of the 40th anniversary of Sir Frank Williams involvement in Formula One. An number of other significant Williams F1 cars and drivers will be on hand at Goodwood to honour Sir Frank’s 40 years in F1, including Damon Hill, David Coulthard, Alan Jones and Riccardo Patrese.

Look out in the paddock for other familiar Formula One faces too, such as Sir Jackie Stewart, Sir Stirling Moss, Murray Walker, Eddie Irvine, Sir Frank Williams, Johnny Herbert, Patrick Head, John Surtees, Jackie Ickx, David Richards, Takuma Sato, Christian Horner and Adrian Newey, all of whom have attended the Festival in recent years. Away from F1, the reigning WRC World Champion Sebastian Loeb will be in action in his dominant WRC Citroen C4, and the top three finishing teams from last weekend’s Le Mans 24 hour race will also be present with their cars, including the winning Peugeot 908 HDi FAP.

[Wouter Melissen]

Press release:

In just two weeks time Britain’s largest annual ‘moving motor show’ opens its doors to 145,000+ visitors as the Festival of Speed gets underway (3-5 July). Goodwood has firmly established itself as the best place to see the latest motoring marvels and best supercars in action from around the globe, and this year is no exception with a number of significant new models making their UK or European debuts.

The Sunday Times Supercar Run is unique in providing a dynamic environment in which the public can view new models for the first time. Unlike a conventional motor show, the Supercar Run affords a fantastic opportunity not only to exhibit a new supercar, but also to show it in action on the Goodwood hillclimb. This year 50 cars will participate in the Run, the majority of which have never been seen publically in action before.

Supercars set to make their UK debuts will include the targa-top Bugatti Veyron Gran Sport, the awesome Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren SLR Stirling Moss, Ferrari Scuderia Spider 16M, Pagani Zonda R and the wild Tramontana from Spain. Other Goodwood debutants include the Porsche Panamera S, Audi R8 V10, Morgan Aero SuperSports, Aston Martin V12 Vantage, Lotus Evora, Lexus LF-A and Nissan’s new GT-R Spec V and 370Z.

A number of sensational concept cars will be seen in action for the first time, including the GTbyCitroen, as well as the striking Bertone Mantide. Giugiaro’s latest hybrid concept sports car, the Ital Design Frazer Nash Namir, the stunning Infiniti Essence and the unusual Rinspeed Projekt iChange will also be driven up the Goodwood hill as part of a class of low emission vehicles, new to this year’s Festival. These cars will be located in the FoS-TECH pavilion, in association with BP Ultimate. This year FoS-TECH becomes a ‘live’ paddock for green-focused concept cars. Also represented with their latest supercar models will be manufacturers such as Alfa Romeo, Ariel, Bentley, BMW, Caparo, Jaguar, Koenigsegg, Lamborghini, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz, Pagani, RUF and Spyker.

Away from the Supercar Run, over a dozen other new vehicles will be making their UK public debut, including the new Mazda 3, Mercedes-Benz E-Class saloon and coupe, E 63 AMG, production Ford Focus RS, Alpina B7, Vauxhall Insignia VXR, Audi A1 concept, TT RS and S5 Cabriolet and the British debut of the Infiniti brand, with the very first RHD product Infiniti in action; a G37 Convertible.

To order advance tickets, please contact the Ticket Hotline:
Telephone: +44 1243 755055
Fax: +44 1243 755058
Email: bookings@goodwood.com
Book online at: Goodwood Online

[Wouter Melissen]

Audi Press Release:

Audi Tradition is taking a veritable armada of racing cars to the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the south of England from July 3 to 5, where Audi will be the “featured marquee”. At the most prestigious classic motor sport event in the world, no fewer than 15 current and historic Audi racing cars will be climbing the hill in the grounds of the Earl of March’s stately home. In Audi’s one-hundredth year, they will be documenting over 70 years of motor sport involvement by the brand with the four rings. There will be a whole array of big names driving them, from World Rally Champions Walter Röhrl, Stig Blomqvist and Hannu Mikkola to DTM, STC and Le Mans heroes Frank Biela, Allan McNish, Dindo Capello and Marco Werner. Audi Tradition has invited a towering figure from Formula 1 and Le Mans history, Jacky Ickx, as well as Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason, to attend Goodwood as its special guests.
Nick Mason has already driven the Auto Union Type C and Type D Dual Compressor Silver Arrows for Audi Tradition at Goodwood in the past two years. The motor sport enthusiast and owner of an outstanding collection of racing cars is facing a particular challenge in 2009. Mason will be piloting the largely original Auto Union Type D from 1938 in its very last demonstration run. After Goodwood 2009, this outstanding piece of motor sport history will be definitively retired from “active service” and will eventually go on show in the Audi museum mobile. “It’s a great honour for me to be allowed to drive this car on its last outing, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity,” commented an overjoyed Nick Mason. But the Pink Floyd drummer is also renowned for his dry humour: “It looks like I’m acquiring a reputation far and wide as the most experienced Auto Union driver still around.” After Goodwood 2009, Nick Mason will be the only person to have driven all three still-roadworthy Auto Union Silver Arrow cars in the possession of Audi Tradition.
The long-standing Formula 1 racing driver Jacky Icky will also be taking to the wheel of an Auto Union Silver Arrow at Goodwood. The six-times Le Mans winner is looking forward to driving the Auto Union Type D Dual Compressor from 1939, which Audi Tradition has had rebuilt, and which made its maiden run last year. Ickx commented: “It’s a privilege to be allowed to drive this Auto Union racing car – at Goodwood of all places, this unique event.” The line-up of Audi Tradition Silver Arrow models will be completed by the Auto Union Type C Streamliner. The authentic copy of the world record breaker from 1937 will go on show in the pit lane, marking the 75th anniversary of the Silver Arrow.
Another towering figure from the history of motor sport will once more be driving for Audi: Walter Röhrl, widely regarded as the greatest rally driver ever. Now 62 years old, he won the World Championship in 1980 and 1982, but one of the most memorable moments of his illustrious career came in 1987 when he took the Audi Sport quattro S1 up Pikes Peak in the USA in record time. Walter Röhrl will now be taking that selfsame car up the hill at Goodwood. Röhrl remarked: “I am absolutely delighted to be getting my hands on the Audi Pikes Peak again. It’s a truly fabulous experience to be able to do so at Goodwood.” And Walter Röhrl will also be driving another icon from his time as an Audi driver – the Audi 90 quattro IMSA GTO, in which the Bavarian participated in circuit races in the USA in 1989. He will be joined by two team colleagues from his rally-driving heyday, two drivers who equally earned themselves a prominent place in the annals of rally driving history: Hannu Mikkola and Stig Blomqvist, 1983 and 1984 World Rally Champions in an Audi. The Finn Mikkola will be driving the car in which Audi captured the World Rally Championship, the Audi quattro A2, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Blomqvist will be piloting the “monster” – the Audi Sport quattro S1.
Completing the field are the multiple Le Mans winners Frank Biela, Allan McNish, Dindo Capello and Marco Werner, accompanied by the two-times German Rally Champion for Audi, Harald Demuth. They will all be driving types entered by Audi at Le Mans at some stage – R8R, R8, R10 and R15. Then there are the Audi A4 DTM from 2007, the Audi A4 STC from 1996, the Audi V8 quattro DTM, the 1988 Audi 200 quattro TransAm and the Audi R8 LMS. The fleet is rounded off by the only motorcycle that Audi Tradition is showing at Goodwood. In honour of Ewald Kluge, who would have turned 100 this year and became the first German rider to win the Tourist Trophy in 1938, the model on which Kluge competed for Auto Union on the Isle of Man – a DKW 250 SS – will be lining up at the start

[Wouter Melissen]

Toyota press release:

Toyota has lined up five notable debuts for this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, led by a first appearance in the UK for the Lexus LF-A supercar.

Gazoo Racing’s V10-powered LF-A will be one of the main new attractions on the hill climb course, coming to Goodwood after successfully completing the Nürburgring 24-hour race as part of its continuing development programme. It will be joined by another competition Lexus, the racing IS F which also took part in the 24-hour event.

Panasonic Toyota Racing will be back at Goodwood, ready to stir the crowds with a supreme display of F1 speed and technology. Timo Glock, one of grand prix racing’s fast-rising stars, will be on hand to drive the TF108, the last F1 Toyota to be designed before the sport introduced its current restrictions on wing sizes and additional aerodynamic elements.

The occasion will also provide a high profile showcase for Toyota’s continuing involvement in grass roots motor sport in the UK. The Toyota Sprint Series will be represented for the first time on the hill climb, in the shape of the mighty 700hp Fensport 4WD Celica GT4-X. Two more cars from the popular competition will also be included in the festival’s static display.

With the likely absence of any ice around Goodwood in early July, Alain Prost’s all-conquering Andros Trophy Auris will be confined to Toyota’s static display. The four-time F1 champion has claimed back-to-back titles in the annual ice racing championship at the wheel of this extraordinary car, which features carbon fibre bodywork and a tuned version of the 3.0-litre V6 engine that was used in the Lexus RX.

The festival rally stage will echo to the roar of some of Toyota’s most celebrated and successful machinery, including Group B Celica Twin-cam Turbo, Celica ST185, Celica GT4 ST205 and its ultimate championship machine, the WRC Corolla.

As well as enjoying the thrill of seeing the TF108 F1 car in action, visitors will also be able to get a driver’s eye view from the cockpit in the pit stop challenge simulator. This will form part of Toyota’s display stand alongside a wealth of classic and contemporary cars, including the mighty Toyota 7 Can-AM V8 and the TS010 Le Mans Car.

The wilder side of Toyota styling can be enjoyed with Aygo Crazy and iQ Gazoo, and the Arctic-conquering Polar Hilux will also be on show. Toyota exhibits in the Technology Pavilion will include cut-away versions of new Prius and iQ, illustrating Toyota’s latest Hybrid Synergy Drive system and, on the iQ, its new Toyota Optimal Drive technologies. Another LF-A will be on show, along with Crystallised Wind, a glass artwork by the Japanese artist Sou Fujimoto, inspired by Lexus’s L-finesse design principles.

[Wouter Melissen]

Bonhams press release:

Bonhams has announced an outstanding catalogue of cars as part of its successful annual sale at the Goodwood Festival of Speed (3-5 July 2009). Now in its 17th year, the event is recognised as the United Kingdom’s biggest celebration of motoring, with the auction (which has been in place since the event’s inception) seen as a key component to the weekend.

Leading the line-up in 2009 is a 1965 Ford GT40 Endurance Racing Coupe – a period-built, modern-day, race-prepared competition car which has regularly proved itself as a competitive historic racing front-runner and race winner. The car’s most recent owner (a former three-times Group C2 endurance racing World Champion) prepared it into one of the fastest Ford GT40s on the contemporary historic racing scene. Successes include victory in the Whitsun Trophy at the 2007 Goodwood Revival Meeting, first place in 2005 for both the Tour Britannia and the Tour de Espana and class honours in every running of the biennial Le Mans Classic 2002-2008 where it notched up 11 race wins from just 13 starts. In short, the car is the finest and most competitive example of a GT40 to be offered for sale in recent times. And with such exceptional credentials, it is little wonder that the car is estimated at between £900,000-1,100,000.

The GT40 is joined by a host of other exciting lots, including a 1922 Sunbeam 2-litre Strasbourg Grand Prix Works Racing Car, believed to have been driven by Kenelm Lee Guinness in the guelling French Grand Prix of that year, with his loyal mechanic Bill Perkins alongside. The Sunbeam later went on to win the Championship race and Private Competitors’ Handicap held at Brooklands. After the Second World War, the car successfully campaigned at Silverstone, Goodwood and the Prescott Hillclimb. Arguably the most attractive of all the Sunbeam racing cars, the Strasbourg Sunbeam is a covetable addition to any collection of historic racing cars, and the presence of this car on the market today for the first time in 41 years offers a rare opportunity for an enthusiast to acquire one of the few surviving British Grand Prix cars of the era. The lot is estimated at £300,000-350,000.


Other prestigious cars included in the auction include a 1958 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I Drophead Coupe with coachwork by Mulliner & Co, which is estimated at £210,000-240,000, a 1931 Bentley 4-Litre Coupe with coachwork by HJ Mulliner which is expected to achieve £180,000-240,000, a 1930 Aston Martin International 2/4 1½-Litre at between £80,000-90,000 and a 1973 Ferrari 246 GTS Dino which is priced between £65,000-75,000.

Meanwhile Mini Cooper enthusiasts will be excited at the inclusion of two classic cars: “The ex-Paddy Hopkirk, 1963 RAC Rally Works” 1962 Mini Coooper S ‘8 EMO’ which is estimated between £80,000-100,000 and “The ex-Timo Makinen 1966 Monte Carlo Rally Works” 1965 Mini Cooper S ‘GRX 555D which is expected to reached £50,000-60,000.

James Knight, International Managing Director of the Bonhams Motoring Department comments: “Although we are pleased to offer once again a diverse entry, we made a conscious effort this year to attract quality over quantity and limit duplication. We offer something to suit all tastes and pockets and I am very pleased with the line up.”

[Ferrer]

Goodwood is definitely on my "to attend one day" list.

[f6fhellcat13]

Originally Posted by Wouter Melissen

Silver Arrows on target for a record gathering at the 2009 Goodwood Festival of Speed

Is that a one (two)-wheel burnout, or exhaust? I would assume that a car of that caliber would have a LSD, but I also wouldn't want to run a car of that value if it's exhaust was smoking that much.
It is a four-stroke, right?

[W.R.]

I'm goingI'm goingI'm goingI'm goingI'm goingI'm goingI'm goingI'm goingI'm goingI'm goingI'm goingI'm goingI'm goingI'm goingI'm goingI'm goingI'm goingI'm goingI'm goingI'm goingI'm goingI'm goingI'm goingI'm going! And I'm childishly excited.