Hosted for 20 years by Lord March of Goodwood House, near Chichester and the Rolls Royce plant, the Festival of Speed is now huge. Listed among UK Premier annual events.
The central theme of the gathering is a Hill Climb course upon which all manner of sports and racing cars, and motorbikes do timed runs.
Classic and modern sportscars, formula 1 vehicles from the past and present.
The former and current stars take the cars for their spins.
Today Jenson Button, Lewis Hamilton and Alain Prost were among the hundreds who took part.
But so much is going on at these events that to really fully appreciate them you have to be present for more than just one day. RallyCross is also taking place high up in the woods, to which you are ferried by tractor and carriage carts. We did not do that section today.
On the way up you can pay to do RallyCross....anyone can learn to drive....and other activities including rough landrover courses.
You can pay to go up in a helicopter.
Huge numbers of giant stands from all the manufacturers and anybody else remotely to do with cars.
There's a new stadium area for stunt biking and other stunt activites.
Hill climbs are interspersed with stunt displays on the main track.
Like any top notch UK venue, the catering is very special, in large marquees, but also a huge variety of other foodvans and beer and wine tents.
Everyday there are air displays thrown in. Yesterday was the Red Arrows. Tomorrow is a Eurofighter.
There is comedy from the Wacky Races. Lord March has actually commissioned scale working models of the complete collection in the last 10 years or so.
Style et Luxe is different every year, but feature's many of manufacturer's one offs....to show off their designer's skills with wonderful prototypes. This year is the Queen's Jubilee, so Lord March managed to collect up a huge collection of the Queen's own specially designed vehicles for State and personal use here and all over the world. Each year a whole team of design oriented judges pick their favorite designs. people like Nicky Haslam, Kevin of Grand Designs....many well known and recognised people. George Lucas (Star Wars)was one of the judges last year.
One year, my son Ben accidentally elbowed Jay Leno. People from all over the world are walking around, and some are extremely well known.You are free to walk around the pit areas and examine the cars close-up.
Mercedes Benz Film on a proper Video Camera, including some trackshots.
Their YouTube Clip.
A Video on a related theme
Stripping an engine
in 3000 pictures
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