2010 Festival of Speed
More than twenty manufacturers exhibited in the Moving Motor Show, with UK debuts including the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Alfa Romeo Giulietta and MG Cars MG6.
The Moving Motor Show was supplemented by the Supercar Run, a multi-million dollar collection of the world's most desirable contemporary exotica, demonstrated on the Hill. There were world debuts of the stunning McLaren MP4-12C, plus launches of the Ferrari 458 Italia, Spyker C-8 Aileron, Lexus LFA, and many others. Exciting future-focused concepts, including the Audi e-tron, Citroen ReVolte, Rinspeed UC and Vauxhall Ampera.
Celebrating 100 years of motoring heritage was Italian sporting car manufacturer Alfa Romeo, which was honoured as the featured marque of the Festival. As well as the Centenary celebrations, the event marked the public debut of the new Alfa Giulietta - a stylish 5-door hatchback.
A highlight of the Festival was the display of a long list of prized historic Alfas, including the 1925 World Championship winning Alfa P2 Grand Prix racecar, which joined its modern counterpart, the Alfa 8C Competizione. Over 50 important Alfa Romeos were on show, including 16 priceless examples which made the pilgrimage from the Museo Storico Alfa Romeo in Arese, Italy. Four of these, the 8C 2900 B Speciale tipo Le Mans 1938, Gran Premio Tipo B (P3) 1932, Gran Premio Tipo 159 'Alfetta' 1951 and 155 DTM 1993 were seen in action on the Goodwood Hill climb course.
The Hill climb is the Festival of Speed's principal attraction. Taking place throughout the weekend, this challenging 1.16-mile course climbs a steep and narrow Estate road bordered by stone walls and dense woodland groves towards Goodwood's racecourse on top of the magnificent South Downs. The course rises over 300ft from the start line to the finish, and is very technical and challenging, putting the skills of the world's very best drivers to a stern test of concentration and speed.
Classic Alfa's on display included historic delights such as the Alfa Gran Premio Tipo 512 1940, the car that never raced due to the advent of World War II, and the 164 Pro-Car which features the world's first ever 10 cylinder engine.
Alongside these giants of racing heritage was the 33 Stradale prototipo 1967, illustrating why Alfa Romeo design has been so highly revered through the decades. Designed by Franco Scaglione, this 1967 prototype was the most expensive car of its time and considered to be one of the most beautiful cars ever made.
While celebrating its past Alfa also highlighted the present with its latest supercar offering, the convertible 8C Spider, and the all new Giulietta.
Other manufacturers presented exciting rare marques alongside their very latest offerings. For example, BMW actually raced the famous 1940 Mille Miglia in the hill climb, exactly 70 years since winning this same event. Although five BMW 328 models contested the 1940 Mille Miglia, the Touring Coupé was a unique car sporting the tubular frame and lightweight aluminium body designed by Carrozzeria Touring in Italy. The construction pioneered by the Milanese firm was called 'Superleggera', meaning superlight. The Touring Coupé weighed in at just 780kgs and the sleek body boasted a distinctly non-1930s aerodynamic Cd factor of 0.35. The streamlined coupé body made best use of BMW's powerful 2.0-litre, six-cylinder engine enabling the car to reach speeds of 125mph, just the ticket for the long, straight roads between Brescia, Mantua and Cremona. The car was completed in 1939 and made its debut appearance at the last pre-war Le Mans 24 Hour race.
Straight from the Le Mans 24 Hours came the latest BMW Art Car, an M3 GT2 that also challenged the Goodwood hill. The BMW Z4 sDrive35 - the most powerful roadster in the company's portfolio today - also displayed its prowess in the supercar runs.
Sixty years of the Formula One World Championship was marked with a momentous gathering of cars and drivers illustrating many of the key moments in the formula's rich and varied history. The Festival also acknowledged the 60th anniversary of the epic Carrera Panamericana road race with a number of cars in action, many of them still bearing their original liveries.
No less than six of today's F1 teams were at the Festival, with acclaimed current F1 drivers Lewis Hamilton, Mark Webber, Nico Rosberg, Jarno Trulli and reigning F1 World Champion Jenson Button in attendance. A number of previous F1 heroes, including Sir Stirling Moss, Sir Jackie Stewart, Emerson Fittipaldi and Damon Hill also tackled the challenging hill climb course.
The Forest Rally saw current WRC and IRC teams, along with 50 historic cars, compete on this interesting Rally Stage. Along with motoring aces, motorcycle greats included Giacomo Agostini, Kevin Schwantz, and Aaron Slight.
Our famed Bathurst 1000 'Great race' is also 50 this year and Goodwood honoured this with a selection of the thundering saloons that have defined this unique Australian event.
Possibly challenging the Pebble Beach Concours, the prestigious Cartier 'Style et Luxe' presented some of the most beautiful and extraordinary cars, all with a very strong Italian flavour.
In another unique display, 'Cars, Stars and Guitars' saw some 20 cars immortalised in song titles or lyric, with performances around each appropriate car as the corresponding song was played.
In all, more than 350 vehicles were displayed and more than 175,000 visitors attended the 2010 Festival of Speed, the world's largest celebration of motoring culture.
Brian Tanner
Source: JUST CARS, October 2010, Collectors Issue #176
