Precious metal attracts 150,000 visitors to the Goodwood Festival of Speed every year. Picture: DENIS DROPPA
For every petrolhead raised on high revving engines and the smell of tyre smoke, the Goodwood Festival of Speed is one of motoring’s hallowed altars.
The annual July show brings 150,000 visitors to the sprawling Goodwood estate owned by the Duke of Richmond in southern England, to experience the spectacle of the world’s most iconic sports cars, piloted by drivers from the past and present.
Visitors making a pilgrimage to the famous speed spectacle are immersed in motoring lore, both modern and classic. Coming from all over the world, they are united in their worship of all things wheeled, and reciting horsepower figures is the lingua franca.
Cars, from the rare and exotic to the downright strange, are paraded on the stands and raced up the Goodwood Hill for bragging rights. Petrol supercars and racing machines enthral spectators with their wailing war cries as they attack the hill, with onlookers treated to everything from Formula One cars to classic and modern sports cars.
An increasing number of electric sportsters whisk with silent but brutal intent up the 1.86km track, and the overall course record is held by the electric McMurtry Spéirling. The times they are indeed a changing.
Motor companies use the festival to unveil their latest fare, with a number of cars making their international debuts.
This past weekend, motoring editor Denis Droppa experienced the sights and sounds of the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed, held from July 10-13.
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The festival is a celebration of motoring through the ages. Picture: DENIS DROPPA
It's on the hillclimb that fans of supercars get the chance to see and hear these remarkable cars in action. The Aston Martin Valkyrie, with its sensational-sounding naturally aspirated V12 engine, is one of the big crowd pleasers. Picture: SUPPLIED
In the timed shoot-out, Romain Dumas claimed victory in a Ford Supertruck with a time of 43.49 seconds. Picture: FACEBOOK
Every year the festival’s centrepiece honours a different brand, and in 2025 it was the turn of Gordon Murray Automotive (GMA). It celebrates 60 years of excellence by the SA-born designer, whose achievements include building Brabham and McLaren Formula One cars, and the 1992 McLaren F1 road car which achieved 386.4km/h. Picture: DENIS DROPPA
The GMA T.50s built by Gordon Murray is a lightweight V12 designed to represent driving in its purest form. Its downforce-generating rear fan sucks the car to the road to increase cornering grip. This is the special Niki Lauda edition, of which only 25 units are being built. Picture: DENIS DROPPA
Jaguar’s contentious Type 00 electric concept car made its UK debut at the festival. It represents the leaping cat’s future styling direction, and a production version will follow in the near future. Picture: DENIS DROPPA
McLaren displayed the W1, the company’s latest hypercar. Its petrol-electric powertrain pushes out 683kW; only 399 units will be built. Picture: DENIS DROPPA
The new BMW M2 CS strikes a purple pose at the festival. The M2 is BMW’s most fun-to-drive car and the CS adopts an even more playful persona. Picture: DENIS DROPPA
Car brands set up big stands revealing their latest creations to the public. Picture: DENIS DROPPA
Rolls-Royce commemorated 100 years of the Phantom, the marque’s pinnacle product and its most famous nameplate. Picture: DENIS DROPPA
Range Rover celebrated its 55th birthday with a display of all five generations of the luxury SUV. Picture: SUPPLIED
The Forest Rally Stage sees some of the world’s greatest rally drivers and cars blasting along the dirt track at Goodwood. Picture: DENIS DROPPA
Sara Price was the third woman to win a Dakar Rally stage. Picture: DENIS DROPPA
Goodwood visitors enjoy a pint or two at the Piston Pub. Picture: DENIS DROPPA
Show goers check out Minis at the Cooper’s Corner Shop. Picture: DENIS DROPPA
A classic car with hunting accoutrements, or perhaps an antihijack system. Picture: DENIS DROPPA
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