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From YourSITE.com Events Coverage Forget London. Forget red phone boxes. Forget The Queen. Forget the Houses of frikkin’ Parliament (which are full of disgraced politicians anyway). In fact, forget everything tacky and touristy about this country. If you’re going to come to England next year then come to Goodwood, in June, and sample the Festival of Speed. You’ll thank me for it.
This year, to celebrate its centenary, Audi took the event by the throat and wrung every last drop of corporate fizz out of it, dominating the event with a mammoth Gerry Judah sculpture on the lawn outside Lord March’s bedroom, an exhibition of its latest model range (including S5 Cabriolet, Q5 off-roader and TTRS) and provided sumptuous surroundings – including a roof terrace trackside for Audi key-holders – from which a show to remember was on offer, with cars and stars from years gone by burning rubber and clutches in unison to celebrate the rise of the four rings. From the pre-war Auto Unions, quattro rally and race cars to the current Le Mans prototypes, the whole Audi back catalog was present, with the boys from Audi Tradition working hard to get its past planted firmly back in the future. Well, for a weekend at least…
For me, the highlight of the show were not the rally legends I’d grown up with (impressive as Stig’s suntan was this year – life is clearly treating the sixty-something Swede well at the moment), but the Auto Union grands prix cars from the 1930s. In an era where a madman ruled the country, there were at least some good things coming out of Germany. Its engineering prowess was considerable, and the Type D that was making its last public outing before having its oil drained and put in mothballs at the Ingolstadt museum, was surely the star of the show.
Drawing the biggest crowd, it’s lightweight aluminum panels were at risk of being dented by the hoards of fans desperate to catch a last look and be deafened by the remarkable bellow of its 12-cylinders. Made in 1938, the year before war broke out, its twin-supercharged 3.0-liter lump pumped out 460hp and propelled its unrestrained driver to speeds of up to 330kph. Impressive, albeit scary stuff!
Lord March has worked hard with his team to create a completely unique petrol-fest, and as he took tea on his terrace overlooking the lawn I’m sure he would have been pleased with the reactions of the crowds below him. I for one raise a glass to this event, and implore all visitors coming to the UK to make sure they take this event in and for once, give Big Ben a miss. Big bore exhausts are far more entertaining…
Editor's Note: Fourtitude would like to thank two key contributors that, without them, this Audi-focused coverage of Goodwood could not have happened. David Corfield is a regular on this website, known writer and photographer in the UK well beyond Audi enthusiast circles. Peter Grabowski may be better known for his key organizational role behind the TT-West events, but he proves he's no one-trick pony with his exhibition of event photography as well. Thank you to both in helping to bring this year's Goodwood event to the many Audi enthusiasts who weren't able to attend themselves.
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