Goodwood

Finally, My first Blog for Carfreax. 

Let me briefly introduce myself. My name is Steve Lewis, a Car designer working within the VW group since 1990. I've been around a bit, England, Germany, Spain, California and now I'm back in Germany again. 

I Love cars! designing them, driving them or photographing them, and now I have the chance to write about them as well.

I have known Mattijs now for several years and it was through him I was introduced to the world of Carfreax and also the chance to meet some other members at Geneva this year. It was here we first talked about me joining the team and the concept of Carfreax International. 

Well, I am honored to say I have received an invitation and hopefully this is the beginning of bigger things to come! 

Goodwood Day 1

The sound of Revving engines, the smell of burnt rubber and the flash of shiny metal.I feel like I'm in Carfreax heaven, but no, this is Goodwood. This is the Festival of Speed.Held every year in the back garden of Lord March's little house in the country. Racecar enthusiasts flock from all around the world, driving on the limit is their Faith and Goodwood is their Cathedral.Together with a work colleague, Stephan, I've managed to escape home for a long indulgent weekend in the South of England as the guest of my friends at Audi U.K. It starts already at Gatwick Airport late on Thursday night where a brand new Red S4 will be our wheels for this weekend of car pornography.

The next morning we leave our hotel early, but as we get closer to Goodwood we hit traffic, but not just any traffic, Ferrari's, Lamborghini's, Bentley's, Maserati's and Porsche's all fight for attention, this is probably the most valuable traffic jam in the world, Stephan and I just don't know which way to look. The torture continues in the car park, this is just the starter! and we have to force ourselves towards the main course! We are not disappointed, it's even better. What Woodstock is for music, Goodwood is for cars.

 

Starting in the race car paddock we soak up the atmosphere of the amazing amount of racing heritage on display, we jostle with other enthusiasts to get the best photo opportunities, stare in disbelief at the collection of Porsche 917's and almost wet our pants when one of them explodes into action in a fantastic symphony of revving.

 

Audi is celebrating 100 years and it seems they have brought with them almost half of their museum to Goodwood. Auto-union's, Quattro rally cars, IMSA race cars and the Lemans R15 still covered in the oil and flies from it's hard race three weeks earlier.

I've lost Stephan! but find him oddly chasing a Pikes-Peak Quattro down the pit lane with his telephone almost stuck up it's exhaust pipe! I catch up with him after he loses the Quattro in the crowd to hear him screaming into his phone " that's what your missing sucker, you've got to come next year, this is better than all those poncey motor shows put together" Stephan I have to explain is a Goodwood virgin, I've been here several times before, I can fully understand his enthusiasm and Goodwood never fails to amaze me either.

  

We have an invite for lunch to the "Orangery" hospitality from Audi which is located in the surprisingly quiet private gardens of Lord March. We don't quite make it because scattered among the trees on the main lawn in front of the house are several dream concept cars from the 70's, cars that inspired us to be car designers. The Bertone Carabo, Navajo and an original Countach. Stephan looks like he's on his knees praying, but he's just taking photos of the cars from every angle, click, whir, click, whir, click, whir, the motor drive on his camera is almost smoking under the pressure. I myself have already shot over 200 photos and we haven't seen a third of what's on offer yet! Luckily I've brought a spare battery and remain calm, that's on the outside, but inside I still fear missing some cool cars.

After spending a few more minutes stretching our necks to photograph the amazing Audi sculpture by Gerry Judah, finally we make it to Lunch. A time to refuel and review the photos we've taken. A swimming pool is on offer and Audi will provide us with a costume and robe if we want to take a dip, but were here to see the cars although the cool water is very tempting. Already drunk from the amount of precious metal we've seen, we add to the feeling downing a couple of Pimm's cocktails each (very British)

We are off again, this time to the supercar paddock, where as the name says all the current supercars are on display. Bugatti's, Zonda's, Ferrari's and Lambo's. We arrive in time to hear all the cars start their engines together in a glorious chorus ready for the run up the 1.16 mile hill climb. But their party is gatecrashed by an intruder, over head the new Euro-fighter sweeps into view and everybody just stands still, mouths open in amazement. The aircraft skillfully flown dives down at an alarming rate, but accelerates up and away even faster, Stephan and me are truly impressed and compare it to something out of Star Wars, it was impossible to photograph.

Next on the list an all to brief visit to the 'Cartier Style et Luxe' Goodwood's version of a Concours d'Elegance to drool over various Bugatti's and a fabulously extravagant Hispano-Suiza. Lastly, we manage to blag our way into the Bohnam's auction (you usually need to buy a catalogue) a huge hot tent bursting at the seams with exotic machinery for sale. 

The first day is almost at an end and as we wander back to the car park our feet in tatters, our backs and legs aching from all the bending we are already planning tomorrow, we stop to take a few more gentler photos of the cars as their owners put them to bed, tucking them in for the night under their soft car covers as the sun goes down.

Goodwood Day 2 

We arrive early, watch the 917's being unwrapped for another 50'000 people, click off even more photos, it's our favorite car, why not? You can never get bored with a 917.

Today we want to see the Rally cars in action, it's a long trek, but we've heard it's worth it. In all the years I've been coming here, I've never ventured to the rally stage. There's a shuttle service if you want, but we decide to walk. As we get closer to the forest we can hear the rally cars, our pace quickens, we can now see the dust clouds trailing through the trees and then it explodes into a clearing, a Lancia Beta in Martini colors. I just have time to snap it as it shoots by. Wow! what next? oh no! a Stratos, click, click, shit! "did you get it?" Yes, yeess, oh yes! Then we hear the unmistakable sound of a 5 cylinder Turbo, an uneven deep growl, interspersed with the screech of a turbo waste gate. The king of rallying  the mighty Quattro slides into view and exits the corner throwing a fog of dust over us. We look like snow men, but we are laughing in-between our coughing and spluttering at what we have just experienced. After dusting ourselves off we continue trekking through the forest snapping the occasional rally car flashing between the trees, but mainly a load of dust.

Just like an Oasis, the rally car paddock is bathed in bright sunlight and overflowing with famous rally cars. Quattro's of course, Lancia Delta's, Peugeot's, Ford's, Classic Mini's but in-between there's the rarely seen Renault Alpine or Lancia Fulvia, even a Paris-Dakar spec. Porsche 911.

As we wander back down the hill we stop occasionally to look at the famous cars racing by, meet Stig's fat cousin for the umpteenth time and listen to the marshal's boasting about past events and all the time the Land Rover Bowler is performing huge leaps in the fields behind us, eager for our attention like some frisky puppy. 

We arrive at the start line, satisfied, our camera batteries dead. We enjoy a well earned hamburger while watching several F1 cars launch themselves into the distance. We are mentally and physically worn out, but we've had a hell of a time. We pull ourselves together one more time to search the stalls for model cars, books, magazines and T-shirts.

 

Goodwood is an amazing experience, it's been described as the "garden party of the Gods" In July Goodwood is the centre of the universe for car enthusiasts, the summer mecca for car lovers and owners of beautiful cars. Where else in the world would you get to see so many cars spanning so many decades, but not just cars, throughout the weekend we spotted so many famous drivers, Walter Rohrl, Stig Blomqvist, Jenson Button, Stirling Moss, Andy McNish and Mr Bean! 

Over 160,000 people experienced the Festival of Speed over the course of 3 days.

All enthusiasts, petrol-heads and car-nuts, but above all Carfreax!

Comments

[Geert]

Steve - welcome - and what an entry you've made!
I just had to read your post, breathlessly, and was catapulted right back to 2004 when we had our first Carfreax outing across the Channel, the Goodwood Festival of Speed - indeed. Your report of the event is just sooo spot on; as reader this time I intuitively and totally identify with the exhilaration and disbelief you describe when experiencing the unimaginable: car nut heaven...
Can't wait for the 'more pics'! Thanks again and keep it coming!

[Rik]

Hey Steve, what a wonderfull entrance you've made! In the process you're forcing 'CFX|international' down our throats ;-), 'cause it would be extremely rude if we were to continue blabbering in Dutch now! Just like Geert, I also time-travelled to our first CFX-event, every word you wrote is spot on! Magnificent: a warm welcome to you! Next year my brand celebrates its 100-year anniversary and will be the featured brand at Goodwood. Not sure if I'm gonna make it, in the same month I will be driving down towards Milan for the 'official' festivities.

[Mattijs]

@Steve: Cheap, very cheap!:) With such a tantalizing story on Goodwood '09 who needs a ticket to the UK! Silently sitting in front of a white glowing display I read your report over and over again. Where does that petrol smell come from? What an eye for detail! A moblie phone stuck into an exhaust,... I am in Goodwood and standing next to the action, just like in 2004. Great coverage! More pics to come would add another X thousand words to this big first impression at CFX, but just with your story you've beamed me up straight to god's garden party! A warm welcome to CFX International!

[Rik]

Strange this silver 917, looks kinda out of place without racing graphics. What is this car? Has it ever raced? Is it road legal?

And oh blasphemy! You've put the title square down one position, shame on you! ;-)

[Steve]

Thank you all for your wonderful comments, I'm glad you all enjoyed the story and that it brought back memories for some of you.
To answer Rik's question, the Silver 917 was the only road legal car ever built, it never raced and was registrated in Switzerland in the mid-seventies.
Sorry about the square, it won't happen again!

[Mattijs]

@Rik: I liked the dropped square, it gives the layout a more down to earth feel:) Not to rude on the CFX "youngsters" he!:)

[huib]

steve, welcome, thanks to your story and pix it's just feels like being back in GW!

[Rik]

I apologize for being so fundamentalistic.

[Geert]

Wow, the Alfa Carabo!
Never saw it in the flesh (it was missing at a large Bertone exhibition in Paris I once visited) - it must be pretty intimidating to see live. A purple metallic & yellow Carabo was my fastest Matchbox track car, which I personally used to race in fierce competition with some 50-odd competing 1:60 scale contenders ('driven' by mum, dad, sis and primary school friends). Looking back, it strongly influenced my love for 'graphically' designed cars - and I was a Bertone guy ever since. (Not so sure anymore these days btw).

[Geert]

WOW! (countach!), the Alfa Carabo in the flesh!
Regretfully never saw it live myself, despite my visit to an 'all encompassing' Bertone exhibition in the past...
The Carabo was my fastest Matchbox track racer which, of course, I personally raced against some 50-odd 1:60 scale contenders, 'driven' by my mom, dad, sis and primary school friends. Mine was bright purple metallic and yellow, and left a lasting impression: looking back, it clearly influenced my strong preference for 'graphically' designed cars and definitely made me a 'Bertone guy' for many years thereafter. (Lately, I have my doubts though...)