Dear Ultimatecarpage.com visitor,

For automotive enthusiasts there was only one place to go this weekend; the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Held for the 17th time, the petrol-soaked garden party always attracts some of the most evocative racing cars and their original drivers. This year the main theme was 'True Grit - Epic Feats of Endurance,' which coincided nicely with the various celebrations. One the absolute highlights was the 40th anniversary of the Porsche 917, celebrated by a collection of a dozen examples that represented most variants and included the unique road car, the 1971 Le Mans winner and the 1000+ bhp 917/30. Another eye-catcher was the 75th anniversary of the German 'Silver Arrows' that brought out many of the rare surviving machines. Other spectacular machines out on the 1.5 mile hill were the 1974 Indy 500 winning McLaren M16C, the unique W12 engined Life 190, all of Audi's recent Le Mans racers and Jesse James' Trophy Truck. The fight for the fastest time was extremely close with just 2-tenths separating the two top runners.
In addition to showcasing classic road and racing cars, the Festival of Speed also brings out many brand new supercars and concepts. This time we were treated to the likes of the Pagani Zonda R, Porsche Panamera and Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss. Further events included the Bonhams auction, the Cartier 'Style et Luxe' concours d'elegance and spectacular air shows by the Red Arrows and the new Eurofighter.
Our reporters were at Goodwood throughout the unique Festival of Speed capturing all the action. Their efforts have resulted in a comprehensive report, illustrated by an exclusive 280-shot gallery. In the coming weeks you can expect detailed features of many of the fabulous machines that were at Goodwood over the weekend.

Enjoy the links:

2009 Goodwood Festival of Speed report and slideshow

Regards,
Wouter Melissen