2017 Goodwood Festival of Speed

BailsMackenzie · 1 July 2017 14:20

Bamtech fronted up to the Festival of Speed as they have done so for the last 24 years but to the Whittlebury-based supercar builder the FoS has quickly become a testing session for the Revival meet and a chance to run some cars that can’t be raced in September.

As an example, Bamtech have brought 3 car transporters to Goodwood and one transporter is full of old British touring cars that aren’t going anywhere near the hillclimb track.

Pictured is the Bamford/Bamtech tent, located somewhere near the back of Goodwood and just out of the way of most Festival attendees, Sitting outside is the 1976 BRC losing Shark GT. After years of historic racing, the 6L V8 powered lead sled is being restored, with the FoS it’s last public outing for the foreseeable future.

Bamford/Teuton Shark GT
1976
Teuton 6L V8 - 541hp @ 6500rpm
1298kg
293km/h top speed
0:00:57:92 Hillclimb

Inside the tent are the 3 new Bamtech Supercars, the 2016 AC-D-E Shark range.

(L - R)
AC Shark
Modern version of 1965 AA Shark Road Car
Bamford Halifax 202 - 353hp @ 9300rpm
958kg
278km/h top speed
0:00:55:10 Hillclimb

AD Shark
Turbocharged Supercar variant
Bamford Halifax 202 Turbo - 805hp @ 9000rpm
1186kg
335km/h top speed
0:00:51:55 Hillclimb
(And even with 395 rear tyres this thing still spends most of it’s time coping with it’s own wheelspin)

AE Shark
Modern Version of AA Shark Race Car
Bamford Halifax 202 - 353hp @ 9300rpm
814kg
284km/h top speed
0:00:52:66 Hillclimb

Bamtech brought four more cars to the FoS for display, the first being a resto-mod of a 1993 IA Advance, with the car being converted from a V6 Auto to a V8 Manual from the 1995 “Tetto Meno” model, this Advance in particular was bought by a Bamtech staff member to drive across America in and was rebuilt over a two month period.

The car was rolled on the Thursday and was hidden behind the Bamtech tent on the Friday with all reports being another rebuild in store for the car.

IA Advance V8
Bamtech 300 V8 - 463hp @ 8100rpm
2152kg
268km/h top speed
0:00:00:00 Hillclimb

The last 3 cars were all significant and successful race cars from Bamford’s history.

The Bamford/Volkswagen HA Shark won LeMans in the 1990’s and in convertible form became a long standing starwalt of the 90’s-00’s sportscar racing scene, the car on show at Goodwood, Number 8 was one of two road cars built for Homologation purposes and comes with a road-tune of the 1976 Teuton 6L V8 which is almost the same engine as the 1976 BRC entry.

Bamford/Volkswagen HA Shark
Teuton 6L V8 - 850hp-7900rpm
1200kg
352km/h top speed
0:00:50:04 Hillclimb

The final two cars had been air freighted from India to attend the FoS.

The Teuton 301 Grp. B was an AWD version of the Teuton 300 from Teuton in India, which was run by ex-Bamford engineer Ranvir Bhatt. Built as friendly competition to Bamford’s Grp. B program, the car was piloted to a 2nd place at Monte Carlo by Paul Meagher and Winston O’ Donnell who were re-united with the car and gave it a blast up the hillclimb track once more for old times sake.

Belching amazing amounts of smoke, the car (which hadn’t been driven for 8 years) was thrown up the hillclimb wearing a borrowed set of worn radials and made a respectable time, though the 301 was built with Tarmac rallying in mind, time had been cruel to the car and it seems to be the next car in-line for restoration after the IA and Shark GT were restored.

Teuton 301 Grp. B
Mongoose V8 Turbo - 715hp-7600rpm
1245kg
281km/h top speed
0:00:58:74 Hillclimb

The car on the other side of the ocean, the Bamford Controller was looked after much better during it’s time in India and the car was seen lapping Goodwood circuit

Derek MacKenzie and Pamela Sales ran the Controller alongside the Teuton and once won a round in Corsica. They too came to the FoS to run the car, with Derek staying on to get some laps in driving his fathers 1967 BRM around Goodwood circuit.

Bamford Controller Grp. B
Bamtech 202 V6 Turbo - 635hp-7300rpm
1193kg
260km/h top speed
0:00:57:75 Hillclimb

Bamtech’s display continued at the Circuit with old Cortinas and Mustangs cutting laps in-between the Supercar testing.
While the non-historic racing employees of Bamtech man the stand and are taking the new Sharks for runs on the hill.

squidhead · 1 July 2017 14:28

Oh, you… devil you! I know who you’re gunning for

@BailsMackenzie - good show, lots of effort. nice.

strop · 1 July 2017 14:47

Love the rollover, that takes a degree of talent it does.

Am struggling to get anything done this weekend, sorry for letting you do the heavy lifting @Rk38! Promise I’ll have something to show for myself by Monday AEST

p.s. hey @BailsMackenzie maybe you can take some tips from this vendor:

Radster · 1 July 2017 16:07

Day 2: Contendiente launches a missile strike.

Contendiente did not only come to the Goodwood Festival Of Speed only to reveal the '18 Enemigo. They also wanted to conduct an experiment. That’s right.

During day 2, Contendiente revealed what the 2018 Misil looks like, but also announced one thing: the unit showed here is not what the street legal Misil will perform like, but it is what it will look like. It is an experimental car, made to try and claim the best time this year.

Contendiente did not reveal any details: curb weight, power curve, peak torque and power…they kept it all a secret. Only thing they revealed is that the powerplant this car mounted was a flatplane V8.

Heckler Kraut got into the machine and took it out for a run.

The Misil completed the track in:

Mythrin · 1 July 2017 17:04

Orchid:

MK1 Jespar RR

Jespar RR:

534bhp @8100rpm
483nm @7500rpm
1229KG

The 1994 Orchid Jespar RR roared as it was hurtled up the hill-climb with turbo intake and straight six scream echoing through the festival. Its circuit racing days are over but with 534bhp on tap and a lot of tire smoke it most certainly put on a show, coming onto boost mid corner it gave the driver a bit of a fright.The 2.8 litre engine had not been given such a spanking since 1997 and was certainly no better off for it with a more than warm turbo at the end of the run.

Standard 1992 Jespar:

303bhp @7000rpm
349nm @3500rpm
1295KG

[spoiler]The lack of photo shop is due to a lack of talent I may request some help soon with some images. [/spoiler]

Rk38 · 1 July 2017 18:53

Maesima presented a full display at Goodwood Festival of Speed

Maesima have made full display showcase all their lastest models as well as free test drive demos on selection models. Performances by the Maesima Prova ST-R, Maesima MRZ-3 STX-R as well as from the Maesima Prova MS-R01 ATCC racing car driven by Anikatian racer Sobong Yeong-ho. The Maesima heritage racing models will make a brief appearance with legendary Group-B Maesima NRZ-976 B-238 making a showcase run. In addition, Maesima’s 1985 NRX-085B Le Mans racer will be making a display.

Hillclimb
2017 Maesima Prova ST-R Hatch - 1:04.45
2017 Maesima MRZ STX-R - 1:00.35
2017 Maesima Prova MS-R01 ATCC - 1:00.92
1982 Maesima NRZ-976 B-238 - 1:03.34
1985 Maesima NRX-085B - 0:56.83

Sachiuri put on a show at Goodwood Festival of Speed

Sachiuri the luxury division of Maesima will be showcasing all their lastest models as well as free test drive demos on the all-new Sagitta sportcar. Just head down to the Sachiuri stand to book in. In addition making its world debut, the all-new Sagitta GTE racing car will be making a timed run up the hill. It will be driven by Anikatian veteran racing legend Choi Ji-hun.

Hillclimb
2017 Sachiuri sL200 Sports Touring - 1:01.34
2018 Sachiuri Sagitta 4.4 - 0:52.75
2018 Sachiuri Sagitta GTE Prototype- 0:52.29

Oskiinus · 1 July 2017 19:40

changed one thing because of you fekin discord le mans nerds

Welcome to our stand!

We have always been visiting Goodwood. Not every year with a stand like today, but after all, we’re here and, instead of showing anything new (because we don’t have anything new that could be soon released), we’ll show five cars from our racing heritage.
Let’s begin from the oldest to newest.

1965 LM65

LM65. Airborne’s first attempt into Le Mans racing. It wasn’t very powerful, yet it wasn’t also very quick. It kept up with most sports cars, muscle cars and even early supercars of the era. It has modified 2.3 litre V6 engine from Mirage S2 tweaked to generate 180 hp, and in a car that weighs slightly above 900 kilograms this is a deadly mix. Combined with short ratios and excellent cornering possibilities made it great choice for twisty sections of the track. Sadly, due to short ratios it could only reach 220 km/h which basicly made this car weak on straights.
But, it had one advantage: reliability. When in 1965 Le Mans competitors broke down, needed to pit stop and such, LM65 was stopping only to refuel and, sometime, change tires.

Also, there was a short run of street-legal LM65, and the car you see is the first one out of 30 made. However, people had to wait for fully street-legal Airborne supercar to 1967, when Rome had appeared.

1987 GSX

Group B was a great possibility to create mind-blowing cars without really any limitations. Companies like Lancia, Peugeot or Audi used that possibility. Airborne did not miss that opportunity too - it had a car coded as Gruppe B in works from 1984. However, when the car was almost finished in 1986 Group B had collapsed due to series of tragic incidents. When FIA informed that something called Group S could be founded, and the only real limitation would be company’s budget and 300 hp maximum power limit, Airborne quickly converted two of the Gruppe B prototypes to be another car: the GSX.

GSX name came from “Group S Experimental” and was meant to compete in so-called Group S. Final goal was meant to be AWD mid engined monster with performance comparable to Porsche 959 and 300 hp of power. Two of those goals were reached: mid engined monster and 300 hp. Sadly, in the prototype you see there’s only RWD. It does not mean that the car isn’t quick, because it is: After official presentation in 1987 during Geneva Motor Show FIA cancelled any plans with Group S and therefore Airborne aborted GSX project, leaving it only in form of single RWD prototype (AWD one got totaled during testing).

1990 F90 Stage II

Sadly we can’t bring the car to Goodwood run because it uncontrollably throws flames from engine, therefore it’s dangerous to drive it unless we solve the issue (and if we will solve anyway). However, you can freely go to our paddock and see that car!

F90. Our entrance into short-lived revival of Formula Automation in 1990. Original F90 had raced only in one race of the competition series and with Norbert Nowicki behind the wheel got pretty good 3rd place. In hope of continuation of the series, Nowicki with Airborne Formula Team created continuation of F90: he named it Stage II.

The differences were seen even in exterior: Nowicki replaced characteristic F90 front with more streamlined one, he also got rid of wing of normal racer and replaced it with something that he was even surprised (his rememberable quote about the wing: Kurwa mać ale to wielkie) - from minor modifications there could be also two “exhaust boxes” sticking out of the body preventing it to catch fire, rear cover with more ventilation.

Engine and suspension mods covered replacing the suspension with pushrod one bought from unknown to this day tuning company (probably from Germany) and boosting the engine from 664 hp to values between 800 and 900 hp.

Sadly, F90 Stage II was never raced due to fact that Formula Automation got cancelled just after one race and AFT focused on preparing modified version for endurance racing called F91E (which failed anyway).

##1998 Synth GT1 Stradale

Airborne’s greatest motorsport success to date. During qualifying sessions to Le Mans race race-spec Synth GT1 was so quick that it doubled several 911 GTs, one R390 and plenty of other racers.

Sadly, and luckily enough it was considered by both Airborne and FIA as too good for actual racing on track and got banned. Race spec Synth GT1 (chassis GT1-00000) was transformed into street legal car you can see here on Goodwood.
There are 12 GT1 Stradales ever made (including Chassis Zero). All of them are basicly race spec models tuned down to meet street legal regulations. While still being blisteringly quick with power of 674 hp, Synth GT1 could go 330 km/h (350 km/h in race spec) and has ~3.5 seconds to 100 km/h (race spec - below 3.0). Actually, the car presented still has it’s driver racing seat mounted into the car. The car is so legendary that there were rumors back in 2010-2011 that Airborne may prepare a successor for it, but those rumors were false.

2015 F15 Patricia

F15 Patricia, Airborne’s currently last entry in endurance racing. It raced in 2015 season of Automation Motorsports World Endurance Championship and got 18th place overall. It wasn’t successful, however we revised this car after the final race.

Currently the car you see (it raced in AMWEC with this livery) has about 650 hp of power and is slightly quicker than before. It’s painted in special color called Devil Red, which we save only for best of the best from Airborne. It’s maybe not the best, but at least it won the opinion of the prettiest car in 2015 season of AMWEC.

All the cars are available to view to public and except F90 you can ask for a test drive or just diving inside them. Also, don’t miss our bonus car which is Madoka Matsusaka’s Seishi SR that she raced recently in Gunma prefecture on legendary Mount Haruna. Search for a purple Seishi with AIRJAP bodykit with fixed headlights and license plate with localization indicator of Osaka and 31-92 numbers.

Gordon Anderson (born: 1937) today.

Also, don’t miss one guest from the past: another legend, Gordon Anderson! He’s Gavin Anderson’s grandfather, his most famous journalistic cover was 1960 Earls Court Show and after 15 year hiatus he came back to public life. Also, he’s like Edward Khil of automotive industry, so you can get trolled out (you have been warned). You can see him on our stand or talking on Bonham Classic exposition.

DeusExMackia · 1 July 2017 20:48

#Day 3

The sun shone on the south of England today as this year’s Festival of Speed entered its third day.

Canadian marque Toronto kicked off Saturday with a new 2+2 GT Coupe called the 705. Simple naming meets clean but bold design, perhaps only tainted by the odd chrome lines on the rear of this thing. Still, with a 6.5 V12 under the bonnet, you can hardly say this thing isn’t meeting all the GT cruiser requirements, and it’s pretty damn quick for such a big car, wafting up the climb in a smidgen over 56 seconds. We’ll be seeing it again sometime next year when it’s launched for real.

Cornaldie gave their display next with the, er, ‘Spaziale’, the name of which was taken with some odd glances from the British general public and a few “that sounds a little offensive” from some of the more upper class visitors at the show. That said, it did impress on the run up the climb; this 604 hp mid-engined coupe was very flat through all the corners and very nippy. Prices start at $82k, making it awfully cheap for a 600 hp mid-engined supercar. This is a one to watch if you’re looking for a proper budget supercar.

Zenshi ran a new GTE-spec version of the stunning Raizan X1, and somehow they’ve managed to make the rear of this thing look even better. I had to go to the Zenshi tent afterwards just to oggle at this thing. It also happens to be very fast, and even built specifically to the current GTE standards and being quite limited in its power, it’s one of the fastest cars of this year’s show so far. The dream of a new endurance series where we might get to see this and many other cars like it lives on.

A quick run to the burger van for lunch and I was back again for the Shromet Dragon’s run up the climb. The stylish coupe was revealed earlier this year, and its fair to say that any new sports coupe gets its christening by appearing here. It was shortly followed by a tuned version of their mid-size Mystic. What with 400 hp under the bonnet and a price of $30k brand new, it has the potential to be a real bargain, and was certainly quick for what it is on the climb.

Manson Motor Sport gave us an odd showing by not actually running anything up the climb and instead only showing us the side of two cars. Still, they were keen to point out that one of them was the 2002 MMS Goshawk, which was supposedly heralded as a “spiritual successor to the Ferrari F40” (though a flick through the S.A.M. archives reveals no such claims being made by this publication). Yet they showed us very little in the way of performance specs; odd. Still, 15 years later and they’re celebrating the company’s founding with a side profile of a very green, supposedly 1000 hp “old school” hypercar that doesn’t even have a sequential gearbox. Apparently, this new version of the Goshawk will be “the last few cars developed, engineered and assembled exclusively in Australia for years to come”. Apparently, MMS haven’t heard of DSD, ANZ, Gryphon Gear, or even the cars own engine manafacturer, Albury.

Bamford and Bamtech made their main showing today, having given us a plethora of classic racers to behold as they drive up the climb. Another BRC classic, the Shark GT made an excellent run, though the same could not be said for the modified IA Advance which rolled over on one of the last bends. The Bam/VW HA Shark, a former Le Mans winner, shouted its way up the course in glorious fashion before rounding off their display with a Teuton 301 Grp. B, which made a whole lot of noise and a whole lot of smoke. It did make it up though - just - sadly not posting the best of times. Still, plenty of drama.

Contendiente were back at it with its new experimental hyper thing, the Misil. The Spanish car maker have kept the details of this creation very quiet, and it blitzed the course in just under 46 seconds, making it a very strong contender for this years fastest time.

Orchid were also back again send the Jespar RR flying up the course. There’s been a bit of a deficit in the 90s cars department this year the RR made up for it, packing 534 hp under the bonnet and posting a decent time.

With the day drawing to a close, Maesima and Sachiuri took centre stage for some properly special runs up the climb. The Anikatian duo have two of the biggest stands at this year’s show, and they’re well worth a visit (though do try to avoid the people in smart clothes trying to sell you a new Maesima Devina), and both companies have sent some great cars up the climb this year, including the Prova MS-R01, fresh from the ATCC. But, they truly saved the best 'til last; a gorgeous NRX-085, B-spec, in full original MRD livery, certainly one of the 80s prettiest endurance racers, which was then followed by the gorgeous Sachiuri Sagitta GTE Prototype. In its simple, colour-only livery and rocking full aero packs and what not, it looked stunning. But not as stunning as the stunned look on the Sachiuri team’s faces when their GTE prototype wasn’t as fast as Zenshi’s. I’m sure there are already phonecalls being made to sort out an extensive tuning program for the Sagitta GTE right now.

The penultimate act today was Airborne, who’s stand has been frequented by many the automotive historian due to the range in age of cars on display. The company’s first prototype racer, the LM65, was on display, which owned the P 5.0 class that year. Also on show was a very special car from a sadly never-to-be-seen part of motorsport history, the GSX. Made to enter into the fated Group S category (the successor to Group B), this GSX is a RWD only model, after its AWD sister test car was ruined in a crash. Few other Group S prototypes remain, and to see one out on display like this is particularly special. Out on the climb, the Synth GT1 Stradale tore up the track and brought some much needed 90s GT1 action to the track, and it was followed by its younger relative the F15 Patricia, Airborne’s AMWEC 15 entrant.

Closing the show were newcomers Raidan who went up with a specially organised run of every single new trim of the Sorena midsize sedan. It is the single most un-designed car I’ve ever seen, with the coupe version looking a Chinese knock-off of an original Audi TT that came out of a fax machine poorly. And I’m sorry, but a 6.3l V8 pumping out 515hp and it can’t even push the fastest AWD variant below 57 seconds? Their turbo option isn’t exactly much better, with that extra 77 hp barely getting it up the climb any faster. So no, this car is not “very quick”. But what’s worst of all about this thing is that it has no passion. The Festival of Speed is a festival of speed. It’s about car makers and car enthusiasts showing off their love for automotive performance, and we’ve already seen just how much passion there is for making fast cars and displaying them here already. It’s what the show has always showcased so well. And that, as a result, makes the Sorena more than anything else, a shame. It is an unloved car that hasn’t been given the treatment and devotion to creating something brilliant that it deserves, unlike every other vehicle here.

And with that, another day closes. It’s the last day of the show tomorrow, and I’ve got a date with destiny; meeting the Bonham Owners Club and low and behold, my grandfather. What joy.

See you then!
- Gavin Anderson

JJ2478 · 1 July 2017 21:27

Shameful, I know. But I make cars for fun and see how much power I can get out of a tiny engine.

JJ2478 · 1 July 2017 21:53

And, just to prove that point… Introducing the Radian TCR1!
Despite less than 60 horsepower, this little car can move!
(Ugly styling, I know)

This car was designed to show that 4 or even 3-digit horsepower figures are NOT needed to make a fast car.

abg7 · 2 July 2017 00:05

Correction: my company is called Mason, not Manson, and I changed the wording in my post about the Goshawk line. It is now referred to as “one of the best specialist cars” to reflect the presence of other Australian manufacturers (including mass-market brands like Albury). And to be fair, I was pressed for time, so I went with something that I had made many months earlier, albeit revised.

If I still have time to submit anything else, I will need to have a long hard think about it… Anyway, great job on the daily roundups!

11alualhati · 2 July 2017 00:35

AL Autos

Hello one and all! Welcome to the AL Autos exhibit! We have many cars with us here at our first appearance at Goodwood’s Festival of Speed!

Our next three vehicles were released at different points during the time AL Autos has existed. During our first few months as a car company, we produced the Berlina, a sports sedan of sorts. To be honest, it was more of a concept car than a car that would be released. Now that AL Autos has had more time to develop its designs, we proudly present to you the improved

AL Autos Berlina (Trim Shown: 537 Sv2)

The Body

AL Autos retained the original body style of the former Berlina and updated the looks to match our current crop of cars rolling off the line: The beautiful and aggressive looking front grilles, led xenon headlamps, and the new sharp looking rear end design.

The Performance

For the Berlina, we thought that the 5.5L Twin Turbo V6 in the old model was just way too much. In the newer model, we have a more sensible but no less fun 3.6L Twin Turbo V6 churning out 537 HP. This is all connected to a 6 Speed Manual transmission, 275 F and R AL Sports Compound Tires, Electric LSD, Longitudinal AWD system, and a Double Wishbone (F) / Multilink (R) suspension system. To add onto this, AL Autos has shed about 88.9 lbs / 40.3 kgs from the Berlina. This new recipe allows the Berlina to go from 0-62 MPH in 3.8 seconds, achieve a top speed of 184.7 MPH (297.2 KPH), and clock a quick 1:17.8 on the Top Gear Test Track.

The Run

Our professional driver took the Berlina to the hill climb today and clocked a quick 56.81.

Our next car was debuted at the 2017 Antiyita International Motor Show. This car was meant to be a supercar that was desgined to be a looker while also performing at an astonishing level. Since then, AL Autos has redesigned the Actio to hopefully give it a more appealing yet aggressive look.

Now, with great pleasure, AL Autos presents to you, the redesigned

AL Autos Actio (Trim Shown: 1055 Rv2)

The Updated Looks

AL Autos decided to go for a more minimalist approach for the front end of the Actio. Even though it’s a bit less flashy, we think it still conveys an aggressive look. At the front, we’ve also included our new DRL/Fog Lamp Combo to the side vents. Onto the rear, we “separated” the taillights, signal lamps, and reverse lights in order to distinguish them a bit better. We’ve also moved the exhaust back to the bottom the rear.

The Updated Performance

AL Autos went for a slightly bigger engine for the newer Actio. This specific Actio, the 1055 Rv2 has a 4.9 L Twin Turbo Flatplane V8 engine that churns out 1055 HP and can rev up to 8500 RPM. This is coupled to a new 7 Speed Double Clutch Transmission, Longitudinal RWD System, 285 F / 315 R AL Sports Compound Tires, Electric LSD, and Pushrod F and R suspension systems. This new recipe allows the Actio to go from 0-62 MPH in 2.4 seconds, achieve a top speed of 245.5 MPH (395.1 KPH), and clock a 1:10.0 on the Top Gear Test Track making it our second fastest production car to roll off the line.

##The Run
After taking the Berlina out on the Hill Climb, our driver then hopped into the Actio and clocked a time of 48.93.

The final car we have with us here at Goodwood’s Festival of Speed is a brand new car, never before seen at any motoring event until now.

Without further a do, AL Autos present to you the all new…

AL Autos Novem (Trim Shown: 944 R)

The Looks

AL Autos went for a different body style than our usual supercars. We wanted to go for something that looked a little more exotic. Our design team really went for the modern super car look with this one: free flowing curves, sharp and unique lines, etc. While the body and fixtures of the car were designed to make the car look good, our designers and engineers kept in mind our principles of aerodynamics. The body’s shape and fixtures manipulate the air around it allowing the car to almost slice through the air.

The Performance

AL Autos put in another V8 into this car. This time, a completely new 4.4 L Twin Turbo Flatplane V8 that churns out 944 HP and revs up to 9000 RPM. This is partnered to a 7 Speed Double Clutch Sequential Gearbox, a Longitudinal AWD system, 275 F / 305 R AL Sports Compound Tires, Pushrod front and rear suspension systems, and an Electric LSD. This allows the car to go from 0-62 MPH in 2.5 seconds, achieve a top speed of 231.6 MPH (372.7 KPH), and clock a 1:11.5 on the Top Gear Test Track.

The Run

After taking a little rest from running the Actio on the hill climb, our driver took the Novem out for a spin and clocked a fast 50.6.

That will be all for this AL Autos presentation! Enjoy the rest of the festival!

squidhead · 2 July 2017 01:48

I never realized it was a budget track toy. Respect!

abg7 · 2 July 2017 03:09

Harris Conqueror MkV: Opulence Meets Athleticism

Meet the 2017 Harris Conqueror MkV, the latest incarnation of the British brand’s flagship luxury sedan. This alluring fusion of sportiness and elegance is available with either a 5.0L V8 developing 500 bhp, or a 600-bhp 6.0L V12 as shown here. Inside, you’ll find a high-quality luxury interior and infotainment system, complete with a heads-up display. If they wish, buyers can even specify their own interior and exterior colors and finishes, in case the dizzying array of factory options wasn’t enough.

Stay tuned for the upcoming reveal of the revised Chieftain and Redoubtable model ranges.

Dorifto_Dorito · 2 July 2017 03:47

#Merciel at Goodwood 2017: Part 1

Although Merciel arrives on the last day of Goodwood, we’re certainly not skimping out on what we’ve got to show!

First on show is Merciel’s infamous Merciel Factory Rally Team, showing off their 50 years of rally expertise. First on show is the 1966 Merciel 112 Vite Rallye.
##1966 Merciel 112 Vite Rallye

_{The Merciel 112 Vite Rally In action in Monte Carlo in 1967. That year, the team came 4th overall in the championship. In 1969, the team would eventually come 2nd before retiring the 112 for the newer model, the 114.}

While this car never won a rally stage, it was important in introducing Merciel into the world of WRC.

On the hillclimb, the 112 Rally posted a time of 1:14:01.

Next on show was Merciel Factory Rally Team’s infamous Group B rally car, the Merciel 124 Vite Rally.
#1985 Merciel 124 Vite Rally.

_{Merciel 124 racing in South Africa in 1984 driven by Siimon Mäkeläinen. This model of the 124 Rally is the less well known 8A1. the more iconic widebody variant was the 8B2 as seen today on the hill.}

The third generation of the Merciel Vite arrived in the form of the 124, and long with it, the rally prowess. While not the first Merciel Factory Team car to win a rally championship, the 124 was the first Merciel with to gain legendary status.

On the hillclimb, the 124 Rally posted a respectable time of 0:54:06.

#2017 Merciel 216 Vite Rally
Finally for the Merciel Factory Rally Team, is the brand new 2017 Merciel 216 Vite. Based on last year’s design, which came 3rd overall, the new 2017 model has been modified to fit to the new 2017 regulations. This means that the new 2017 model makes 20 more horsepower than last year’s model and weighs 25kg less, giving the new car a much better power to weight ratio. The new car has already won the Monte Carlo, Sweden, Argentina and Portugal Rally, and is set to win the Poland Rally this week.

_{Merciel 216 at Portugal this year. Driven by a former Junior WRC driver for Merciel, Alec Mikkelsen. This car would eventually win the stage in an unbeatable time.}

On show, we have the WRC model, as well as the Super 1600 model currently being fielded in the Junior WRC and Rally Cross.

_{The Super 1600 Spec of the Merciel 216 without any liveries.}

On the hill, the Super 1600 spec ran a respectable time of 1:04:26

_{The 2017 WRC Spec of the Merciel 216 without any liveries.}

The current WRC spec, however did a more impressive time of 0:57:26

Expect to see more from Merciel later today, including the 2018 Merciel Corsaire GTE Proto…

strop · 2 July 2017 04:28

Hey @ramthecowy I have no idea if this is helpful or not but you can corroborate the elevations with this really handy unmarked chart

The “3.3km” bit makes me really suss though, I thought this thing was only supposed to be 1.16 miles long.

Mythrin · 2 July 2017 16:02

Orchid day 3: Return of the Jespar

The release of a 3rd generation of Jespar has been a long time coming since 1998 after the disastrous MK2 which suffered from style issues more than anything else. A call back to the original car is present with a 3.0 straight six under the bonnet mated to a 7 speed paddle shift gearbox. Breathing out 510bhp and 480nm of torque it munches miles whilst not entirely burning through your back pocket.

Whilst keeping with the modern styling theme the Jespar GT-S has small details from the original such as the side indicator housed in a chromed vent and its dark leather interior accented with aluminium. Despite weighing in at 1618kg it still manages 28.5 UK MPG and 0-62 mph in 3.6 seconds.

Yours for £54240 @60%

Also at the Orchid stand is a MK3 Lyrel TS chassis number N001 the very car owned by company founder Jean Bellegarde. This vehicle has been kept in a dehumidified container in the Orchid Motor Museum in Rouen and has had regular care since its manufacturing in 1976.
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As an homage to his father and a tribute to the upcoming 70th birthday of Orchid ,Francois took his fathers car up the climb and set a rather leisurely time in comparison to the Jespar that had run previously , the cars 1600cc SOHC engine running perfectly.

DeusExMackia · 2 July 2017 16:21

You didn’t think you could have all the fun, did you now?

At the last minute, and no thanks to some sneaky deals with the event organisers, ErinSport have managed to get a Scarlet GTE down to Goodwood this afternoon to join in with the GTE competition going on at the show.

With all the other Scarlet GTE chassis’ currently occupied in the Asian Le Mans Series and the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in the US, this test model was the only one availible. Still, it’s built to the same spec as the others…

abg7 · 2 July 2017 16:28

Harris Chieftain, Redoubtable and SVM: Model Updates

Harris Cars Ltd. has revealed redesigned versions of some of its most famous models. First up is the new-for-'17 Harris Chieftain Mk6, now smaller and lighter, and available either with the brand’s existing 5.0L V8 or, for the first time in the model’s history, a V12 engine, but still a four-seat grand tourer as before; convertible versions of both variants are planned.

The redesigned Redoubtable Mk6, now based on the same platform as the Albury Centurion MkVII, is available with the same engines as the new Chieftain, but is now offered in four different body styles (4-door sedan, 2-door coupe or convertible, and 5-door wagon). Shown here is a 5.0 Sedan.

In addition, the Redoubtable’s little brother, the Nimrod, makes its debut at this year’s festival. It is offered in the same body styles as the Redoubtable, but is not available with the V12, although both cars can be ordered with an 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six shared and co-developed with Albury Motors. In its more potent state of tune, this new engine develops around 360 horsepower, although a more economical 280-bhp version is also offered as the base engine.

All of these cars can be ordered with a 9-speed automatic transmission, but the last car on the Harris stand to be introduced this year is not among them. The SVM Mk6 5.0F has undergone a facelift, switched to a flat-crank V8 (still normally aspirated, though, which is part of its USP) and gained pushrod-actuated suspension. Carbon-fiber wheels are now fitted as standard to save weight, but the 7-speed dual-clutch transmission has been retained.

That’s all for now from the Harris stand, but rest assured that the company will continue to develop premium products with the driver first and foremost for years to come.

strop · 2 July 2017 16:32

#Gryphon Gear (AUS) and Genua-Beneventi Fabbrica s.p.a (ITA) make a joint debut at Goodwood 2017

Not long after Strop and Kai returned from their hastily scheduled holiday, was it time for another overseas stint. This time, one that was planned somewhat more in advance: the time to unveil a project crucial to the Gryphon Gear team: not just a tune, but the development of a multi-trim production line of the gorgeous but little known GBF Procurro (designed by @Rk38).

The Procurro SR6 started life as a Lotus wannabe of sorts, a low-cost, lightweight MR coupe designed for sporting fun. But its body was something else entirely, and the wild styling caught Strop’s eye, but the company was so obscure that he couldn’t find out who built it. It wasn’t until a chance meeting early in 2017 while testing another car ahem incognito ahem through some European circuits that he saw it in person and from there the rest was history.

I’ll leave telling the bulk of story about what happened to the Procurro to Rk38. The first thing that the GG team wanted to do, as they always did with any car they acquired, was to see a) how large an engine they could fit in it and b) how fast they could make it go. Their first problem was that they had to do it from where they were, in Europe, because shipping this car to Australia would take several weeks, and they were looking to submit a candidate for a tasty design brief that had just surfaced. More to the point, they were hoping to go ham on it, but the brief specifically stated that the car had to use commonly sourced* parts and be built on a rather small budget. The stars aligned, and this was an opportunity not only to subvert the course of the narrative, but also to demonstrate GG’s ever growing versatility.

Thus was engendered the balls out ‘full Strop’ version of what once was the Procurro: the Bellua “GG Tune” Competizione.

This photoshop and the following in this post by Rk38, I bow to the master

Sporting a 9L V8 with a single overhead cam (less top-heavy), then cooked somewhat fierce and flanked by giant twin-snails, the new engine was capable of up to a forge-straining 1500bhp. Needless to say with the weight ballooning out to about 1600kg, this changed the dynamics from “Lotus” more akin to “Topfuel Dragster”, but the gearheads at GG were used to dealing with this day in and day out and managed to tune the parts to make the car handle semi-decently.

All this on a build budget of 22k. The original project codename was “Bumblebee”, but upon learning the details of the rocket that he was to pilot, Kai called it “Mac’n’Cheese” instead. And given the naming scheme proposed by GBF, “Mac’n’Cheese Beest”. The name stuck. More so than the rear wheels, anyway.

Budgeting constraints meant there was no time or money to develop a launch control for this trim. Which means that the only people who can launch it without either stalling or driving directly into the nearest wall/pole/hay bale are professional race drivers and drag racers. Once it does get going however, it has the full array of driving aids to keep it on the very narrow driveway of the Goodwood Estate. Which is a good thing, because hay bales will only do so much at speeds of 170mph.

Ultimately, we don’t expect this to be the fastest car up the hill today. But considering the budget puts this and its ilk well within reach of one who might consider buying, for example, a pony car, we consider this a job well done.

Or rather, we invite you to take a look at the GBF exhibition for more information on a trim that might suit your fancy. GG also brought their own prototype (of a car that is decidedly not pitched at the common person) to the festival… and while it’s in working order it’s still about a year away from completion, yet with all these crazy cars and GG’s natural competitiveness… we may be tempted to run it anyway

*this means that with the exception of safety, NO tech sliders were used on the car whatsoever.