Debuts to expect at Goodwood 2023
CDN takes a look at some of the new cars that will be revealed during the 2023 Festival of Speed
Goodwood has cemented itself as one of the premier fixtures of the automotive events calendar and is certainly top dog on the UK scene at this stage.
With gaps in the traditional motorshow calendar to be filled (most notably Geneva), shows like Goodwood have a chance to step things up even further and at this year’s show we expect a veritable smorgasbord of models to make their debut. We also hear that there will be various design VPs prowling the lawns of Goodwood house, and the CDN team will be on hand to grab interviews during the day.
Ahead of the show, which runs between Thursday 13th and Sunday 16th July, we have put together a list of the cars we know will be revealed in the metal.
Ineos Quartermaster
The follow up to Ineos’ burly Grenadier SUV, this new double-cab pick-up has been officially teased on the carmaker ahead of Goodwood. Beyond a shot of the rear there is very little to go by, but it is clear that the angular design language previewed on the SUV will carry through. One to look our for, but it should be noted that press shots from 2020 had already teed up the addition of a pick-up.
Mini Aceman Concept
We first covered this back in September 2022 and previews a change in tack for Mini design. While it is looking to introduce physically larger models to the portfolio, the Mini design team is also trying to bring back an air of classic Mini design, primarily on the interior. Colourful, fun and with a simplified UX, it is certainly on the right track – we look forward to seeing it on the paddock.
Hyundai Ioniq N
Models sporting the N badge are not shy about their boosted performance credentials. The exterior design team has had fun with models like the i30, with flared arches, big rear wings and extra exhaust tips. It will be interesting to see how this works with the deceptively large Ioniq 5, which is a hatchback from a distance but more like an SUV up close. We expect there may also be an N version of the much sleeker Ioniq 6 sedan, which we drove (and thoroughly enjoyed) back in May. We hope to grab Hyundai designer Simon Loasby at the show.
MG Cyberster
A remarkable new direction for the SAIC-owned brand which has been digging back into its British heritage. This two-seater electric sportscar took us by surprise in concept form, and we were pleased to see only subtle changes to the production-ready model. There is a clear influence of the MG TF from the noughties, but designer Shao Jingfeng also took inspiration from his own classic MG Midget. “We want to revive the history of MG’s old sports cars,” he told us, and bring that to “the heart of our design” moving forward. (You can read that interview in Car Design Review 9.)
Caterham Project V and Seven EV
Two debuts from quintessential brit-brand Caterham this year. We know very little about the Project V for now, but teaser images suggest a much sleeker, full-bodied sports car than we have come to expect over the years. Led by chief designer, Anthony Jannarelly, the V concept is openly described as “a visual departure from the existing Seven range” and came through a collaboration with Italdesign. Fans of the classic Seven model will be intrigued by the forthcoming electric variant which sticks to the tried and true front-engine, open-air design of the original.
BMW 3.0 CSL and 5 Series
The new 5 Series saloon will make its UK debut at Goodwood, along with the fully electric i5 variant. The eye-wateringly priced 3.0 CSL (on sale in the region of £700,000 depending on where you are) will also be in tow. A rare showing for the hydrogen crowd, the iX5 hydrogen fuel cell SUV will sit alongside the H2R, a pioneering hydrogen-powered car from 2004.
Porsche Mission X
With a domed glasshouse, new light signature and butterfly doors this is a slightly different Porsche to what we might usually expect, similar in proportion to the 918 and Carrera GT but with markedly different approach to exterior design beyond that. Though it reflects a “modernised” approach, elements of the car were inspired by historic racing cars like the 906, 908 and 917. Created to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the 356 Roadster, the Mission X is seen as a “beacon for the sports car of the future.”
Polestar 5 prototype
Put to the test up the iconic hill climb route in 2022, this prototype will return to Goodwood this year no doubt with some improvements and closer to production-readiness than before. So not necessarily a debut, but likely to be an exciting update nonetheless.
Goodwood has always been a popular event with CDN – helped by the fact it is on home soil off course – and over the years we have enjoyed various concept and production launches not only from British brands but from all over. These have included but are by no means limited to the BMW M3 Touring and 2 Series Coupe; and the Polestar O2 Roadster and Polestar 5 concepts.
Earlier shows brought us physical reveals of the Lotus 3-Eleven, Peugeot 308 GTi and a working prototype of the Aston Martin Vulcan. Dig a little further back to its beginnings in the early 90s and the Festival of Speed is clearly seen by OEMs as more than a garden party-cum-hill climb. It’s a fully-fledged motor show. We are sure there will be more launches planned and will keep an eye out on the day.
It’s not only the latest fare on show though. Goodwood’s Cartier lawn is the place to go for classic car enthusiasts, with last year’s exhibit counting stunning (and exceptionally rare) examples from Bugatti, Ferrari, Fiat, Lancia and Lotus to name but a few. We’re excited to see what turns up this time round.
