Review: Goodwood Festival of Speed 2022
Goodwood’s Festival of Speed is the premier automotive event on the UK calendar, offering up a compelling mix of contemporary design-led brands, technological innovation and old-time classics, all set to a high-octane soundtrack of screaming engines and, these days, humming EVs
There was a pretty constant buzz around the Polestar stand where visitors were treated to a close-up view of the frankly stunning 02 roadster concept facing off against real-life brand manifesto, the Precept. The brand had a whirl at the famous Goodwood hill climb in the Precept’s production progeny, the Polestar 5, complete in dazzle ships livery.
Though it began as a spin-off from Volvo, Polestar, thanks to its careful attention to design, feels more and more like an established standalone marque. Case in point, the latest branding campaign that adorned the antechamber behind the cars, which looks like an adroit slice of graphic design conjured up digitally. Design director, Maximillian Missoni, revealed the strong vertical lines were created using long-exposure photography at the docks near the Polestar headquarters.
And Car Design News were not the only ones who were impressed. Rivian’s design supremo Jeff Hammoud was spotted taking a peek inside the Precept. The outdoorsy EV brand had brought over the R1T, which was spotted gliding silently through the crowds.
Fellow California brand Czinger showed off its 21C hypercar, which is an astonishing looking thing. Brand founder Kevin Czinger is a huge fan of the legendary spy plane the SR71 Blackbird, and there is more than a hint of aeronautical engineering in the car’s splayed doors and fighter jet cockpit. What is perhaps more impressive is the sheer amount of parts – suspension for example – that are 3D printed.
Founder Kevin Czinger is pretty bullish that this design manufacturing is the future of the automotive industry, pointing out how volume manufacturers are still wedded to old assembly line ideas. Leaving aside the revolution for the time being, the boss of Alcantara, Andrea Boragno, whose company collaborated on the 21C interior, looked to be having fun with the Michelin man.
Over on the Lamborghini stand, design director and first time visitor to Goodwood Mitja Borkert was in fine form. Sharply tailored Borkert was clearly enjoying the atmosphere, as well he might as it is a celebration of all things fast after all. The line-up of cars on the stand, including the potent Aventador Ultimae, felt like a requiem for combustion engine power. Fans of the Italian super brand need not worry – Borkert explained how, despite the move towards hybrids beginning in 2023 and eventually a full-electric offering, Lamborghinis should still ‘look like spaceships’.
Borkert also spoke about the reinvention of the Countach explaining how the new iteration is a slow burn. “The Countach needs a bit of time, like a good wine. The car is fantastic and I am 100 percent happy with it. I see a lot of positive comments whenever we put out a new Lamborghini but for sure it is easier to hate.”
“The fastest workhorse in the world,” is how design director of Ford Europe Amko Leenarts described the 2000 horsepower Ford SuperVan – a greatly exaggerated version of its new E-Transit Custom. Designed in just four weeks, Leenarts revealed he had not seen the van until he arrived at the Goodwood circuit. “It was purely digital design, we just sent the data and it was built. Proportionally the challenge was it had to look like a van – make the front to aero and it would look like a people carrier.”
The SuperVan lived up to its billing, proving insanely quick but also eerie in its silence. “There is no engine noise to tell you you are going faster, it’s all just a blur,” enthused Leenarts. The designer also predicted a return to aero design as competition to extend EV range hotted up.
On Electric Avenue and CDN finally saw the Renault 5 prototype, which claimed the Car Design Review 8 Concept Car of the Year prize, in the metal. Reservations that it might feel a little bulky given it channelled design inspiration from the boisterous Turbo version proved unfounded. Proportionally, it is pretty much bang on.
The oasis of calm that is the Cartier Style et Luxe (click here for our report on the line-up) concours always delivers a few delights and this year was no exception. Mid-engined beauty, the Lotus Europa on display and on brand in yellow still summons the elegance and romance of the Cote d’Azur. But it was the stretched form of the Bucciali TAV8-32 V12 ‘Flèche d’Or’, which truly wowed the crowd. Looking like something a Dick Tracy villain would cruise around in, the Bucciali featured a level of detailed craftsmanship seldom seen in contemporary design.
More raucous, but certainly no less interesting was the line-up of monsters from the legendary Group B rally tucked away in the Cathedral Paddock. The Audi Quattro S1 E2 (1985), Ford RS200 and the truly preposterous Metro 6R4 manage to capture the visceral thrills of the era – a fitting way to end the Festival of Speed.