Top10 moments from the Goodwood Festival of Speed

The iconic Goodwood Festival of Speed hillclimb stretches 1.867km, packs in nine corners, and climbs 92.7 metres through the Goodwood Estate in West Sussex, UK, with an average gradient of 4.9%. And this legendary piece of tarmac has seen some unholy cars that possibly all other asphalts around the world would be jealous of.

2026 was better, bigger and faster, and Goodwood FOS witnessed some jaw-dropping works of art. Without further ado, here’s the list of the Top10 moments at Goodwood.

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Red Bull RB17 made its debut

Possibly the most anticipated car built by Adrian Newey. This V10 monster revs to 15,000rpm while sounding like armageddon is upon us. It was a surprise to see it in the flesh, since for the longest time the car was only viewed as a concept. The shape of RB17 looks like it spent its entire life in a wind tunnel, which explains the F1-inspired aerodynamics. The trade-off being, you might never get to see one on the road. So if you were one of the lucky few who witnessed its glorious hill climb. Congratulations, you were in the presence of greatness.

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Toyota showcasing the GR GT

After the mythical LFA, Toyota fanboys have been yearning for a follow-up to it. Akio Toyoda’s famous words: ‘No more boring cars’ have been the philosophy with which the Toyota GR GT was conceived. The screaming nat-asp V10 has given way to a 4-litre twin-turbo hybrid V8. Headline numbers are 641bhp and 850Nm; the layout being front-engined, which is almost mid-mounted since the engine begins behind the front axles. And the power is sent to the rear wheels only. This one was one of the few cars that was developed by engineers first and then sent to the design team. So every single vent and crease and cut and shape is deliberately put there. And despite the form-follows-function approach, it is a stunning thing to look at.

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Lexus silently going up the hill in the LFA prototype

TBH, this one was indeed a bit disappointing. While it looked like a million bucks, it felt like it was lacking a soul. Not that we are against EVs, but the LFA was such a special car; the screaming V10 is a part of our core memory, and when the LFA prototype went up the hill in eerie silence, we couldn’t help but feel sad for it.

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Audi showcasing the Nuvolari

Audi’s Brutalist take on the Lamborghini Temerario. This mid-mounted, twin-turbocharged V8-powered car takes the more exclusive route as opposed to being a direct replacement for the R8. Making close to 1000bhp and limited to only 499units, this car was indeed a surprise from Audi.

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Denza Z displaying its mind-bending EV

This electric supercar from BYD’s premium brand makes 1579bhp and is a drop-top convertible. It gets a 76kWh second-generation BYD blade battery. And the combined power output is courtesy of a three-motor powertrain that sprints from 0-100kmph in 2.25 seconds. The performance is mind-bending to say the least, and there are many thoughtful touches in the car to ensure the speed isn’t an inconvenience. For instance, when you place the phone in the centre console, the tray lowers slightly so it stays secure and doesn’t fly off during the car’s brutal acceleration.

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Jaguar giving the media a feel of the Type 01

The car that broke the internet, and everybody had something to say about it. The marketing campaign for the Type 00 grabbed more eyeballs and hate than any other car on the internet, that is, until the Luce came along. But Jaguar is sticking to their guns, and I got a chance to experience the Type 01. There is not much that I can report from the minute that I got to spend with the car, but I’ll emphasise the term ‘Jaguarness’ since that is what the brand team was harping on. And by that I mean it isn’t trying to be a supercar or a track car but a Grand Tourer that has the Jaguar.

​Renault giving the media taxi rides in the 5 Turbo 3E

If there had to be a playbook for resurrecting a classic, it would have been titled the Renault 5 Turbo 3E. Yes, it is an electric car, but that’s about it. The car is possibly wider and looks more menacing than anything else on sale today. And the fact that it's a hatchback earns it even more brownie points and makes it oooh so desirable! The interiors are equally quirky, complete with a drift hand brake, and it will boast of some serious sideways actions. It's the first time the media have got their hands on it, but even though we didn’t have a go in it, the fact that it will underpin the next-generation Alpine A110, it's safe to say it has some serious credentials.

GMA flexing the T.50 Niki Lauda

The Godfather of the McLaren F1, one of the greatest cars ever made, decided to improve upon his masterpiece and created the T.50. This one, though, pays homage to the legendary racecar driver Niki Lauda. Besides the downforce-boosting rear fan, this one is decorated with aero all over. And it's only available with an auto 6-speed paddle-shift sequential. The highlight is a Cosworth-designed 3.9-litre V12 engine that revs to 12,100 rpm, produces up to 751bhp and sounds glorious.

TWR stunning the crowd with the marvellous Supercat

Fergus Walkinshaw resurrected his father’s legendary company, TWR, and initiated the absolutely bonkers limited-edition beast, the TWR Supercat. A reimagined Jaguar XJ-S, which is dripping in carbon fibre and producing 651bhp. It truly is a masterpiece and witnessing it at Goodwood was a surreal experience.