Events like the Goodwood Festival of Speed could only ever work in the UK
Editor Paul Barker thinks the Goodwood Festival Speed is just one of the things that helps make the UK’s automotive scene one of the most vibrant on the planet
A host of recent interesting stories from individual manufacturers have added up to a big picture that reinforces the brilliantly diverse nature of the UK car industry.
The uncertainty over Lotus’s future here and Nissan cutting jobs in Sunderland – although the plant looks secure – are countered by Toyota’s decision to invest in its UK facility to build the GR Corolla, and the transformation at JLR’s Halewood plant ahead of it producing the mid-sized electric Range Rover model from next year.
McLaren and Bentley picked up well deserved wins at the Auto Express New Car Awards last week, showing they’re still at the top of their game, with Morgan getting a first-ever New Car Awards Commended nod for the excellent new Supersport.
Then you’ve got Ariel’s most powerful car ever – the 525bhp Atom 4RR – and Aston Martin launching the “most performance focused” Vantage in its history at Goodwood this week.
Ah yes, the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Although it’s an increasingly expensive day out, there is no other event in the world like it, and I’m not sure any other country could pull it off. The array of vehicles and drivers, plus the ability to get up close to some iconic race and road cars, is unprecedented.
Then you can add Caterham working away on the Project V that could shape the brand’s future, Rolls-Royce serenely being Rolls-Royce, and Oxford’s MINI plant churning away, plus the host of small British sports car makers that flit in and out of the news. Marcos is the latest that could be on the way back.
Of course, that is the sort of story we’ve heard before; another quaint UK tradition is the number of low-volume performance brands that either teeter near the brink, or disappear, only to be revived again. (Or at least have a businessman announce plans to revive them that never quite materialises).
The likes of Jensen, Noble and especially TVR have a rollercoaster of a history, but there are plenty of others. It all makes for the very rich, unique tapestry of the UK’s automotive scene, where there’s certainly always something going on.
Did you know you can buy a used car with Auto Express? Choose from tens of thousands of cars with trusted dealers around the UK. Click here to buy used with Auto Express now...
