Goodwood Festival of Speed displays latest automotive developments
17 July 2024
What did the Goodwood Festival of Speed tell us about the future of the automotive market? Autovista24 editor Tom Geggus discusses the event with special content editor Phil Curry and journalist Tom Hooker.
The Goodwood Festival of Speed gave a glimpse into the future of Europe’s automotive market. It featured new brands, model debuts and a range of powertrains. Set alongside the famous hill climb, the event is popular among brands and consumers.
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Show notes
BEVs made in China face new provisional EU tariffs on top of existing duties
Launch Report: Ford Explorer brings quality and comfort to BEV market
Synopsis
The Goodwood Festival of Speed plays host to a large number of automotive manufacturers, suppliers and motorsport teams. The annual event has become one of the country’s most important motor shows. Carmakers often use it to stage new model reveals and invite the public to see the latest additions to their line-ups.
The show takes place around the Goodwood house. Its hill climb course puts supercars, motorsport teams and performance models through their paces. This gives the Festival of Speed an atmosphere of adrenaline, attracting a wide audience looking for motoring information and thrills.
This year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed was no exception, with dozens of carmakers in attendance. However, the changing shape of the automotive market was reflected in this year’s event.
China climbs
Celebrating its 100th anniversary, SAIC-owned MG was this year’s headline sponsor. Commanding the coveted central feature sculpture, it illustrated the big presence of Chinese brands at this year’s show.
MG’s presence was bolstered by BYD, which had one of the show’s biggest stands. Meanwhile, Chery-backed Omoda and Jaecoo, and luxury car brand Hongqi were also in attendance. This highlighted the growing presence of new brands from China in the UK market.
The timing of this could not be more crucial. In early July, the EU confirmed that provisional tariffs would be placed on battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) built in China. As it is no longer a member state, there are no such tariffs on imports into the UK. This makes it a more attractive marketplace for these manufacturers.
‘I think it is probably a little early to tell what impact it is actually going to have in terms of what the company decides it is going to do with its overall model mix,’ David Allison, head of product and planning at MG Motor UK, told Autovista24.
‘You must remember that in order to sell cars in Europe, you still have to comply with emissions regulations and CO2 regulations,’ he said. Allison went on to point out that this will most likely accelerate the plans Chinese brands have to manufacture in Europe.
Models on show
MG came to the Goodwood Festival of Speed to showcase its new HS model, alongside the Cyberster and the MG3. The brand was out to highlight its increasing powertrain diversity while reintroducing a convertible roadster to its lineup.
The importance of this was shown in the central feature, which included an MGB and the Cyberster. This provided an insight into the evolution of the company’s models and powertrain development.
The BYD stand was home to the company’s three brands, with the main BYD stage playing host to the Atto 3, Seal and Dolphin. BYD used the Festival of Speed to showcase the new Seal U DM-i plug-in hybrid, adding another powertrain option through its five-seat SUV.
The Denza D9 premium MPV made its UK debut. On the Yangwang stand, crowds were treated to regular performances from the U9 high-performance electric supercar. The model used its DiSus intelligent hydraulic body-control system to great effect, body popping and spinning to music, gaining attention for its abilities as well as its looks.
Another Chinese manufacturer, Chery, was present to showcase its two brands, Omoda and Jaecoo. The company has been busy putting a dedicated dealership network, finance packages and aftersales services in place before it launches the models for sale.
‘The UK is still a highly competitive market, and as a new entrant, it is not easy to build brand awareness and trust,’ Victor Zhang, country director for Omoda & Jaecoo UK, told Autovista24.
‘The dealers are well known in their local region. I think this will become a very important part of our business strategy,’ he added. ‘The dealers not only provide sales, but it is more important for them to provide a service.’
Bringing the sun
There were plenty of established carmakers present at the Goodwood Festival of Speed too, displaying new models and electric developments.
Ford was present with its new Capri, which broke cover a few days before the show started. The model is another important one for the carmaker, which is looking to build up its electric presence, and is using the classic name to inspire a new generation of customers.
The coupé -SUV is the second Ford to be built on the MEB platform, as part of a collaboration between the manufacturer and Volkswagen. The first model, the Ford Explorer, was also present.
The Capri was also featured on Electric Avenue, an area dedicated to electric vehicles (EVs). It was joined by the likes of the Alfa Romeo Junior, Tesla Model 3, BMW i5, and the Renault 5. At the centre of the stand was a DJ platform, powered by an MG5, highlighting the potential of bi-directional charging.
BMW’s M5 made its public debut alongside the new X3. The carmaker also brought its i5 Flow, its colour-changing car. Mini was nearby with its new John Cooper Works E Prototype, the first-ever all-electric model from the brand’s performance segment.
Alpine showed off the new A290, including a run up the hill climb course. The car borrows much from the Renault 5 but provides more power via a 220bhp all-electric powertrain. Making the most of its motorsport credentials, the hatchback was located alongside the carmaker’s Formula 1 show car.
