2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed preview

Porsche will celebrate its 75th anniversary at the fabled event

Motoring extravaganza celebrates 30 years; Porsche is centrally featured company for its 75th anniversary

The Goodwood Festival of Speed will return in 2023 from Thursday 13 July to Sunday 16 July - and it’s to be a big year for car unveilings and international public debuts. 

This year’s theme, Goodwood 75, celebrates 75 years of the Goodwood estate and 30 years of the Festival of Speed.  

Tribute will be paid to the estate itself and to remarkable feats in automotive engineering and famed drivers from the past and the present.

The famous Goodwood Hillclimb will also return, focusing on cars and bikes from historical racing years 1948 to 1966 and more modern cars from 1998 to 2023.

Porsche will be celebrated by the event’s central feature. It's 75 years since the firm produced its first sports car, the Porsche 365, and it will hand a debut to several new cars at Goodwood.

Which new cars should you look out for at this year’s Festival of Speed? We’ve compiled a list of the biggest expected debuts… 

*Cars we’re expecting to see at the Goodwood Festival of Speed*

-AIM EV Sport 01-

The designer of the Nissan GT-R has returned to the drawing board to create this shapely 483bhp electric sports car that weighs just 1425kg. It uses two liquid-cooled, high-performance electric motors (one on each of the rear wheels) with a maximum speed of 10,000rpm. They draw their reserves from an 81kWh battery split into four packs for a total torque figure of 582lb ft, helping it to achieve a sub-6.0sec 0-62mph time.

*Nissan GT-R designer creates lightweight, 483bhp EV sports car*

-*Alpine A290*-

With its sights set on the mainstream market, Alpine is launching this Renault 5-based hot hatchback which will make its public debut at Goodwood. With an FIA-approved racing chassis and two motors mounted on the front axle, the production car promises to be a more usable accompaniment to the widely-acclaimed A110, without compromising its sporting character.

*Alpine A290 on sale in 2024 as feisty electric hot hatch*

-BMW 5 Series and i5-

The new BMW 5 Series is one of the most anticipated cars of 2023, and it will appear in the UK in public for the first time at the Festival of Speed. An all-electric i5 variant will also be present at the event, with both cars taking to the famous hill climb. This generation will be the final time the 5 Series is sold with an internal combustion engine, so make sure you visit the German brand's stand to say your goodbyes. 

*New BMW 520i is last pure-combustion 5 Series*

-*Caterham Seven EV*-

Two prototypes of Caterham's 700kg, 322bhp EV will make their debut at Goodwood, signalling a new beginning at Caterham as the firm dips its toes in electric waters. The cars will look to match the 3.4sec 0-62mph performance of a 237bhp Seven 485, have enough battery power to perform flat out on track for 20 minutes and be able to fully recharge via a 150kW charger in 15 minutes. 

*Electric Caterham Seven: 700kg, 322bhp EV coming to Goodwood*

-Caterham Project V-

Caterham will reveal another EV at the event. We still don't have many details about it, but it's likely to be a two-seat sports car and entirely unrelated to the Seven. The Project V, which will lead the firm's push into electrification, will continue to uphold the values of "lightness, simplicity and a driver-focused experience" upon which Caterham has built its legacy. 

*Caterham to present Project V electric car concept at Goodwood*

-*Czinger Hyper GT*-

This striking hypercar from American start-up Czinger is touted as “the most powerful grand tourer ever produced”. It will get the same 1233bhp twin-turbocharged 2.88-litre hybridised V8 engine as the firm's more track-focused 21C coupé, mounted at the front. With gullwing doors, 3D printed wheels, and camera-operated side mirrors, it commands a hefty price tag of between $750,000 (£613,260) and $1 million (£817,680). 

*Czinger reveals $1m Hyper GT with 1233bhp V8 and gullwing doors*

-*Genesis GV80 Coupe Concept*-

This concept is a coupe version of the Korean luxury brand's GV80 SUV. Genesis says that the concept “serves as a statement of intent for the future, hinting towards more emotional and performance-oriented models”, meaning it gets much sportier styling than any Genesis model to date. It is expected to rival the likes of the Audi RS Q8 and Porsche Cayenne Coupé when it reaches production. Alongside the GV80 Coupe, the brand will launch an entirely new model on 13 July. Little is known about it, but check back later as we continue to report.

*New Genesis GV80 concept previews upcoming sports SUV*

-*Hiphi Z and X*-

Hiphi will make its UK brand debut with the Z grand tourer and X midsize SUV. The Z will make a dynamic debut on the Goodwood hillclimb, making use of its twin electric motors and 3.8sec 0-62mph time. The X, meanwhile, will be part of a static dsiplay. It will be sold in Europe with a 97kWh battery offering a claimed range of up to 403 miles, calculated on China's CLTC test cycle. It has a dual-motor set-up with a total output of 528bhp. HiPhi said it can complete 0-62mph in 3.9sec. 

-Hyundai Ioniq 5 N-

We’ve been hotly anticipating the sporty version of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 for some time now. It will be Hyundai‘s first electric performance car, with a focus on the UK market. Expect ramped-up performance and a more aggressive exterior design.

*2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N EV hot hatch to be revealed at Goodwood*

-Ineos Grenadier FCEV-

The hydrogen fuel cell-powered version of the Ineos Grenadier 4x4 uses powertrain technology sourced from Hyundai, with which Ineos inked a memorandum of understanding in 2020.

*Ineos Grenadier hydrogen FCEV to star at Goodwood*

-Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster-

Known previously as the Ineos Grenadier pick-up, the Quartermaster has previously been spotted in near-production guise undergoing extreme weather testing, but this will be the first time the new Toyota Hilux rival will be seen in public. 

*Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster pick-up to make debut at Goodwood*

-*Kia EV9*-

Kia's widely-reported seven-seat flagship will make its UK debut at Goodwood. It will launch later this year with a choice of two powertrains: rear-wheel drive with 200bhp and 258lb ft that takes it from 0-62mph in 9.4sec; and a dual-motor version offering 378bhp and 442lb ft, along with a 6.0sec 0-62mph time. It marks the beginning of a bold new design era for Kia as it progresses with its ambitious ‘Plan S’ to launch another 13 bespoke EVs by 2027.

*New 2023 Kia EV9 priced from £64,995 in the UK*

-McMurtry Spéirling Pure-

The Spéirling broke the Goodwood hillclimb record last year, and McMurtry has now revealed a track-only version for the public to buy. On sale from £984,000, the single-seater, 1000bhp demon is more efficient that the standard car, meaning it's, unbelievably, even faster. You can see it in public for the first time at this year's Festival of Speed.

*McMurtry Speirling Pure goes on sale with 1000bhp for £984,000*

-*Lamborghini LMDh racer*-

Lamborghini will reveal its new LMDh prototype racer at Goodwood before it competes in endurance races around the world from Le Mans to Daytona. Due to make its debut on 13 July, it will be presented by the Italian firm's CEO, Stephan Winkelmann, chief technical officer Rouven Mohr and head of motorsport Giorgio Sanna. 

-*MG 4 XPower*-

The XPower version of the MG 4 EV will make its public debut at Goodwood, complete with more aggressive styling tweaks and an upgraded powertrain that delivers 429bhp and 443lb ft of torque through all four wheels. The result is a 0-62mph time of 3.8sec, putting it on par with the likes of the Mercedes-AMG A45. Unlike that hot hatch, though, the 4 XPower costs from £36,495.

*Confirmed: MG 4 XPower electric hot hatch gets 429bhp*

-*MG EX4*-

MG will also launch the EX4, an electric hyper-hatch that pays tribute to the brand's iconic Group B Metro 6R4. Based on the 4 XPower, it uses the same 429bhp dual-motor electric powertrain that allows the road car to dispatch the 0-62mph sprint in 3.8sec. Its large rear spoiler, chiselled front wing and wide-box wheel arches are a clear reference to the 1980s rally car, jutting out from the basic 4’s bodywork.* *

*MG EX4: electric hyper-hatch is tribute to Metro 6R4*

-Mini Aceman concept-

Aceman is Mini's first new product name for 10 years. The car will arrive next year to fill the gap between the flagship Mini hatchback (to now be called Cooper) and the Mini Countryman SUV. It will make its UK debut at the Festival of Speed; you will find it in the Electric Avenue. Positioned to rival the upcoming Jeep Avenger, it will also be built in China and will use a stretched version of the electric Cooper’s Spotlight architecture. The Aceman will form a key component of Mini's future. 

*Mini Aceman EV is electric-only Clubman replacement*

-*Nio ET5*-

This Tesla Model 3 rival is expected to arrive in the UK later this year, after it makes its debut as the brand's fifth production model. Priced from the equivalent of £38,935 in China (including battery), it is based on the same 'Technology Platform 2.0' as the ET7. It's available exclusively with a twin-motor powertrain, which comprises a 201bhp asynchronous motor on the front axle and a 282bhp motor at the rear, for total combined outputs of 483bhp and 516lb ft. The 0-62mph sprint is dispatched in 4.3 seconds, but Nio has yet to give a top speed figure.

*New Nio ET5 is Tesla Model 3 rival with up to 620 miles of range*

-Porsche Mission X-

Porsche will celebrate its big anniversary this year with the Mission X concept, a 75th birthday present to itself. The electric hypercar previews a potential EV successor to the Carrera GT and 918 Spyder, so you can guarantee it will be a very powerful machine indeed. A powertrain that could offer around 1500bhp will be key to achieving its goal of becoming the fastest road-legal car to ever round the Nürburgring.

*New Porsche Mission X concept is electric 918 Spyder successor*

-Porsche Cayenne-

The updated Porsche Cayenne will be showcased at this year’s event. The German car maker’s larger SUV gets a new set of upgraded engines, plus a revised chassis and a total interior overhaul. It’s unlikely that we will see the electric Cayenne, though, with that not due on UK roads until 2025. 

*New-look Porsche Cayenne gets power, EV range and tech boosts*

-Porsche 718 Spyder GT4 RS-

This will be the last Porsche 718 Boxster and the most powerful yet. It takes 493bhp and 332lb ft from a GT3-based atmo 4.0-litre flat six with an ear-splitting 9000rpm redline. That’s mated to a “lightning-speed” seven-speed PDK automatic gearbox, all of which combine to propel the roadster from 0-62mph in just 3.4sec. It’s likely this £123,000 sports car will be one of the most popular cars at this year’s event. 

*Porsche 718 Boxster bows out with 493bhp Spyder GT4 RS*

-McLaren 750S-

The new 750S is the thoroughly updated and enhanced replacement for the 720S. Subtly restyled but said to be 30% new under the skin, the 1277kg 750S is the lightest series-production McLaren road car yet. It's available in hard-top and Spider guises, and has been designed to provide "a new benchmark" in the supercar segment. Bringing with it a power bump over the 720S to 750PS (740bhp), it gets a "segment-leading" power-to-weight ratio of 579bhp per tonne. 

*New McLaren 750S replaces 720S with more power, revised chassis*

-McLaren Solus GT-

The Solus is McLaren's limited-run, single seat track car derived from a video-game concept. Making its UK debut at Goodwood, it has been created specifically for speed, downforce and lap records. Powered by a naturally aspirated V10 with more than 830bhp, it weighs less than 1000kg and produces 1200kg of downforce at full speed – which is, according to McLaren, more than 200mph.

*McLaren launches V10-powered single-seat Solus GT*

-MG Cyberster-

The Cyberster is the first all-new sports car to be fitted with an MG badge since the MG F in 1995. The Chinese firm says it wil be the world’s first “affordable” EV roadster, with prices starting at £55,000 for a rear-wheel-drive 309bhp version and rising to £65,000 for a dual-motor, four-wheel-drive version with 536bhp. It will no doubt draw significant crowds. 

*Official: 2024 MG Cyberster rivals BMW Z4 for £55,000*

-*Renault 4Ever Trophy*-

The outlandish Renault 4ever Trophy concept will make its UK debut at Goodwood, previewing what the upcoming new Renault 4 will look like. Drawing its power from a 42kWh nickel-cobalt-manganese battery mounted under the floor, the EV is expected to give a range of around 250 miles and is propelled by a 134bhp synchronous motor on the front axle.

-*Renault Turbo R5 3E*-

Renault's 5 Turbo 3E is a reinvention of the iconic 5 Turbo 2. Created to show EVs can be fun, it has a 374bhp electric motor, three drift modes and pink, yellow and blue LED stripes flashing on the front of the car to give a "1980s video-game vibe".

*Renault 5 Turbo 3E racer possible for production, says CEO*