Fiskens Goodwood Festival notes

Fiskens show off spectacular selection at Goodwood

Fiskens, London's leading historic automobile specialists, wowed the vast Goodwood Festival of Speed crowd with some of the world's most celebrated classic racing cars last weekend.

Fiskens have become regular supporters of Lord March's annual summer automotive celebration which has grown into the greatest gathering of rare road and track machinery in the world.

And this year was no exception with three icons of motorsport making the trip south to West Sussex. Among them was a Le-Mans pedigree Ford GT40, chassis XGT-2, one of eight cars entered by the factory for the famous 1966 event where the Blue Oval scored a 1-2-3, thus fulfilling its aim of beating Ferrari for the first time. Indeed, XGT-2 led much of the race in the hands of Graham Hill and Brian Muir.

Amazingly, XGT-2's runs up the hill courtesy of Fiskens' own Gregor Fisken, Stuart Graham - a TT winner on both two wheels and four - and respected Classic and Sportscar journalist Mick Walsh, were the car's first outings in Europe since its second appearance at La Sarthe in 1969.

"Everyone agreed that it was remarkably easy to drive, very light on its feet but enormously powerful thanks to the 7-litre V8," said Fisken. "The gear change was so smooth - like putting a hot knife through butter! - and was a privilege to drive up the famous hill and a real treat for everyone watching."

Also enjoying its blast through the grounds was a Jaguar C-Type, the only one of its kind to have competed at the fearsome Carrera Panamericana road race in Mexico. Chassis XKC 029, driven by Fiskens' Will Stone at last weekend's event, contested the race in 1953 and '54 and appeared at Goodwood resplendent in its striking newly restored 'Veracruz' livery last seen in 1954. A radical departure from traditional Jaguar colour schemes of the time, it proved a huge hit on the hill.

"The car looked amazing in its new livery," said Stone. "It hasn't been seen like that since it was competing on the Carrera Panamericana over half a century ago. Although we weren't doing a timed run, it performed very well indeed."

Fiskens' final example also proved a head-turner, even though it remained on static display throughout the weekend. Alfa Romeo's 8C was one of the pre-war era's most famed racing cars, enjoying success at the Mille Miglia, Targa Florio and of course Le Mans, where it notched up four consecutive victories.

This stunning 8C, Chassis number 2311228, sold by Fiskens five years ago and displayed on the Cartier Style et Luxe lawn, was originally supplied to the famous powerboat racer Ambrogio Castiglioni in 1934 who had the car re-bodied as a Spider by renowned coachbuilders Zagato. Recently fully-restored by Italian specialist Cognolato, this unique 8C proved one of the stars of this year's show.

-source: fiskens