You have to see these six incredible sportscars at 79MM | GRR
We’ve a number of fabulous sportscars that will be racing and demonstrating at the 79th Members’ Meeting presented by Audrain Motorsport. From a fleet of monster Porsche 956s and 962s – including a number of incredibly significant race winners – to the classics of the Graham Hill Trophy, the bruisers of the Surtees Trophy and the screamers of the Weslake Cup. Here’s a carefully-picked selection to look out for this weekend.
Deep Sanderson 301 Coupe
Oh, how we love to see the return of the Weslake Cup. Far from the howling straight-sixes, V12s, and thumping V8s of the larger sportscar disciplines, the Weslake Cup champions the tiny lightweight screamers. Not only that, it’s a grid filled with oddities and uniqueness. The Deep Sanderson 301 Coupe epitomises that uniqueness with its name alone. Then you look at it and its mini-E-type-like form, its bubble-like cabin and sloping rear and especially, that low hood, and wonder where the engine – small as it is – could possibly be. The answer is not where you’d expect. It places its entire drivetrain – Mini-borrowed engine, gearbox and all – in the middle. Have that GT40 and Lamborghini Miura. This little weapon beat you to it.
Aston Martin DP214
From the diminutive proportions of the Deep Sanderson, to the stately swooping alloy coachwork of the Aston Martin DP214. Aston’s direct response to the Ferrari 250 GTO, the DP214s and their siblings were uniquely-bodied DB4s shaped for increased speed down the Mulsanne straight, with numbers as reported by Innes Ireland reaching upwards of 186mph. Speed was only part of the story though, and via a number of factors – period preparation, bad luck among others – they never found the success they perhaps deserved. But they are a legendary last piece in the Aston Martin racing puzzle before Ferrari ran away with its mid-engined prototypes. You’ll find this DP214 racing in the Graham Hill Trophy.
Ford GT40 Prototype
File this under ‘sights you’ll see almost nowhere else’. A grid of GT40s and Can-Am cars, driving on the limit, including a near-unique early prototype of the GT40. You’ll have seen it at Goodwood a few times and it's far from the most competitive car on the grid but it is an essential piece of the GT40’s story. The clues to the prototype are that slightly cut-off nose and the distinctive black and white paint scheme. They were still very much working out the kinks when this car was running and were far from their 1966 Le Mans-winning form, but what an incredibly special car all the same.
Alfa Romeo 3000 Disco Volante
Speaking of special, this is a coach-built 1950s Alfa Romeo sportscar that proved to be an ill-fated one-off. Meet the Alfa Romeo 3000 Disco Volante, a car designed to take on the Mercedes 300SLR. Due to an accident in period, it never got to reach its full potential, with Alfa pulling back on the project. Motor racing’s loss is our modern-day gain, because this rare masterpiece, now in fully racing condition, is a regular at Goodwood. You’ll be able to watch it taking on Maseratis, Jaguar D-Types, Listers, Ferraris and more in the Peter Collins Trophy.
Porsche 956-117
We’ve an entire demo of incredible Porsche Group C machinery to pick from, but even among this lot, one car stands as a legend among legends, that epitomises Porsche’s near-monopoly on the class. It is of course the Le Mans winner from 1984 and 1985 – one of very few chassis in history to have won Le Mans twice and is the most recent to such a rarefied achievement too, even almost 40 years on. Distinctive and recognisable in its yellow NewMan livery, you won’t miss it in the paddocks, or as it goes for its runs around the circuit.
Ford Thunderbird ‘Battlebird’
Where saloon car meets sportscar, the entirely odd but absolutely epic ‘Battlebird’, a highly modified Ford Thunderbird owned by Goodwood regular and governor, Bill Shepherd. Originally built as a promotional vehicle for the Thunderbird, the Battlebird’s birthright was outright speed runs. Once it was no longer fit for purpose, it drifted from owner to owner and was eventually wrecked, before Bill bought it and restored it a few years ago. You can read the full story on the Battlebird here, but we’re telling you it’s one not to miss in the Peter Collins Trophy at 79MM.
Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.