Capturing the theme ‘Flat-out and Fearless: Racing on the Edge’, Mercedes-Benz is set to mark the 22nd running of the Goodwood Festival of Speed in spectacular style with global debuts and on-track action featuring the mightiest Mercedes-AMG cars for the track and the road as well as special celebrations, marking 60 years since the W 196 Silver Arrows last raced.
The Goodwood Festival of Speed will host the worldwide debut of the new generation A-Class, with the mightiest production hot hatch, the new Mercedes-AMG A 45, in action on the challenging, 1.16-mile Goodwood Hill – its 4MATIC system, agility and compact proportions making it ideally suited to the narrow, twisty route.
Joining the Mercedes-AMG A 45 on the Hill will be the most dynamic Mercedes-AMG on-sale today – the GT S. The GT S will be joined by the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S in aiming to make a crowd-pleasing ‘spirited’ start off the line. The quickest Mercedes-Benz of all at Goodwood will be the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS F1 W04 V8 Formula One car – set to be driven by World Endurance Champion Anthony Davidson on the Friday and Saturday, and Nico Rosberg on the Sunday.
The predecessors of Anthony and Nico are also being celebrated, and in few instances is ‘Flat-out and Fearless: Racing on the Edge’ more apparent than in the 1955 racing season for Mercedes-Benz. Brave men drove fearsome Silver Arrows on tracks and roads around the world to victory – with the most incredible drive of them all coming almost exactly 60 years ago when Stirling Moss and Denis Jenkinson took their W 196 S to victory in the Mille Miglia in 10 hours, 7 minutes and 48 seconds – a record never broken.
Nine of the surviving W 196 series racers, each powered by magnificent – and loud – straight-eight engines – will be at Goodwood, six of them taking to the Hill.
The Mercedes-Benz Pavilion, located beside the first corner of the Goodwood Hill, allows visitors to get up close to the most exciting new cars created by Mercedes-Benz, including the all-new A 250 Sport. The Mercedes-Benz Pavilion is also hosting special guests from the world of racing. There’s the chance to experience the cars in vivid, 360 degree action too, via incredible Oculus immersive films, available to be viewed on Samsung Gear Virtual Reality headsets.
