Past Events
Goodwood 2007
Goodwood 2007
The Honda that Shook the Goodwood Air vol.2
Spectators line the sides of the hill-climb track. This photo was taken on Saturday morning before it rained, but on Sunday, the crowd was huge despite it raining all day.
Visitors of course come to the Goodwood Festival of Speed to see the famous racing bikes and cars of the past, and the drivers and riders showing off their skills. In addition, car enthusiasts can browse the stores and visit the booths set up by the participating automakers, just as they would at a motor show. Perhaps they also like the music concerts held for the enjoyment of non-car enthusiasts.
But, another attraction for racing machine lovers is to hear the engines of the most famous bikes and cars of all time roar back into life.
A machine that is built with passion has an intoxicating sound. Many of the famous bikes and cars at Goodwood were spectacularly successful in racing history. It is even more impressive to consider that the engine sounds heard today echoed with applause on the circuits of yesteryear.
At Goodwood, many spectators gathered by the side of the hill-climb course where the participating machines were conducting time trials. The number of spectators was so large that those behind the crowd would probably not be able to see the machines pass by. They still stayed nonetheless, probably because they were in awe the roaring sounds of the machines that passed close by. Goodwood is a reminder that the British people are love cars.
Goodwood during a brief sunny patch. Spectators, when tired, sat down on the grass to take a rest.
Visitors have another opportunity to enjoy the engine sounds at Goodwood. This is when the engines of the bikes and cars participating in the hill climb are started up in the paddocks. Many spectators are there, and the Honda paddock, the only area with a red carpet and the most beautiful display of machines, is especially popular. The exhaust sounds emitted in the paddock is “Honda music” with a distinctive, high-pitched tone, an sound that has been etched in the hearts of European race fans over many years of racing history. Of course, even non-race fans are overwhelmed by the powerful sound and applaud loudly after listening. Among the many paddocks, Honda is unique in that it is the only one where the audience is so excited.
“Honda music” shook the air of Goodwood and the hearts of the audience.
Attention-Grabbing Honda Engine Sound
Invited by organizer Lord March, Honda is the only company to roll out the red carpet in the paddock. In the foreground is the #6 RC145.
This year, Honda brought to Goodwood three of the machines that are being preserved in running condition at the Honda Collection Hall at Twin Ring Motegi: The RC145 racing bike, and the RA301 and Williams Honda FW11 F1 cars. The other machines in Honda’s paddock are owned by private participants in Europe.
Engines are usually warmed-up before the hill climb, but this weekend was a treat for the visitors, as rain prevented most of the bikes and cars from running on the hill-climb course. Here is a video of the event.
The Honda paddock is full of racing machines. The car in front is the FW11, and behind it is the RA301.
First was the RC145, the #6 machine that won all 10 rounds of the 1962 World Grand Prix and the Isle of Man TT races, ridden by Luigi Taveri, with its high-revving 125cc 4-stroke, parallel 2-cylinder engine emitting a sharp sound.
Next up was the Williams Honda FW11, the #5 machine that Nigel Mansell drove to second place in the 1986 F1 drivers' championship. In 1987, Nelson Piquet won the championship with the Williams Honda FW11B, giving Honda its first double title. The 1500 cc V6 turbo engine emitted a low roaring sound. There was no high-pitched scream typical of Honda racing engines, but the audience applauded the championship-winning machine.
The #5 RA301 was the last machine to be fired up. This particular RA301 was driven by John Surtees in the 1968 Mexican Grand Prix, powered by a 3000 cc V12 water-cooled DOHC 4-stroke engine that emitted an exhaust sound so powerful that it applied pressure to the eardrums of onlookers.
