As Porsche reaches its milestone 75th anniversary, it is the first marque to be celebrated for a fourth time on the Central Feature at the Goodwood Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard. It’s the perfect time for Porsche and Goodwood to join forces, as it’s also 75 years since motorsport began at the Motor Circuit just down the road from the Festival of Speed site.
Each year, the Central Feature dominates the scene in front of Goodwood House, taking its place on the turning circle and creating a focal point for the event. For 2023, no fewer than six Porsche models festoon the steel structure.
There are two representatives of the legendary 911. The current 992 generation model is represented in a Martini livery, while one of its forebears, the 997, is shown in Sport Classic form, complete with ducktail spoiler. The third road car taking its place on the Central Feature is a 356, the true ancestor of the current 911 line-up.
Endurance racers make another third of the cars on display, with the Blaupunkt 962 set with its younger 963 sibling. The latter is finished in its multi-colour 75th anniversary livery from this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours. There’s also a representative from Porshce’s short time in Formula 1 with the 718/2 single-seater.
The Central Feature sculpture was designed by Gerry Judah who has been the creator of each one since the very first in 1997, when Ferrari took centre stage. Porsche was previously the inspiration in 1998, 2012 and 2018, reflecting the Stuttgart marque’s significance in both motorsport and its consistent contribution to the world of road-going sportscars.
Photography by Jonathan James Wilson
Central Feature
Festival of Speed
FOS 2023
Porsche
Festival of Speed
Festival of Speed
Festival of Speed