RE: BMW to be star car brand of Goodwood FoS

RE: BMW to be star car brand of Goodwood FoS

Monday 11th April
BMW to be star car brand of Goodwood FoS
Pride of place on Lord March's lawn for BMW
BMW motorsport fans should start stocking up on Voltarol ready for the Goodwood Festival of Speed this June: BMW has been announced as 2016's featured marque and three classic motorsport BMWs are to feature on the Gerry Judah-created central sculpture feature.

Part of Goodwood FoS 2016's slight mouthful of a theme - 'Full Throttle - The Endless Pursuit of Power' - the central feature will carry a gorgeous BMW 328 Mille Miglia Roadster, plus the beautiful, 1983 title-winning Brabham-BMW BT52 and the BMW V12 LMR that won Le Mans in 1999 (still BMW's only victory at la Sarthe).

That's not all BMW's sending across from the Munich heritage museum, either. Running up the Goodwood hill will be a 1957 BMW 507, another BMW 328 Touring Coupe (from 1940) and an early BMW touring car, the 1965 BMW 1800 Ti/SA homologation special that was such a star of the Spa 24 Hours in the mid-60s.

Bringing us up to date with BMW Motorsport GmbH will be the M4 GTS, starring at Goodwood for the first time in both static and live display. It'll be joined by umpteen brethren in the BMW M Avenue, lining up 40 years of M products including the delicious new M2. Continuing the theme, there'll be a BMW Pavilion with non-M products, including the first special edition BMW i8, the Protonic Red Edition.

Expect not just BMW-branded vehicles to feature heavily either: because it's BMW Group, MINI and Rolls-Royce are also going to star. Indeed, rumour has it that one or both brands could reveal their own edition of BMW Group 100th anniversary special at Goodwood, following on from the BMW Vision Next 100 concept revealed last month. Meanwhile, PH2ers will get to see machinery include a 1966 BMW R50 S Kaczor, 1976 BMW R90 S 76 and 1929 BMW WR 750 Kompressor in action up the hill.

It's certainly pleased Lord March, who's overseen a long BMW-Goodwood relationship over the years. "BMW has been one of the Festival's most loyal and enthusiastic partners for 19 years. I am thrilled to be celebrating their centenary, and our long-standing relationship, with a BMW Central Feature."

The Goodwood Festival of Speed this year runs from 23-26 June; the first day, Thursday, is Moving Motor Show and press preview day, with FoS 2016 opening in full on Friday 24 June. Tickets? Yes, they're still available: the Moving Motor Show is £32 for adults, with FoS Friday costing £55, Saturday and Sunday costing £65 per day. If you have serious BMW fever, a weekend pass is £147 with children under 12 going in free.