Hidden in plain sight: the greatest show at Goodwood Revival

Focused on the thrill of the funfair dominating the Over The Road area, the classic car parks of the Revival Car Show are often overlooked by visitors who are arriving on public transport, taxis or modern cars. Once you are Over The Road, it’s merely a scan of your ticket and a two-minute walk to one of the best kept secrets Revival has to offer.

Unlike the main event, deliciously rich with noise and the scent of fuel, the Revival Car Show provides two calm display areas. Pre ’66 caters for motors registered before 31^st December 1965, while Tax Exempt hosts classics registered from 1966-75.

The rows of gleaming classics further than the eye can see offer a tantalising step back in time to when British models dominated car markets across the globe. A car show aficionado might quibble they’ve seen it all before, but recent years have brought out the creme de la creme of classics, including many vehicles where the remaining examples are down to double or even single digits.

Last year one of the biggest attractions of the Pre 66 car park was a 1963 Rambler Ambassador 990, an American brand which was once owned by AMC and was America’s third largest car manufacturer in 1960. Although Revival is quintessentially British, the Pre 66 car park offered a pleasing mix of American muscle, including a gleaming 1949 Cadillac Coupé Deville Series 62 ‘X’; which stood out between the MGA and Ford Lotus Cortina it was parked between.

For the motoring enthusiast who prefers overseas offerings, there are plenty of courageous motorists who drive their classics over from Europe for this annual gathering. In previous years there have been lesser-spotted Panhards, a Delage, and a handful of pre-war Peugeots which have braved the miles and inclement weather to be at the event.

Harking back to Britain’s golden age of motoring, the 2024 Pre 66 area had a keen offering of cars which hadn’t been commonplace on the roads of Britain for many decades. This included a selection of pre-war Standard 9s and 10s which had driven from the south west — a mean feat considering comfortable top speed is well below 50mph. Pre-war Humbers sat proudly alongside Morgans, sleek Triumph sportscars and a well-kept 59 Mini.

For those with a taste in finer motoring, there is usually a keen gathering of Aston Martins, Rolls-Royces and Bentleys, all nestled in amongst the everyday classics of yesteryear.

Although parked slightly further back, you would be foolish to overlook the Tax Exempt area, representing the dawn of a new age of motoring, where foreign marques challenged the self-assured confidence of British manufacturers and new names start to take dominance.

Last year, there was a brilliant line up of Rootes group motors including Sunbeams, Singers and Hillmans, a quality handful of names which were regrettably lost in the Chrysler buyout. It is in this car park where you’ll see the rise of Ford, while Japanese marques such as Datsun have begun to appear as the tax exempt band widens.

The past couple of years have also offered ‘what is that’ moments with kit cars such as the Rochdale Olympic making an appearance. There have been all sorts of ‘flash in the pan’ names such as Frisky-Meadows appearing, which is why it’s so exciting to visit the car park; it’s almost impossible to leave without spotting something you’ve not seen before.

Put simply, there are so many classics on display it rivals the biggest classic car shows in the country. As you gently peruse the vehicles, the atmosphere created by visitors in their vintage finery provides a time travelling experience which cannot be rivalled, turning what was once a ‘car park’ into a motoring spectacle which has arrived by perfect accident.

So at this year’s Revival, carve a bit of time in your busy day to step away from the main event and slip into the slow lane at the Revival Car Show. Whether it’s a walk down memory lane or a golden opportunity to inspire the younger generations within your party, this magical trip back in time is simply unmissable. And, whether it’s for the tax-exempt class or adding to the ’66 spectacle, there’s still time to register your qualifying car and become part of the show, free of charge.

Tickets for the Goodwood Revival are limited! Saturday tickets have sold out, so secure your Friday and Sunday tickets to avoid missing out on the world's best historic motorsport event.

 Photography by Amy Shore and Nick Wilkinson.