The 5 coolest cars in the 2026 RAC TT Celebration

Jaguar E-type lightweight ‘low drag’ coupe

An increase in pace was the aim of the Jaguar E-type’s ‘low drag’ makeover, the improved grace was merely a by-product. The Coventry firm had already devised the lightweight version of its 1960s sportscar, its deleted bumpers and sound deadening making it better suited to motor racing.

In the pursuit of greater performance, Malcolm Sayer penned the low drag bodywork to help the car slip through the air better. And it worked: drag is reduced by 16 per cent when compared to a conventional E-type roadster fitted with a hardtop. The car, dubbed the 'low drag' coupe, began competing in the hands of Jaguar's distributer in Germany, Peter Lindner. Powered by a modified version of the E-type's 3.8-litre straight-six engine, it was immediately competitive against the established Ferrari 250 GTO.

That one-off creation paved the way for the 12 Lightweight E-types that followed, but only one other was ever built with that distinct 'low drag' design. The registration 49 FXN, known historically as the 'Lumsden-Sargent' car, was a prolific machine that raced all over Europe, including here at Goodwood, most famously in the RAC Tourist Trophy in 1963. In the 2026 RAC TT Celebration, Lukas Halusa’s will drive the car with André Lotterer in a quest to better the 11^th place finish the pair secured in last year’s race. 

Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray

Let’s be honest, the Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray makes this list on looks alone. It could have a single-cylinder engine from a Honda C90 and it would still make this list thanks to its appearance. Thankfully, there’s an all-American V8 under the long bonnet, so the two models competing in the year’s RAC TT Celebration won’t be left floundering in the field.

The C2 Corvette was introduced in 1962 and enjoyed a five-year production life. As is the way with American cars, it received annual updates. By the time this 1965 example came off the production line the distinctive split rear window of the earlier cars had been dropped (in aid of rearward visibility) and various mechanical improvements had been incorporated.

Better brakes and steering were accompanied by, for the first time, the option of a big block V8 engine. After competing separately in 2025’s fixture, Marco Attard and Darren Turner are teaming up this year with a Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray, as are Benoît Tréluyer and Nick Jarvis.

Bizzarrini 5300 GT

Sometimes good things come from less than ideal circumstances. It was a falling out between Giotto Bizzarrini and his then-boss Enzo Ferrari that led him to leave his employer and set up on his own. He had an ambition to put his name on the motorsport map and persuaded local industrialist Renzo Rivolti to assist him with his lofty ambition. The result? The Iso Grifo A3C, which was renamed Bizzarrini 5300 GT after the partners went their separate ways.

With its Chevrolet V8 engine mounted far behind the front axle line and its clean but aggressive Giorgetto Giugiaro-penned lines, the 5300 GT was a thinly-veiled racing car for the road. In fact, in Corsa trim (as opposed to Strada and America) it was a racing car. At the 1965 Le Mans 24 Hours, the Bizzarrini won its class and set the fastest top speed on the Mulsanne Straight. After its success on track, it was driven back home to Livorno, Italy, by Giotto Bizzarrini.

The Italian machine will be adding to the chorus of American V8s at the Goodwood Revival, driven by James Thorpe and Marino Franchitti.

AC Cobra

There looks to be no fewer than eight Cobras on the entry list for the 2026 RAC TT Celebration, including two Shelby Cobras and a 1964 AC USRRC 289 Cobra. The one that made the cut for this list may not necessarily be the fastest, but is arguably the most visually arresting thanks to its one-off snakeskin livery.

Many assume that it’s not a period livery, so it’s a chance to put it on the record again: this is how the car looked when it raced in the 1960s. The bulk of the car’s racing was completed in 1965 when it competed in Sports Car Club of America events. 

These days the car is owned by Bobby Verdon-Roe who bought the car in 2022 in order to make his return to racing at Revival after a hiatus of several years. At 2026’s fixture, he’s set to be sharing the car with Jason Plato, while Hélio Castroneves will be making his historic racing debut sharing an AC Cobra with Ludovic Caron. Victor of the 2025 RAC TT Celebration, Tom Ingram, will also be swapping his winning Jaguar E-type FHC for a Cobra, alongside Jack Tetley.

Jaguar E-type 'Egal'

This is a Jaguar E-type, arguably the world's most elegant and classy sportscar, transformed into a visceral V8 monster. Because... Well, isn't that just the coolest thing you’ve ever heard?

Gone is the crisp 3.8-litre straight-six XK engine, replaced by a brazen 7.0-litre V8 taken from a Ford Galaxie. The E-type is so often at odds with the Shelby Cobra when it comes to the RAC TT Celebration, and what better way to get one over on the competition than to steal its enormous 427ci engine?

A quick look at this car is a great way to understand how much work goes into an engine swap like this. It wasn't just a case of taking the old one out and dropping a new one in, this E-type has had some serious work done.

The space frame itself was reshaped to make space, a whole new cooling setup was introduced, including some bold changes to the front bodywork and three huge scoops cut into the bonnet — 250 GTO style. It's also been fitted with a pair of side-exit exhausts. Effectively, this E-type that will be piloted by Johnny Mowlem and Bonamy Grimes during the 2026 RAC TT Celebration is the best-looking Cobra you've ever seen.

Saturday tickets and 3-Day passes for the Goodwood Revival have now sold out, and Friday and Sunday tickets are limited. 

If you’re not already part of the GRRC, you can sign up to the Fellowship today and save ten per cent on your 2026 tickets and grandstand passes, as well as enjoying a whole host of other on-event perks.