I just finished watching the Duke of Richmond, the founder of the Goodwood Festival of Speed, take to the wheel of the brand new Lotus Emira, which just launched earlier this week, up the legendary hill climb. I am glad to report that the Festival of Speed is back for 2021 after a gap of nearly 18 months.

The Festival of Speed or FOS is a 4-day event that takes place around about the same time as the British Formula 1 Grand Prix every summer. It is a hill climb event and is touted by many as the celebration of motorsport. Every kind of car and motorcycle imaginable takes part in the event from all over the world. Be it vintage cars, old F1 cars, Rally Cars to the latest Electric Hypercars, Goodwood has you covered. 

The Goodwood Festival is also famed for bringing out rare and distinctive cars from private garages to race on the legendary course. There’s also a retro fairground, a revival auto show with scores of vintage cars, a revival cinema, and a Bonhams exclusive auction.

Here are some of the most anticipated cars to watch out for at this year's event.

Hyundai Ioniq 5

This year at Goodwood, the all-new Hyundai Ioniq 5 makes its stunning debut. It has to be one of the coolest EVs we've ever seen. The second-generation EV has indeed made quite an impression, and it is currently one of the nicest electric cars on the market. Will its unusual retro style, cutting-edge tech, and pleasant ride win it over showgoers?

Kia EV 6

The stunning Kia EV6 also makes its debut appearance at this year's Festival of Speed, despite the fact that shipments are still months away. If you choose the 577 horsepower dual-motor version, the EV6 will demolish whatever prejudices you may have about the Korean brand. It will sprint from 0 to 62mph in just 3.5 seconds.

Everrati Signature Wide-Body

Everrati Automotive Limited has announced that its flagship, 500-horsepower Signature wide-body will be unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Everrati, based in Oxfordshire, England fixes and offers custom electric power units for some of the world's most renowned automobiles, including the likes of the iconic Porsche 911, the Mercedes Benz Pagoda, and Land Rover Series II to name a few. The tech firm, which specializes in reimagining and futureproofing automotive icons through extensive testing, recently announced a collaboration with Michelin.

Mini Electric Pace Setter

MINI’s Electric Pacesetter, which was built as a Formula E safety car, makes its Goodwood debut. The radical battery-powered hatch prototype, which borrows its crazy design from the current John Cooper Works GP, is expected to be showcased at Goodwood and will be even more powerful and lighter.

Genesis G70 Shooting Brake

Hyundai's premium brand, Genesis, will introduce the Shooting Brake edition of its G70 sedan, which means we may learn more about its powertrains. In other markets, the sedan is available with a 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol four-pot as well as a 3.3-liter twin-turbocharged petrol V-6.

BMW 2 Series Coupe

This year's FoS will bring three new BMW vehicles, including the all-new 2 Series Coupe, which will be unveiled in the metal for first time on July 8. The Munich-based automaker’s smallest two-door coupe will make a comeback with a 3.0-liter inline-six that produces 382 horsepower in the M240i range-topper and a choice of rear- or four-wheel drive. 

Toyota GR86

With a spin up the Hillclimb course, the new Toyota GR 86 marks its premiere at the Festival of Speed. The rear-drive sports car is a successor to the GT86 and comes with a 232 horsepower 2.4-liter flat-four gas engine with a 0-62 mph time of 6.3 seconds. 

Polestar Concept

Okay, so it's not quite a production car yet, but the Polestar Precept is Polestar's guarantee of a Taycan-sized luxury electric offering and is something that it's not forgetting. That's because Polestar is dead set on seeing the Precept go into production. Here's your first chance to witness its sleek Scandinavian design.

Lotus Emira

The Lotus Emira, as the Festival's main marque, may well be the most significant debut this year. The essence of an all-new Lotus, and the last gas-powered Lotus, cannot be emphasized enough. The Emira was showcased just earlier this week, giving us a direction of where the British Marque intends to go in the future.

Ferrari SF 90 Spider

The SF90 Spider, which is supposed to boast "record-breaking performance," will make an appearance at Goodwood as well. It's undoubtedly powerful with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 that produces 769 horsepower and two electric motors. It has a total output of 986 horsepower, making it the world's most powerful series-production convertible.

Kimera Evo 37

Lancia won the manufacturers' World Championship back in 1983 with the Lancia 037 Tipo 151 rally car. With the Evo 37, Kimera is trying to bring that legacy back to life. It has a strong resemblance to the original. It is powered by a supercharged and turbocharged inline-four that produces over 500 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque. It even retains Abarth's original double-bubble rooftop design. The car is officially being unveiled at Goodwood, with deliveries starting in September of this year.

SCG 004S

While all eyes are on the SCG 007 along with its Le Mans Hypercar, the 004S remains a stunning retro-inspired supercar. The road car, which has been thoroughly tested and is ready to race, must now showcase its capabilities as well. The Festival of Speed is the perfect venue to do just that.

Pininfarina Battista

Pininfarina is making its debut appearance at Goodwood this year, with its all-electric 1,873 horsepower hypercar, the Battista, which will be on display as part of the Electric Avenue attraction. Goodwood marks the completion of its test program.

Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT

It will be impossible to keep this year's Festival of Speed, without recognizing Porsche's presence as it always is. Along with a number of classic models, their all-new Cayenne Turbo GT will take center stage; a high-performance flagship that has been described as the most driver-focused version in the three generations of the Porsche Cayenne.

Land Rover Defender V-8

The Land Rover Defender is an unusual machine to encounter at the Hill climb, but one that is frequently featured at the event. It's the all-new model this time, with the inclusion of the old gargling supercharged V-8 engine. The SUV will make its UK debut at the Festival of Speed, just like the old limited Defender V8 and the prototype for the new one did.

Rolls Royce Dawn GT

At this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed, Rolls-Royce is celebrating its presence with a couple of Landspeed special editions which are based on its drop-top Dawn and Wraith coupes. Both are named after Captain George Eyston, who achieved a speed record of 312 mph in a vehicle powered by two Rolls-Royce V12 aircraft engines back in 1937.

Alfa Romeo Guilia GTA

Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA
Alfa Romeo 

At this year's festival, Alfa Romeo's extreme Giulia GTA will take center stage, offering many people their first chance to witness the track-oriented saloon. Its 532 horsepower is greater than the standard Quadrifoglio, and it's the custom chassis tuning, aerodynamic tweaks, and weight-saving techniques that truly set it apart.

Maserati MC20

White 2021 Maserati MC20
Maserati

Maserati's comeback to the supercar world has, since its preview, been raved about by the press. The MC20 will now make its debut at the 2021 Festival, with its brilliant new Nettuno V-6 engine. Might this be the most thrilling supercar on the market right now? It's clearly one of the most attractive for sure. It's a far cry from the bonkers Maserati MC12.

Lamborghini Aventador LP 780 Ultimae V-12

The final model, the Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae, is described as "a celebration" of the famous V-12 era combustion engine and is the final production model of the Aventador, consolidating the finest qualities of all Aventador versions into a flawless model. according to Automobili Lamborghini. That naturally aspirated V-12 produces 769 horsepower. The supercar is making its public debut at Goodwood.

Aston Martin Valkyrie

Last but not the least, this year, Aston Martin's 1,160-horsepower V-12 hypercar makes its festival debut, taking on the renowned hill climb driven by Formula One driver Lance Stroll. The Valkyrie's naturally aspirated glorious 6.5-liter V-12 engine allows it to go from 0-60mph in under 2.5 seconds, demonstrating its explosive performance. This one is special and the closest to a Formula 1 Racing car for the road.