We were there to soak up all the excitement under a blistering sun as Jaguar Land Rover took centre stage.
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) not only debuted a series of stunning new models earlier this month at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2019, but they also celebrated the 30th anniversary of their iconic Land Rover Discovery.
The festival is an annual celebration of all things automotive – right up most dads’ street then – and JLR were at the forefront of proceedings over the sunny weekend.
The Land Rover Discovery SUV, in all its versatility as both a superlative family vehicle and heavyweight off-roader, feels like it’s been around for a lifetime. In reality, it’s been 30 years since its launch – something that was celebrated earlier in the year with the release of the Discovery Landmark Edition.
Rare collection
And to celebrate this anniversary at the festival, JLR put on an impressive collection of rare and notable Land Rover Discoverys for attendees to snap away at with their cameras (some you were even able to drive). From the 1988 pre-production Discovery 1 to the Red Cross ‘Hero’ concept Discovery 5 and right up to the current Discovery, it was four-wheel heaven.
Elsewhere, the Duke of Richmond drove a prototype of the new Land Rover Defender up the iconic Goodwood Hill. The test vehicle allowed the crowds to grab a glimpse of the modern-day version of one of Land Rover’s most enduring models. (The mid-size Defender 110 will be released this October, followed by the short-wheelbase 90 in March, 2020, and the long-wheelbase 130 in August, 2020.)
The Duke of Richmond said: “Few vehicles in the world can claim to be an icon, but that’s the only way to describe the Land Rover Defender. It’s extremely close to my heart and a vehicle that I’ve had a close connection with over the decades, so to be able to open this year’s Festival of Speed by driving it up the Hill was a real privilege.”
Redefining capabilities
While Land Rover Chief Engineer, Mike Cross, commented: “The new Defender will redefine breadth of capability for the 21st Century, combining unrivalled off-road ability with assured and engaging on-road dynamics. I am really excited to be putting it to the test on the Hill.”
The new Defender has just returned from field testing in Kenya with wildlife conservation charity Tusk, to highlight the decline in lion populations in Africa as part of its Year of the Lion initiative.
And as if all this wasn’t enough, there were a handful of Jaguar F-TYPE SRVs and F-PACE SVRs available to test drive to showcase just why Jaguar is a leader when it comes to both sport cars and SUVs. Plus, people could enjoy a touch of eTROPHY with Jaguar’s I-Type proudly on display.
