Think Goodwood Festival of Speed is only for prestigious British makes and lightweight Japanese sports cars? Not if the Ford Shelby GT500 has anything to say about it.
As part of a tribute to the late Carroll Shelby, the GT500's participation at Goodwood will be its very first appearance outside American soil. While the UK aren't particularly fond of muscle cars, Shelby's impact to the motoring world still resonates internationally.
In the past, iMotor didn't speak too kindly of the GT500, questioning its live rear axle suspension's ability to cope with the mighty 650-hp 5.8 liter supercharged V8. As good a test as any, the GT500's performance at the hill climb will reveal whether the GT500 is all engine or a surprisingly well-rounded package.
Also to attendance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed is the new Ford Focus ST. Featuring a fun Sweeney theme at the Ford tent, the carmaker celebrates the Focus ST's starring role in the new British film, which is set to release later in September.
Finally, a Zakspeed Ford Capri will also be climing the hill. A full-on Group 5 racer in the 70s, the Zakspeed Capri aims to challenge the 1.16-mile hillclimb speed record of 41.6 seconds, set by former Formula 1 racing driving Nick Heidfeld in 1999.
