Malcolm Gulliver and I went to this year’s Festival – partly because Audi was title sponsor but also because Audi was using the Festival to celebrate its 100th anniversary and had brought cars representing all periods of Audi’s illustrious competition history. Audi’s central feature art installation, a 35 metre high automotive ‘monument’ simply called ‘Progress’, was truly breathtaking and must be one of the most ambitious and stunning sculptures ever constructed for Lord March’s unique and world leading annual Festival.
The installation marks the second occasion that Audi has chosen to celebrate a significant anniversary at Goodwood. In 1999, Audi was honoured with one of the most striking and memorable Goodwood central features to date for its 90th anniversary. The famous Avus race track banking was recalled in an astonishing installation that also included the iconic Auto Union Streamliner and a stunning Audi Avus quattro concept car perched high on the banking.
Designed by the award-winning Gerry Judah, Lord March’s evergreen creative collaborator, this year’s sculpture features two Audi cars – the legendary 1937 Auto Union streamliner as well as the just launched R8 V10 sports car suspended in the air, at either end of a dramatic ‘swoosh’ of tyre tracks, as if they are driving off into the sky. The sculpture is the latest in a grand tradition of central displays at the Festival. It’s made entirely of steel and although the design looks simple, it’s actually extremely complex, because the structure has to be rigid and completely balanced without the need for hundreds of supporting props. The total weight of the structure is 40 tonnes – the equivalent of 40 small family cars. It took two 100 tonne cranes to erect the structure and four weeks for 12 men to fabricate, build and install the structure. And yes, both cars are full size!
As well as the centrepiece display Audi also had a fantastic display stand which was definitely the largest there - and provided a welcome refuge with free cold drinks which, on the Friday, were very welcome. Sitting on the terrace of the Audi display also provided an excellent vantage point for us to watch the Red Arrows Display Team and spot a few Audi celebrities including Nick Mason, still in his racing overalls from driving the Auto Union Type D, chatting to Audi UK’s PR Manager, David Ingram.
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