Special edition Ford Mustang GT to make world debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2018 in tribute to American RAF fighter pilots
- Aircraft-inspired Ford Mustang to debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2018
- Eagle Squadron Mustang GT pays tribute to American fighter pilots who served in the RAF during World War II and were based near Goodwood
- World champion drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr. to pilot 700bhp Mustang GT up hillclimb
- FOS Future Lab open throughout Festival of Speed, from 12 – 15 July 2018, 7am – 7pm each day
A special edition Ford Mustang GT paying tribute to US fighter pilots who served in the RAF during World War II will debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2018, presented by Mastercard.
The one-of-a-kind Mustang GT takes inspiration from the RAF Eagle Squadrons that flew over the fields of Goodwood nearly 80 years ago.
The Squadrons included a diverse group of American volunteer pilots who risked their lives fighting in the skies over northern Europe, including the British coast and France before the US entered the war.
The Eagle Squadron Mustang GT will be piloted up the hill by world champion drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr. on Thursday 12 July before being on static display throughout the rest of the Festival.
Co-created by Ford Performance and Gittin’s RTR Vehicles, it features a 700bhp 5.0-litre V8 engine with a Ford Performance supercharger, RTR carbon fibre wide-body kit and Tactical Performance suspension package.
After its world debut at the Festival of Speed, the Mustang will head to the Experimental Aircraft Association’s largest fundraiser, The Gathering, held on July 26 during EAA’s AirVenture event in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. AirVenture draws more than 500,000 aviation enthusiasts annually and the car will be auctioned off at The Gathering to support the EAA’s youth education programmes. The auction is also open to global bidders.
The Duke of Richmond and Gordon, founder of Goodwood Festival of Speed said: “We are honoured to have the Eagle Squadron Mustang GT making its debut at Goodwood. The car was inspired by the American volunteer pilots who fought with the RAF in World War II, while Goodwood’s RAF Westhampnett hosted US Airforce squadrons too, so it is completely appropriate to have the car here in this, our Silver Jubilee year, while the RAF celebrates its centenary.”
The Festival is renowned for attracting the rarest and most exciting road and race cars and bikes ever created. The 2018 running of the event will be no different as it marks its Silver Jubilee having been staged every summer since 1993.
The FoS Future Lab will also be open again this year, focusing on space exploration, autonomous transport, robotics and personal flight. Visitors will be able to view displays and demonstrations, interact with some of the technology for themselves and learn more about these exciting innovations.
FoS Future Lab will be open to the public throughout the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which runs from the 12 – 15 July 2018, 7am – 7pm each day.
Hospitality packages are available throughout the weekend. To buy tickets or enquire about hospitality visit www.goodwood.com or call the Goodwood Ticket Office on 01243 755 055.