The best cars of the 79th Goodwood Members' Meeting

The Porsche 550 Spyder may have shot to infamy in the late 1950s after actor James Dean was killed driving his modified example, but in its heyday, it was a force to be reckoned with. This bright-blue example, the fourth customer car built, turned up in style on the back of a converted Volkswagen T1.

Abarth 1000SP

Alongside his firm’s T33 and T50 hypercars, Gordon Murray’s personal car collection was on display. This beautiful road racer was a definite highlight. Not only was it Abarth’s first mid-engined production car, but it was also its first serious open-top racer, securing many wins in Group 4 races throughout the 1960s.

Buckler DD1

If there's one car to sum up the spirit of independent 1950s sports-car racing, it has to be the one-off Buckler DD1. This one-of-a-kind racer never made it to Le Mans, instead tearing up the club-racing scene in the UK and New Zealand, all while fitted with the gearbox from Aston Martin’s 1953 Le Mans car.

Saab 93B

Most people probably don’t associate Saab with Le Mans, but the much-loved Swedish brand entered two bubbly 93s into the 1959 edition of the 24-hour race, with one coming second in its class. This racing modified classic looked right at home on the circuit, battling other little monsters like the Renault 4CV and the Morris Minor.

Ferrari 250 GTO/64

The 1964-bodied Ferrari 250 GTOs might not be as pretty as the more iconic early cars, but what they lack in beauty they make up for in speed. This recreation, which took nearly 20 years to build, is identical in every way to the three Series II cars, from the Columbo V12 right down to the chassis.

Bizzarrini-Chevrolet 5300 GT

The Bizzarinni 5300 GT has got to be one of the most beautiful cars ever made. However, it’s much more than just a pretty face: with a Chevrolet V8 producing over 400bhp hidden under the swooping bodywork, it’s devilishly quick, too. While this car didn’t quite hit its 186mph top end around the Goodwood circuit, it sounded glorious at any speed.

Shelby Cobra 289

This striking Shelby started its racing career in Columbia, and it still pays tribute to its South American heritage with a stripe in the colour of El Tricolor Naciona. In the hands of historic racers James Cottingham and Harvey Stanley, this Cobra spent the weekend shattering the peace of the South Downs with a thunderous V8 roar.

Cheetah-Chevrolet

You would be forgiven for thinking that the Cheetah-Chevrolet drove straight out of a 1960s cartoon. Developed by engineer Bill Thomas as Chevrolet’s answer to the Shelby Cobra, the viciously quick Cheetah had all the makings of an excellent racing car, but Chevrolet pulled the plug after fewer than 25 cars were built.

TVR Griffith 400

Long before the Tuscan, Sagaris and Chimaera, there was the TVR Griffith. Something of an underdog, this Griffith 400 was dwarfed by the Jaguar E-Types et al on the starting grid, but despite its small size, it packed a big punch. This particular car was the first prototype of the updated Griffith and was even raced at Goodwood in period.

Aston Martin DP214

Aston Martin’s DP projects were something of a failure: they were designed to win Le Mans, but none ever finished the gruelling 24-hour event. The DP214 was built to facilitate Aston Martin’s second crack at the French epic, with a streamlined body allowing it to reach nearly 200mph. Just one original car survives today, but this painstakingly built recreation certainly drew in the crowds.

Ford GT40

The Ford GT40 may have ended up as one of the most successful and iconic sports cars of all time, but it took a lot of trial and error to get to that stage. This early prototype represents one of the many stepping stones on the path from an unreliable backmarker to a force to be reckoned with.

Ferrari F399

The F399 ended Ferrari’s sixteen-year Formula 1 losing streak in 1999, taking the firm to its first constructors’ championship since 1983. The controversial design was briefly disqualified after stewards found its bargeboards to be illegal, but the decision was overturned and Ferrari just about took victory.

Porsche 956

When the Porsche 956 first hit the track in 1982, not even its designers could have predicted how utterly dominant it would become. The 956 proved to be the benchmark setter in the early days of Group C, winning the World Sportscar Championship three times on the trot before being replaced by the upgraded Porsche 962.

Porsche 956-117

It’s an incredible feat for any car to win Le Mans once, let alone for the same exact car to win the race twice on the trot. Finished in the unmistakable New Man livery, this Porsche 956-117 was at a level above the eight other 956s in attendance.

Porsche 962