Mercedes-Benz Classic wowed the crowds at the 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed last weekend, 9 to 12 July 2026, with eleven legendary racing cars. The “world’s largest automotive garden party” is hosted by the Duke of Richmond and this year’s theme was “The Rivals – Epic Racing Duels”. Mercedes-Benz Classic brought classic cars from various eras to the UK: from the Silver Arrow of the 1930s, through the racing cars of the 1950s, to the Indianapolis icon, a GT winner and a modern DTM star. The racing cars, which could be seen in action on the Hillclimb course, captivated spectators.

Latest photos and videos: Goodwood Festival of Speed

On the Wednesday before the Festival of Speed, 8 July 2026, Mercedes-Benz Heritage GmbH hosted an event at Mercedes-Benz World at Brooklands. There, it presented the key themes “140 Years of Innovation” to mark the anniversary of Carl Benz’s invention of the automobile in 1886, “30 Years of Mercedes-AMG Safety Cars”, celebrating the tradition of Formula 1® Safety Cars, and an AMG experience. Brand ambassadors Bernd Mayländer, Formula 1® Safety Car driver, and Karl Wendlinger, a former Formula 1® racing driver, provided fascinating insights into the world of the pinnacle of motorsport.

The impressively curated display of successful Mercedes-Benz competition cars at Goodwood brought back memories of great and defining moments in motorsport and underlined just how deeply competition is ingrained in the brand’s DNA. The unique history of innovation at Mercedes-Benz began with Carl Benz’s invention of the automobile in 1886 – 140 years ago – and Gottlieb Daimler’s development of the first four-wheeled automobile in history later that same year. The brand is marking this milestone with its “140 Years of Innovation” campaign. Since then, its relentless pursuit of ever-better solutions has resulted in numerous outstanding vehicles – from production cars to racing cars. In icons such as the 300 SL “Gullwing” (W 198) – a production super sports car unveiled in 1954 – engineering excellence and sporting prowess go hand in hand.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed provided the stage for the world premiere of the new Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4MATIC+. Delivering up to 500 kW (680 hp) from three axial-flux motors and accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.0 seconds, the new performance model opens a new dimension of electric driving performance. The new high-performance model from Affalterbach combines cutting-edge drive technology with the AMG Performance 4MATIC+ fully variable all-wheel drive, adaptive suspension and active aerodynamics. For a fitting unveiling of the new sports car from Affalterbach, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team driver Kimi Antonelli took centre stage in Goodwood, arriving as the current leader of the drivers’ standings. Further information on the Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 4MATIC+ at Mercedes-Benz Media.

For 30 years, Mercedes-AMG has been providing the official Formula 1® Safety Car: it all began on 30 June 1996 with the Mercedes-Benz C 36 AMG at the French Grand Prix. Ever since then, Safety Cars bearing the three-pointed star have been a defining feature of the safety concept at the pinnacle of motorsport. Their success story includes more than 500 Grands Prix, over 300 Safety Car deployments and 13 different Mercedes-AMG performance models. Bernd Mayländer, a former Mercedes-Benz racing driver, has been the regular driver of the Safety Car in Formula 1® since 2000. At Brooklands, the Mercedes-Benz CLK 55 AMG (1998), Mercedes-Benz CLK 63 AMG Black Series (2006/2007) and Mercedes-Benz SL 63 AMG (2008) Safety Cars epitomised the history of safety combined with performance.

The earliest vehicle that Mercedes-Benz Classic showcased in action at Goodwood was the Mercedes-Benz W 125 Grand Prix racing car. It was developed solely for the 1937 season, the final year of the 750-kilogram formula. Reaching speeds of over 300 km/h, the racing car dominated the season and secured Rudolf Caracciola his second European Championship title. The W 125’s power output of up to 435 kW (592 hp) was overwhelming, and it held the title of the most powerful Grand Prix racing car for a long time.

The brand’s successful return to motor racing after the end of the Second World War was marked by two racing sports cars from the 1950s: the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL racing sports car (W 194) secured four victories in five races in 1952. It was also a forerunner to the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL “Gullwing” (W 198) super sports car, which was launched in 1954. The 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR racing sports car (W 196 S), with its Formula 1 technology, was a remarkable feat of automotive engineering. The coupé version of the open-top racing sports car is the world’s most valuable car: in 2022, Mercedes-Benz auctioned off one of only two “Uhlenhaut Coupés” ever built for 135 million euros to mark the launch of the global “beVisioneers” fellowship.

The Mercedes-Benz C 11 brought the fascinating era of the World Sportscar Championship in the 1990s to life. With this new Silver Arrow, capable of speeds of almost 400 km/h, the team won the 1990 World Championship. The Penske-Mercedes PC 23 IndyCar, powered by the Mercedes-Benz 500 I engine, was built with the aim of winning the 1994 Indianapolis 500. Al Unser Jr. pulled off this feat. At the Goodwood Festival of Speed, he took the 754 kW (1,026 PS) racing car out onto the circuit once again.

Three further highlights in the history of Mercedes-Benz motorsport were the 1998 Mercedes-Benz CLK-LM, the 2006 AMG-Mercedes C-Class DTM and the 1971 Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.8 AMG (famous among fans as the “Red Pig”). With the CLK-LM, Mercedes-Benz won eight out of ten races in the 1998 FIA GT Championship. The previous model, the CLK-GTR, took the remaining two. Driving the C-Class DTM, Bernd Schneider won his fifth DTM championship in 2006 – a record. The 300 SEL 6.8 AMG, based on the 300 SEL 6.3 from the W 109 model series, laid the foundations for Mercedes-AMG’s outstanding sporting heritage in 1971.

The Goodwood Festival of Speed has been taking place since 1993; it is one of the most fascinating classic car events in the world. On his extensive estates, the Duke of Richmond celebrates the world of motor racing with an event often described as “the world’s largest automotive garden party”. Highlights include runs on the 1.9-kilometre-long Hillclimb course, as well as other demonstration runs and presentations. The sporting programme is set against a backdrop of stylish British ambience.

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Since Carl Benz filed the patent for the first automobile 140 years ago and Gottlieb Daimler built his motorised carriage shortly afterwards, Mercedes-Benz has dedicated itself to constant innovation and to creating the world’s most desirable cars for its customers. This ambition has driven every innovation – from the world’s first automobile in 1886 to the biggest product launch programme in the company’s history, which is currently underway. With a passion for performance and pioneering power, excellence and an unwavering commitment to customer service, the brand has consistently shaped the future of mobility. The result goes well beyond engineering achievement – it creates the unmistakable feeling which defines Mercedes-Benz in all it does: Welcome home.

Mercedes-Benz is celebrating 140 years of innovation by sending three new S-Class saloons on a transcontinental journey to 140 locations worldwide. Each place highlights the brand’s technology, heritage, pioneering spirit and global presence. Along the way customers, fans and colleagues will get to join in the celebrations – on an epic adventure that will run until October. Follow the “140 Years. 140 Places” drive across six continents on our “140 years of innovation | Mercedes-Benz Media” special and via the Mercedes-Benz Community.

¹The figures are provisional. To date, there are no confirmed figures from an officially recognised testing organisation, nor is there an EC type-approval or a certificate of conformity containing official figures. There may be discrepancies between the figures provided and the official figures.