The fastest car up the Goodwood hill was an electric Ford Mustang Mach‑E, clinching the top spot in the festival’s Shoot‑Out Final on Sunday.
Romain Dumas repeats his Goodwood triumph
French driver Romain Dumas piloted the specially built Super Mustang Mach‑E to a best time of 41.98 seconds. That performance secured his third straight win at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and marked his fifth overall victory at the event. Dumas, who also won the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb three weeks earlier with a time of 8:18.202, demonstrated the electric car’s ability to compete against traditional race machines.
The Super Mustang Mach‑E is not a standard production model. First revealed last year, the vehicle was originally designed for the demanding Pikes Peak “Race to the Clouds.” Its electric powertrain and lightweight construction gave it a clear advantage on the short, steep ascent at Goodwood.
How the electric Mustang measured up against rivals
In the same Shoot‑Out Final, a Gen4 Formula E car driven by Daniel Ticktum recorded a time of 42.46 seconds, putting it behind Dumas by roughly half a second. The margin illustrates the Mach‑E’s edge in acceleration and traction on the hill’s tight turns.
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Behind the electric champion, the third‑place finisher was Alex Summers in a 1974 Shadow‑Chevrolet DN4 Can‑Am prototype, clocking 46.31 seconds. Travis Pastrana’s custom Subaru Brataroo 9500 Turbo, a crowd favorite, posted 46.77 seconds.
BMW also showcased its latest M Concept Neue Klasse, a preview of the upcoming all‑electric M3, alongside historic models such as the 1986 E30 M3 homologation special and the limited‑production 2011 E92 M3 GTS.
While the model stole the spotlight, the event featured a wide range of classic machines, limited‑run supercars and hypercars, and a deep field of race cars, highlighting Goodwood’s reputation for variety.
For spectators, the electric dominance may feel like a glimpse into the future of hillclimbing, where silence and instant torque replace the roar of combustion engines.
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Implications for the hillclimb community
The success of the Super Mustang Mach‑E suggests that electric power can be competitive even on short, steep courses traditionally dominated by highly tuned internal‑combustion vehicles. Organizers may see more manufacturers entering electric prototypes, potentially reshaping the event’s lineup in coming years.
From a practical standpoint, the result could encourage private teams to explore electric conversions, knowing that performance parity is achievable. The shift might also influence fan expectations, as the visual spectacle of high‑speed electric cars differs from classic gasoline‑powered machines.
Overall, the Goodwood hillclimb demonstrated that electric technology is no longer a novelty but a serious contender in motorsport’s most demanding settings.
Electric hillclimbing is now a reality.