RE: Singer to headline 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed
RE: Singer to headline 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed
Thursday 19th February

Singer to headline 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed

'Relentless pursuit of excellence' Central Feature will celebrate all things Singer


Among many other Goodwood Festival of Speed attractions, the Central Feature is always worth seeing. For the incredible cars on display, of course, but also for the feat of engineering required to get the cars into such improbable positions. While it’s a known entity to some extent, the Central Feature remains unmissable - in every sense… 

For 2026, the celebrated marque will be Singer Vehicle Design. You probably don’t need us to tell you what Singer is all about - but just in case you do, the Californian company has become globally renowned since its formation in 2009 for reimagining the Porsche 911 in truly spectacular style. People have hot-rodded 911s since day dot - nobody has done it quite like Rob Dickinson’s company. Indeed it goes to show what’s been achieved in just 17 years that Singer is now assuming a spot at one of the world’s pre-eminent car events typically reserved for a long-established OEM. 

While we don’t know exactly what the Gerry Judah-designed structure will look like for the moment, Goodwood says its latest focal point will ‘come to life with a celebratory fanfare and a collection of cars to honour Singer’s impact on the automotive world.’ Its cars tend to be pretty attention-grabbing merely parked on the ground, so suspended many metres up over Goodwood house promises to be something extremely special. The Duke of Richmond’s summer garden party has become an important venue for Singer launches over the year, with the DLS, DLS Turbo and Carrera Coupe all making public debuts at FoS. Don’t be surprised if the Central Feature includes something else new.  

Rob Dickinson said: “From the cars themselves to the way we connect with the automotive community, striving to impress the hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts who gather at The Duke of Richmond’s amazing event has been incredibly important in shaping our work. So, to be chosen as the featured marque in 2026 is both startling, humbling and oddly appropriate all at once. We’re a Californian company but we’re also a very, very British one, and to be celebrated in such company and surroundings is an absolute honour.” The second weekend of July will be here before you know it…


Author
Discussion

LotusOmega375D

Original Poster:

9,067 posts

176 months

Thursday 19th February
quotequote all
I am definitely getting old. I attended the first FoS in 1993 and now a company formed in 2009 is headlining!

Mr Tidy

29,448 posts

150 months

Thursday 19th February
quotequote all
I know the feeling, I went to the second one in 1994!

loudlashadjuster

6,056 posts

207 months

Friday 20th February
quotequote all
I wonder how Porsche feel about this...

Raiden61

51 posts

156 months

Friday 20th February
quotequote all
I know I'm likely on my own here, but I've found that a little disappointing. We make a song and dance about Singer at every opportunity (usually warranted), but this is really ramming it home. I'm just a little worn out of the 911 restomod scene now.

Cheib

25,048 posts

198 months

Friday 20th February
quotequote all
loudlashadjuster said:
I wonder how Porsche feel about this...
I wonder how much Singer paid for this.

Seems like a retrograde step from the organisers to me when you think of some of the previous headline acts

It’s a bit like Glastonbury having Howard Jones do the legends set on a Sunday afternoon (no offence intended to any Howard Jones fans…other artists are available)

Edited by Cheib on Friday 20th February 10:05

RDMcG

20,502 posts

230 months

Friday 20th February
quotequote all
Raiden61 said:
I know I'm likely on my own here, but I've found that a little disappointing. We make a song and dance about Singer at every opportunity (usually warranted), but this is really ramming it home. I'm just a little worn out of the 911 restomod scene now.
100% agree-it just seems to me that newly remanufactured cars are not really classics but current technology in an old skin. Making people walk around in garb from the fifties does not change that.

Robertb

3,409 posts

261 months

Friday 20th February
quotequote all
Raiden61 said:
I know I'm likely on my own here, but I've found that a little disappointing. We make a song and dance about Singer at every opportunity (usually warranted), but this is really ramming it home. I'm just a little worn out of the 911 restomod scene now.
Last time I visited FOS I was struck by the Chinese investment there in huge EV-related stands, with MG headlining.

That a ‘small’ company can headline it is a good thing from the perspective of diversity and also shows the direction of travel for enthusiasts where resto-modding is gaining popularity.

MDL111

8,523 posts

200 months

Friday 20th February
quotequote all
well, they seem to be launching new models at about the pace of Porsche, so I guess this is fitting.

benjidog

119 posts

84 months

Friday 20th February
quotequote all
Cheib said:
I wonder how much Singer paid for this.

Seems like a retrograde step from the organisers to me when you think of some of the previous headline acts

It s a bit like Glastonbury having Howard Jones do the legends set on a Sunday afternoon (no offence intended to any Howard Jones fans other artists are available)

Edited by Cheib on Friday 20th February 10:05
Howard Jones. Haha that's a blast from the past.

Watcher of the skies

1,115 posts

60 months

Friday 20th February
quotequote all
benjidog said:
Cheib said:
I wonder how much Singer paid for this.

Seems like a retrograde step from the organisers to me when you think of some of the previous headline acts

It s a bit like Glastonbury having Howard Jones do the legends set on a Sunday afternoon (no offence intended to any Howard Jones fans other artists are available)

Edited by Cheib on Friday 20th February 10:05
Howard Jones. Haha that's a blast from the past.
Nice to see the return of the Rootes Group too... laugh

NDA

24,801 posts

248 months

Friday 20th February
quotequote all
I think it'll be great - love seeing a Singer, beautiful cars. smile

ManyMotors

1,008 posts

121 months

Friday 20th February
quotequote all
I like how Goodwood is finally recognizing Porsche Unstock.

Caterhamfan

346 posts

193 months

Saturday 21st February
quotequote all
Watcher of the skies said:
Nice to see the return of the Rootes Group too... laugh
Well, Singer have quite a history before Rootes got hold of them
https://singermc.club/singer-history/

but this was the first car I thought of when I saw the headline wink



I wondered what the Porsches were doing there getmecoat

CanAm

12,963 posts

295 months

Saturday 21st February
quotequote all
Ditto, except I was thinking Stiletto. Disappointed to see it's only Porsches.

nismo48

6,296 posts

230 months

Saturday 21st February
quotequote all
LotusOmega375D said:
I am definitely getting old. I attended the first FoS in 1993 and now a company formed in 2009 is headlining!
Maybe they need encouragement wink

BunkMoreland

3,522 posts

30 months

Saturday 21st February
quotequote all
LotusOmega375D said:
I am definitely getting old. I attended the first FoS in 1993 and now a company formed in 2009 is headlining!
To be fair Gordon Murray Automotive headlined last year and they were formed around Covid hehe

timbo999

1,505 posts

278 months

Saturday 21st February
quotequote all
RDMcG said:
100% agree-it just seems to me that newly remanufactured cars are not really classics but current technology in an old skin. Making people walk around in garb from the fifties does not change that.
If you walk around in 'fifties garb' at the Festival of Speed, you'll be the only one...

williamp

20,111 posts

296 months

Saturday 21st February
quotequote all
CanAm said:
Ditto, except I was thinking Stiletto. Disappointed to see it's only Porsches.
Rear engine, RWD, all alloy engine, light steering at the front. Launched 1963. No wonder Goodwood wants to remember this car...

loudlashadjuster

6,056 posts

207 months

Saturday 21st February
quotequote all
timbo999 said:
RDMcG said:
100% agree-it just seems to me that newly remanufactured cars are not really classics but current technology in an old skin. Making people walk around in garb from the fifties does not change that.
If you walk around in 'fifties garb' at the Festival of Speed, you'll be the only one...
Was going to say…

jet_noise

5,998 posts

205 months

Saturday 21st February
quotequote all
CanAm said:
Ditto, except I was thinking Stiletto. Disappointed to see it's only Porsches.
Chamois. Stiletto was a Sunbeam /Imp fan.