This is a special post written by Adam Suswillo, GTPlanet member and 2013 GT Academy European Racecamp runner-up. We invited Adam to put together a brief recount of his trip to this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed as his prize for winning the Aston Martin online time trial in GT6.
Upon arriving I was taken to the super car paddock to be greeted with the car I would be taken up the hill in – a baby blue Aston Martin V12 Vantage S. Whilst waiting around for our run (and there was plenty of that), I had a chat with one of the designers of the Aston Martin Vision GT car. He explained to me it took a team of six, six months to create – and out of working hours.
No matter how new the V8 Vantage N430 beside it was from being released to the public around a week before the Festival of Speed, the Vision GT car gained all the attention. I think it goes to show how successful an impact the Vision GT project has had even at this early stage, not only in the world of Gran Turismo but in the Automotive Industry as a whole.
Driving to the various different holding bays before the run up the hill meant more waiting, but sitting inside the cockpit of a brand new Aston with tens of thousands of people staring at the exotica present in the super and hyper car batch, meant I was in no position to complain! Especially when acclaimed stars such as Nismo Athlete Chris Hoy is driving one of the cars (I went on Saturday, before he binned the £125,000 GT-R Nismo into the hay bales at Mulcombe).
The passenger ride was breath taking. Not only due to the sound of the V12 and the speed we were going at, but the atmosphere. The guy from Aston Martin who was driving certainly wasn’t holding back and managed a few sideways moments along the way. Needless to say the ride up the hill was similar to going for a run up the hill in GT6 – the surroundings mostly. The only things different between it and my run on GT6 in the online time trial were some of the bumps in the tarmac, the slick tyres and the fact that it was wet at the top of the hill – which was quite interesting going round the final bend!
After the run, whilst waiting for the other cars to come up the hill, I had the chance to talk to some of the drivers such as Jenson Button (to whom I had the pleasure of having my photo taken with). A few fly-bys by the Red Arrows and a few squirts of the throttle later going back down the hill, our supercar group was broken up by a few modern V8 F1 cars heading down the hill to start their runs. It’s not every day you look in your mirror and see a Mercedes F1 car!
Towards the end of the day I was meant to have a meet and greet with Kazunori Yamauchi and although I did not get to meet him properly because his schedule was so tight, I did have a few photos with him and the chance to witness the creator of Gran Turismo himself having a go at the Goodwood Hillclimb in GT6.
An incredible experience to say the least. I’d like to thank Aston Martin, Polyphony Digital, and every one involved in putting together such an amazing prize package. Enjoy the rest of the photos I took during my day in the gallery.
See more articles on Aston Martin, Goodwood Hill Climb, and Vision Gran Turismo.
I think I may have driven that very baby blue V12 S.
Yeah, I count around 13. Great report, got to love Goodwood :)
Funny, I count 13………………
its funny how about three cars in those pics are in the game
Some keen reporting Adam, well done.
Can’t help notice how many of the pictured car are in thee game.
Can’t help but notice how many of the pictured cars are not in the game.
Hope we get some.
I’m guessing we will get the Aston Martin VGT car and the fancy Datsun.
Nice write up and great photos. Especially nice to see the photo of the McLaren M6 GT road car sandwiched between the F1 and the Le Mans cars – wish I could have been there!
I wonder who owns that CLK GTR LM, that car looks so ready for premiumization in GT6. OMG I want that car done right. Dude I am jealous you got to go to this car porn show and get to ride in one of the sexiest cars built recently. I saw some nice cars I think Kaz should be talking with owners to get into the game.
My first thought in the video was, “Isn’t he riding?” Then I remembered this is in England…. ;)
Great report Adam – a very worthy winner!!
Sadly I think I didn’t see your run as I wasn’t by the track when the red arrows were strutting their stuff, but I’m sure we heard the roar of you going past :D
A day you’ll never forget Adam I’m sure.
I also have cause to be grateful thanks to the other competition and the fact that even I could work out the answer was 4 lol.
Great collection of pics as well Adam, hopefully those who were unable to attend can get a chance to enjoy the amazing cars on show.
Well done again Adam.
(Ps if anyone wants to see more photos from the event see the photo bucket in my sig).
Cheers everyone!
Excellent write up and photos Adam.
LOVE THE VGT OF ASTON LOOKS SO STUNNING.. ESPECIALLY THE ASS OF THE CAR..WHOOO!!! PD PLEASE LET THE MCLAREN 650S BE IN GT6!!!
Great article Wardez!
It was written by Adam, not Wardez.