The Goodwood Festival of Speed has always been the place where automotive royalty gathers. Formula 1 champions, Le Mans legends, million-dollar hypercars, historic racing machines, and the world’s biggest manufacturers all descend on Lord March’s driveway for four days of petrol-powered celebration.
So when Goodwood chooses a brand as the Central Feature marque, it’s an honour greater than any award. It is placing that company at the very heart of the festival. For 2026, that honour went to Singer Vehicle Design.
For a company that doesn’t manufacture cars from scratch, but instead reimagines air-cooled Porsche 911s into bespoke works of automotive art, it’s a remarkable achievement. Even more impressive considering Singer first appeared at Goodwood only 11 years ago. Today, it has become one of the defining names in the restomod world.
Why Being Goodwood’s Central Feature Marque Matters
Every year, the lawn outside Goodwood House becomes home to one of the Festival’s most recognisable landmarks: the Central Feature sculpture. Designed by renowned artist Gerry Judah, these towering installations have previously celebrated automotive giants including Porsche, Ferrari, Jaguar, Lotus, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. The sculptures quickly become the visual identity of each Festival of Speed.
In 2026, Singer joined that illustrious list. Dominating the front lawn was Judah’s latest creation, placing three Porsche 911s Reimagined by Singer high above visitors’ heads. Representing the company’s three flagship restoration programmes, the sculpture showcased:
- Classic
- Classic Turbo
- DLS (Dynamics and Lightweighting Study)
Simple in design yet spectacular in execution, the triple-arch sculpture highlighted just how far Singer has come since its founding in 2009. Every day throughout the four-day festival, the installation became the centrepiece for celebrations as Singer cars gathered beneath it before tackling the famous Goodwood Hillclimb. It was automotive theatre at its finest.
Eleven Singer Creations Displayed Across Goodwood
Rather than concentrating everything in one location, Singer spread its collection throughout the Festival grounds. The complete display included 11 customer-owned Porsche 911s Reimagined by Singer, making it one of the largest showcases in the company’s history.
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Singer’s Stable Yard Display Marked Its Evolution
Beyond the Central Feature, visitors could explore five additional Singer commissions displayed in front of the Stable Yard.
These included examples from:
- Classic
- DLS
- Classic Turbo
- DLS Turbo
The undisputed star of this display was the first-ever slantnose Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer, making its public debut.
For Porsche enthusiasts, few shapes are as iconic as the slantnose (Flachbau). Inspired by the legendary Porsche 935 race cars of the late 1970s and early 1980s, factory slantnose 911s have become some of the most collectible air-cooled Porsches ever built.
Singer’s interpretation retains that unmistakable wedge-shaped front end while applying the obsessive craftsmanship, modern engineering, and bespoke detailing the company has become famous for. If there was one car that attracted photographers all weekend, this was it.
Singer Cars: Conquering The Goodwood Hillclimb
Singer’s presence wasn’t limited to static displays. Three more cars occupied the Supercar Paddock before taking on Goodwood’s famous 1.86-kilometre hillclimb.
The line-up consisted of:
- Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe Reimagined by Singer
- Two Porsche 911 DLS Turbo commissions
Watching exquisitely restored classics stretch their legs up one of motorsport’s most famous hillclimbs is exactly what Goodwood is all about. These cars may be collector-grade commissions, but they are engineered to be driven.
Once each day, the Supercar Paddock cars joined those from the Stable Yard beneath the Gerry Judah sculpture, alongside privately owned Singer commissions brought by enthusiasts attending the Festival. It created a remarkable gathering of some of the finest air-cooled Porsche restorations on the planet.
The Singer Story: From A California Startup To A Restomod Royalty
Singer’s story began in California in 2009. Founded by former musician Rob Dickinson, the company’s vision was refreshingly simple: create the ultimate air-cooled Porsche 911 while respecting everything enthusiasts already loved about the original.
Singer doesn’t build new cars. Instead, clients supply their own Porsche 964-generation 911, which is then completely disassembled before undergoing an extraordinary restoration process.
Every component is either rebuilt, redesigned, or re-engineered. Carbon-fibre body panels replace steel, interiors are handcrafted to each owner’s exact specification, engines are extensively upgraded, and suspension, brakes, and electronics are modernised without sacrificing the analogue driving experience.
The result is something that feels unmistakably like a classic Porsche 911, yet drives with the precision, refinement and performance expected of a modern sports car. Today, Singer works from facilities in California and the United Kingdom, with every restoration individually commissioned by its owner.
A Milestone For Singer & The Restomod Industry
Singer being named Goodwood’s Central Feature marque represents something much bigger than one successful company. Restomods have evolved dramatically over the past two decades. What was once considered a niche corner of the collector-car world has become one of the industry’s most respected disciplines.
Companies like Singer have demonstrated that restoration can be every bit as innovative as designing an entirely new car. Modern engineering, advanced materials, and meticulous attention to detail can elevate automotive icons while preserving the character that made them legendary in the first place.
