2025 Classic Japfest at Goodwood | Axon’s Automotive Anorak

Held over 4^th-5^th October, an sizeable enthusiastic audience not only enjoyed showing off their motorised JDM pride and joy, but many also took to the legendary track to put their car through its paces, before watching the tyre smoking, full-throttle drift demonstrations from well-known drift legends such as Shane Lynch, in his over 1,000PS (735kW) Japspeed LS9 Subaru Impreza, and Bagsy, in his supercharged V8 Nissan PS13.

Japfest visitors also had the chance to sample some sideways action in the Drift Taxis on the popular Goodwood skid pan. The Goodwood Paddocks were filled with Japanese marques and models of all flavours with a Fast Car display including a quartet of outlandish LB cars, such as a wild modified Mazda RX7, some Super Silhouette builds, plus Lando Norris’ jaw-dropping KAIDO-Works Nissan R32 GT-R.

Strolling among the many performance WRXs, EVOs, Supras, NSXs and GT-Rs, some surprise highlights included a scarce Group B Mitsubishi Pajero EVO, a very early Datsun 240Z, Bluebird and Skyline GT-R, plus a very personal nostalgic pairing of a couple of immaculate classic Honda coupes; an S800 and Z600, this being the very first cars I owned once I could legally drive, with me passing my driving test in a high-revving and loud S800 (much to the examiner’s dismay, judging by his facial expressions!).

An impressive selection of JDM vehicles awaited away from the main Paddocks, with a large static display of car highlights including an ultra-rare early 1970s Honda 1300 Coupe (Honda’s first commercial flop), Toyota Mark II Crestas, Soarers and amusing Sera Coupes, plus a cute Suzuki Capuchino, a Mazda MX5 (Eunos Roadster) wearing an unconvincing Japanese Lotus Elan-esque body kit.

Plus, there were countless Celicas, Silvias, Skylines, Subarus, tuned Civics, Swifts, Corollas and so on, not to mention an indoor remote control draft car arena and endless merch opportunities.

Photography by Gary Axon.