The decision to end the race in a manner that would solidify Ford’s growing racing supremacy and openly display Ferrari’s strength as a track leader was made in the pits with Ford now poised to dethrone Ferrari. In order for three Ford cars to cross the finish line at once, Leo Beebe, then-director of Ford racing, came up with the idea of staging a dead heat by having the leading teams slow down and pull alongside one another.
Despite being informed by track officials that a dead-heat stunt win like the one intended would not be possible owing to the race’s staggered start, Beebe persisted, and the vehicles crossed the finish line side by side. Ford had finally defeated Ferrari in front of a large audience.
Ford won every podium position in 1966 at Le Mans after traveling more than 3,000 miles at an average pace of almost 130 mph. The Miles crew came in a little bit behind the McLaren squad after slowing down to account for the Ford finish decision. In the event that they had arrived simultaneously as anticipated, McLaren would have won despite starting the race a few positions behind Miles and covering a little more ground overall.
“Regrettably, Ken Miles, who passed away subsequently, didn’t take first place that year. To be honest, I struggled a lot with that “Hemmings quotes Beebe as saying that the decision to have a dead heat was made. “He was, however, a daredevil, so I drew him in and essentially arranged the end of that race, with the numbers one, two, and three. I called Ken Miles in and kept him back out of concern that the drivers would collide. All it takes is one fortunate mishap to wipe out all of your investment.”
Two months after the Le Mans race, Miles lost his life while testing the new Ford GT40 at Riverside International Raceway in Southern California. His car abruptly flipped and burst into pieces as he neared the back straight of the race at full speed, ejecting Miles, who perished instantly.
Ford’s convincing victory over Ferrari in the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans has not been subject to speculation despite decades of heated debate over the decision to conclude the race in such a carefully orchestrated manner. Ford would return to Le Mans in 1967, 1968, and 1969, capitalize on its investment and podium finish, and win the event once more in each year.
In This Article...
At the 24 Hours of Le Mans Race in June 1966, Bruce McLaren, Henry Ford II, and Chris Amon were there.
In 1964, Ford Motor Company began making an effort to defeat Ferrari at Le Mans. After two disastrous seasons in which Fords were unable to even complete the race, the American carmaker experienced an exciting 1-2-3 sweep in 1966. On the podium, Henry Ford II celebrated the decisive victory alongside the two New Zealand-born race winners, Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon.
The Ford v Ferrari film, featuring Christian Bale as Ken Miles and Matt Damon as Carroll Shelby, brought the tale of Ken Miles, Carroll Shelby, and Ford’s GT40 defeating Ferrari at Le Mans in 1966 to the attention of the world. But what was the actual sequence of events that led to what happened?
As you might anticipate from a Hollywood movie, the plotline strayed from reality a bit. What portions of the movie are therefore accurate, and what details were exaggerated for artistic and dramatic effect? Check out the second in a series of videos covering the actual race and the movie in the one up top (part 1 can be viewed below).
At a race in California, did Ken Miles actually throw a wrench at Shelby? Has he ever thrown a punch at him in public? Was Ford management sabotaging Miles after he had a multiple-lap lead at Le Mans because they wanted their other drivers to win? At the finish line, what actually transpired? What did the actual podium scenario look like?
Using exclusive footage from Motorsport.tv’s Le Mans archive and images from Motorsport Images, we tell the story of what actually happened with interviews with a number of motorsport experts, including Miles’s son Peter, who was a young boy when all the real-life drama unfolded. Tom Kristensen, a nine-time winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours, serves as the narration.
What Ford vehicle defeated a Ferrari?
This article is about the winning racing vehicle from the 1960 Le Mans. See Ford GT for the supercar that was inspired by it. See DEC GT40 for more information about the graphic computer terminal made by Digital Equipment Corporation. Ford GT is a trademark (disambiguation).
The Ford Motor Company commissioned the high-performance endurance racing Ford GT40. It developed from the “Ford GT” (for Grand Touring) project, an attempt to fight against Ferrari in renowned 24 Hours of Le Mans races in Europe from 1960 to 1965. Ford had success with the GT40, winning the competitions from 1966 until 1969.
The project got underway when Ford Advanced Vehicles in Slough, UK, started producing the GT40 Mk I, which was based on the Lola Mk6. The engineering team was relocated to Dearborn, Michigan in 1964 as a result of dismal race performances (Kar Kraft). Several American-built Ford V8 engines that had been adapted for racing powered the range.
The GT40 Mk II ended Ferrari’s winning streak at Le Mans in 1966, becoming the first American manufacturer to win a significant European race since Jimmy Murphy’s Duesenberg victory at the 1921 French Grand Prix. The Mk IV was the only vehicle wholly developed and produced in the United States to take home the overall Le Mans victory in 1967.
The Mk I, the oldest of the vehicles, won in 1968 and 1969, becoming the second chassis to do so. (Until the Ferrari 275P chassis 0816 was found to have won the 1964 race after winning the 1963 race in 250P format and with an 0814 chassis plate, this Ford/Shelby chassis, #P-1075, was thought to have been the first.) With the addition of bespoke alloy Gurney-Weslake cylinder heads, its American Ford V8 engine’s 4.7-liter displacement capacity (289 cubic inches) was increased to 4.9 liters (302 cubic inches).
The “40” stood for its minimum permitted height of 40 inches (1.02 m), measured at the windshield. The initial 12 “prototype” cars had serial numbers ranging from GT-101 to GT-112. The Mk I, Mk II, Mk III, and Mk IV were officially referred to as “GT40s” once “production” started and were given the numbers GT40P/1000 through GT40P/1145. J1–J12 were the Mk IVs’ serial numbers.
Ford versus Ferrari: Which automobile triumphs?
Ford suffers another setback as Ferrari’s new 330 P4 destroys its GT40s in the 1967 Daytona 24 Hours, taking the race in a humiliating 1-2-3 finish, only months after Miles died in testing.
However, Shelby has the solution in the form of a brand-new, American-made vehicle named the Mark IV. It gets its revenge at the next year’s Le Mans with famous drivers Dan Gurney and AJ Foyt after a fantastic race that features a time when the leaders come to a stop out on the course in the most strange stand-off in motorsport history!
Which Ford can outrun a Ferrari in speed?
Performance has long been associated with the name Shelby, particularly when it comes to the Mustang. The most potent Ford to date is the 2020 Shelby GT500. It produces 770 horsepower with a 5.2 liter supercharged V8, which is 50 more than the Ferrari. In contrast to the Challenger and Camaro, the Mustang excels where other American sports cars struggle with handling.
The GT500 accelerates from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 3,5 seconds, which is half a second slower than the Ferrari but still more likely to keep up with the F8 on a track because to its potent engine and 10-speed automatic transmission.
A Ferrari is faster than a Ford GT40, right?
Although we won’t constantly use the F8 as a primary benchmark, Ford tops it at top speed by 5 mph to start. 211 mph in the prancing horse against 216 mph in the blue oval-badged automobile. Although 5 mph may not seem like much, it actually expedites travel.
Is the Ferrari or Mustang faster?
Ferrari estimates that the vehicle will reach a top speed of 211 mph and reach 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds. We suppose it was time for the GT500 to lose after witnessing it dominate most of the other vehicles it has competed against. In comparison to the Mustang’s time of 11.4 seconds at 132 mph, the Ferrari completed the quarter-mile in 10.5 seconds.
Shelby allegedly made Ford cry.
11 Henry Ford II Cried When He Saw The Speed And Power In the film, Shelby seizes Beebe and drives Henry Ford II away in the prototype to demonstrate the GT40’s capabilities. In the film, Henry Ford II sobs as a result.
Which car is the fastest in the world?
Venom GT by Hennessey: 270.49 mph (435.3 km/h) The vehicle is currently the fastest production automobile in the world, and it is clear that this vehicle is a true super car. The Hennessey Venom GT costs about $1.2 million and has a V8 twin turbo engine.
Did all three Fords cross at once?
The actual world In a thrilling conclusion to Le Mans ’66, Ford defeated Ferrari’s front-runner as all three Ford vehicles crossed the line in a tie. But the “Ford v Ferrari” portrayal contains some more drama.
Did Ford make a 427 Cobra Jet?
A new chassis was required, produced, and dubbed Mark III. The new vehicle was developed in Detroit in collaboration with Ford. A new chassis was constructed using primary chassis tubes that were 101.6 mm (4 in) in diameter (up from 76.2 mm (3 in)) and coil spring suspension all around (an especially significant change up front, where the previously-used transverse leaf spring had done double duty as the top link). The radiator opening was bigger, and the new automobile also had wide fenders. Its “side oiler” Ford 7.0 L (427 cu in) FE engine produced 317 kW (425 horsepower; 431 PS) at 6000 revolutions per minute and 651 Nm (480 lb-ft) of torque at 3700 revolutions per minute, giving the ordinary model a top speed of 264 km/h (164 mph). The semi-competition (S/C) model’s more potent 362 kW (485 horsepower; 492 PS) tune has a top speed of 298 km/h (185 mph).
Two Cobra Mark III prototypes were sent to the US in October 1964, and Cobra Mark III manufacturing started on 1 January 1965. Unpainted rolling chassis of the cars were shipped to the US, where Shelby’s shop finished them.
Unfortunately, the MK III did not receive homologation in time for the 1965 racing season, therefore the Shelby team did not field it. Out of the 100 intended automobiles, only 56 were made. 31 unsold competition vehicles were detuned and given windscreens so they could be used on the streets. One of the most expensive Cobra variations, known as S/C for semi-competition, an original example can today sell for US$1.5 million.
Ford’s 7-litre (428 cu in), a long stroke, smaller bore, less expensive engine made for road use rather than racing, was installed in some Cobra 427s. Due to the financial failure of the AC Cobra, Ford and Carroll Shelby stopped importing vehicles from England in 1967.
What car is the most difficult to find?
- Sporty Mitsubishi Outlander.
- Subaru Element.
- Japanese Juke.
- Land Cruiser from Toyota.
- Audi S5.
- Honda Forester.
- Nissan Venza.
- Touareg by Volkswagen. The Touareg, which was redesigned for the 2011 model year, is still arriving at showrooms.