Review Film: Ford V Ferrari

The Ford Motor Company branding was quickly accepted because Ford's output cars were affordable, versatile, have good durability, and easy maintenance in the era of Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Company. However, in the era of Henry Ford II in the era of Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and Rolling Stone triumphed, the branding/image of a car is no longer a family car. Rock & Roll and the Vietnam War changed the image of car ownership among young people. 

In the early minutes of the film, it began with the arrival of Henry Ford II (Owner of Ford Motor Company) to the Ford car manufacturing plant in Michigan, United States. He stopped the production of the car and asked all employees to listen to him. He said "You go home on foot while thinking about ideas. Write them down and if you haven't got an idea yet, you don't need to come to work tomorrow" (Henry Ford II).

What Henry Ford II did was because of the decline in sales of Ford cars at the time. For that, he needs fresh ideas so that Ford Motor Company can increase sales.

One of Ford's sales employees, Lee Iacocca, in one of the scenes gave a presentation in front of the Ford Company management. He said that Ford must change the company's brand image in order to win the hearts of young people with a branding/image that is sporty, tough and has endurance. 

Lee added that Ford must think like Ferrari because we think wrong. Enzo Ferrari (owner of Ferrari) will be remembered as the originator of "the greatest automotive manufacturer of all time" because they won the Le Mans race 4 times in the last 5 years. He convinced Henry Ford II, that Ford must have a way of thinking as them. Ford must take part in the Le Mans 24 Hours race like Ferrari did. Moreover, this is in accordance with the branding/image of the Ford Motor Company as an affordable, versatile car, has good durability, and easy maintenance.

24 Hours of Le Mans (24 Heures du Mans in French) is the oldest endurance race, held since 1923 in the city of Le Mans, Sarthe, France. Known as the Grand Prix of Endurance (which means Endurance Grand Prix), the race is organized by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) and is carried out on a closed public circuit which means not only testing the strength of a car and its driver to be strong, but also to survive within 24 hours.

To realize following the Le Mans race, Henry Ford II sent Lee Iacocca to Italy to meet Enzo Ferrari to acquire the Ferrari car factory. At that time, Ferrari was in the arena of bankruptcy and needed fresh funds. The company which was founded by Enzo Ferrari in Maranello, Italy, in 1947 was indeed only selling its products to those who loved speed pockets with thick pockets with a luxurious lifestyle. Ferrari makes the car somewhat cool like an art object, this branding is still embedded today. 

The Ford Motor Company attempted to acquire a Ferrari smelled by Fiat if the children's language now Fiat cornered Ford with a higher offer. But the language of rejection spoken by Enzo Ferrari hurt Henry Ford II. Enzo said Henry Ford was fat and the car produced was ugly in an ugly factory. The fight between Ford vs. Ferrari began by assigning Lee Iacocca to Ford to take part in the Le Mans race and to win at all costs.

When Henry Ford II ordered Lee Iacocca to make a car that could beat Ferrari and look for the best people to win the Le Mans race. Henry Ford does not care how much it costs to realize his ambitions. Lee then recruited people outside the company, Carrol Shelby, to design and find a team to win the Le Mans event. Shelby is a racer who has fought in the Le Mans racing event. He retired because of health problems that made him unable to participate in the event.

Then Shelby suggested his best friend, Ken Miles, a British racer who had a career in racing championships in America. Not only good at the track, but Miles is also very understanding about the engine. The ability that makes Shelby very trusted in building racing cars. Shelby and Miles then worked for hand in hand to build a car that would be used by Ford at Le Mans 24 Hours in 1965. 

After going through a lot of hard work, it turned out that Miles did not get the blessing of Ford officials to get off at Le Mans 24 Hours. The reason is, apparently, there is one boss in the company who really does not like it. He is the leader of the Ford Racing Division named Leo Beebe. Ford finally prefers to use other drivers as desired by Beebe.