Ford v Ferrari Trivia Quiz

Answer: He has a heart condition.

The film opens with an unforgettable introduction to automotive legend Carroll Shelby. We're at the halfway point of the 1959 instalment of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Shelby is driving his Aston Martin DBR1 along the Circuit de la Sarthe at night when he notices his fuel gauge is running on empty. He pulls into the pit to refuel when the petrol suddenly ignites, setting part of the car and Shelby's back ablaze. The pit crew put out the fire with blankets and extinguishers and just looks at Shelby expectantly. "Fill the tank!" Shelby yells. He has made significant gains in the last hour of the race, and has a decent shot at a win if he keeps it up. The pit crew all stare at the still smoldering Shelby like he's crazy. "Am I on fire?" he asks Eddie, the pit crew chief. "No, you're not on fire," Eddie replies. "Fill the damn tank," Shelby instructs. The men finish their work and Shelby speeds off. We begin to hear a ringing sound, as we see Shelby expertly maneuver through the gaps between and around the other cars. We hear an announcer say: "Aston Martin No. 5, driven by Carroll Shelby, has maintained his lead as we're nearing the final minutes of the race... The checkered flag is out. The crowd are on their feet... An American wins Le Mans!"

The ringing becomes louder, as we start to hear a man's voice calling Shelby's name. We cut to a doctor's office in the San Fernando Valley, where Shelby is sitting on an examination table with his eyes closed. "Carroll Shelby," Dr. Granger says, as Shelby opens his eyes. "This is something you can't ignore anymore." Shelby protests, insisting that he's been taking his pills. "An elevated heart rate, say 130 BPM, sustained even for a short period, you run a critical risk of cardiac arrest," Dr. Granger explains patiently. "Well, I'll race shorter format then," Shelby says, bargaining. "I could race NASCAR, Formula One." Dr. Granger shakes his head. "The valve is shot, Shelby. This is as serious as it gets. In my opinion, you're lucky to be sitting here today," he says. "Well, I feel real lucky," Shelby replies sarcastically. "Luckiest guy on Earth."

Shelby gets into his car, pops some pills, and cuts across several lanes of Ventura Boulevard and up a winding road. In a voiceover, Shelby begins to narrate: "There's a point at 7,000 RPM where everything fades... The machine becomes weightless - just disappears - and all that's left is a body moving through space and time. Seven thousand RPM. That's where you meet it. It asks you a question. The only question that matters: Who are you?"

Answer: He throws a wrench at his head.

Miles is tightening a wheel of his Cobra MK1 when an SCCA race official starts having difficulty closing the trunk of the car with his test suitcase inside it. He threatens to disqualify Miles because the car doesn't meet the required minimum trunk space. "Can I ask a question, all right?" Miles asks the official. "When you were a little boy did you think, 'When I grow up I want to go to the fabled Willow Springs Raceway and I want to enforce Paragraph 15.4, section 2b of the SCCA regulations on luggage capacity?'" Miles brandishes the wrench while talking, looking quite menacing.

Shelby is chatting with Dieter Voss, who runs Brumos Porsche out of Jacksonville, about Miles possibly driving one of their cars at Sebring this year. The executive from Brumos is wary, though, as he's heard that Miles is difficult. Their conversation is interrupted when Miles' argument with the SCCA official devolves into a yelling match. Shelby goes over and tries to sweettalk his way out of a disqualification with Bill, the official. When Miles has had enough, he picks up a mallet and begins hammering out the inside of the trunk lid. People around all stop what they're doing and stare at Miles mutilating his own car, including Dieter Voss and the executive from Brumos, who look on disapprovingly. Miles manages to close the trunk with a flourish and looks up at the SCCA official. "Happy, Bill?" he yells. Shelby watches the Brumos representatives walk away, then turns his attention on Miles. "Do you like losing, Ken?" he asks. Miles is offended. "I don't lose," he says, pointing the wrench at Shelby. "Without sponsors, you get no car, Ken. And last I checked the professionals all have a car. You cannot win the SCCA without one. And if you're not winning, you are losing," Shelby says. "Don't make me lamp this at your head," Miles says, referring to the wrench. "Did you bring your son all the way out here to watch you get disqualified or just act like a jackass?" Shelby asks. Miles lobs the wrench at Shelby, who dodges. The tool flies right into the windscreen of Miles' Cobra, leaving a jagged hole on the side.

Miles races with a taped-up windscreen and wins, managing to edge ahead of the lead car in the final moments of the race. "He's difficult but good," Dieter Voss remarks to his colleague. Shelby hands the wrench to mechanic Phil Remington. "Frame this," he says.

Answer: No

"Gentlemen. It's time for the Ford Motor Company to go racing," Iacocca says in a presentation to the board. CEO Henry Ford II (known affectionately as the "Deuce") doesn't appear impressed. "We're already in racing, Iacocca," he says. "NASCAR? It's regional, sir" he replies. "We've been thinking wrong. Ferrari, now they have won four out of the last five Le Mans. We need to think like Ferrari." Leo Beebe, a senior executive and the Deuce's right-hand man, speaks up. "Ferrari make fewer cars in a year than we make in a day. We spend more on toilet paper than they do on their entire output. You want us to think like them?" he says. "Enzo Ferrari will go down in history as the greatest car manufacturer of all time," Iacocca says. "Is it because he built the most cars? No. It's because of what his cars mean. Victory." When Beebe points out that it would take years to develop a race team capable of beating Ferrari, Iacocca highlights a quicker solution. "Ferrari's bankrupt," he says. "Enzo has spent every lira he's got chasing perfection, and you know something? He got there. But now he's broke."

Iacocca meets with Enzo Ferrari at his factory in Maranello to present their proposal for the sale, but it turns out that Enzo was just using Ford to secure better terms for a sale to Fiat. He insults the Ford team and sends them home humiliated. Iacocca briefs the Deuce about the setback as he holds a newspaper with the headlines "Fiat Buys Ferrari", "Enzo Keeps Full Control" and "Ford Rejected".

"He played us," Beebe tells the Deuce. "Old man Enzo had no intention of selling to us. He used us to up his price, embarrass our company, and insult your leadership. It was a bad idea from the start." The Deuce pours a drink silently and turns to Iacocca. "What exactly did he say?" he asks. "He said Ford makes ugly little cars, and we make 'em in an ugly factory. He said our executives are sons of whores," Iacocca replies. The Deuce inches closer to look Iacocca in the eyes. "About me?" he says. "He called you fat, sir. And pig-headed," Iacocca replies. "Go on," the Deuce says. "He said you're not Henry Ford. You're Henry Ford II." That last statement has the intended effect. The Deuce walks over to his desk and addresses the team. "I want the best engineers. The best drivers. I don't care what it costs," the Deuce declares, announcing his intention to build a race car that will defeat Ferrari at Le Mans. "And I will be there to watch it," he says.

Answer: "You can't buy a win, Lee, but maybe you could buy the guy who gets you a shot."

Shelby's business is barely holding its head above water, and when Iacocca first shows up at his office Shelby thinks he's a collector. He ushers Iacocca into his office, out of earshot of potential customers. "What's with the wrench?" Iacocca asks, looking at the framed tool hanging on the wall. "That? Oh, long story," Shelby says, before launching in. "We are just going from strength to strength here, Lee. Terrific sales, we're killing it on the track. Now, I know I owe Ford for that last batch of engines..." Iacocca cuts him off. "Mr. Shelby, I can assure you I'm not here for money that you might owe Ford for spare parts," he clarifies. "I'm here on behalf of Mr. Ford, Henry Ford II. Suppose, hypothetically, that he wanted his company to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. You're one of the only Americans that's ever done it, so I'm wondering, what's it take?" Shelby's mind is racing, but he plays it cool. "Hypothetically?" he asks. "It takes something money can't buy."

"Money can buy speed," Iacocca says. "But it isn't about speed, Lee. It's not just like those other tracks where all you do is turn to the left for four hours. To win that race, you need a car that's light enough to do 200 on the straightaways but strong enough to keep that up for 3,000 miles without a break. Not just the best car y'all have ever made, but better than anything that Enzo Ferrari shows up with that year. And that just gets you to the green flag. That's where your problems really start." Iacocca takes a seat. "So you're saying it's challenging," he says. "Look, it's not even a track, Lee," Shelby begins. "Le Mans is eight and a half miles of country road. It's narrow, ungraded, it's rough. There's no camber on the turns, no rails. You gotta do that for 24 hours. Twenty-four hours, Lee. That means night. Half that race is in the dark." Shelby takes his time with his pitch. "And if anything goes wrong - you blow a gasket, a five-cent washer - that's it. Whole thing's over. Ferrari wins again. Just like he won last year and the year before that and the year before that." Iacocca listens to all of this with interest. "So you don't think that Ford Motor Company can build the greatest race car the world's ever seen? You think that we are incapable of winning an event like that? Even if we had a brilliant partner? Even if we wrote a blank check?" he says. This gets Shelby's attention. "What I'm saying is you can't buy a win, Lee," he says, inching closer. "But maybe you could buy the guy who gets you a shot."

Answer: "I'd say you got Ferrari exactly where you want him."

Back at the Shelby American workshop Miles listens to the race on his radio, which is a disaster for Ford. Almost nothing works the way it's supposed to and none of the cars even complete the race. Shelby is summoned to Henry Ford II's office to brief the Deuce about the failure. While waiting in the office lobby, he picks up a newspaper with the headline "Ford Loses Big". Shelby is ushered into the office to find the Deuce sitting in a chair. He doesn't look happy. "Give me one reason why I don't fire everyone associated with this abomination, starting with you," he asks. Shelby thinks for a moment, then begins. "Well, sir, I was thinking about that very question as I sat out in your lovely waiting room," he says. "All due respect, sir, you can't win a race by committee. You need one man in charge." The Deuce's expression is immutable. "Well, the good news, as I see it, is that even with all the extra weight, we still managed to put old Mr. Ferrari exactly where we want him," Shelby says. "Did we?" the Deuce asks, incredulous. "Expand."

"Well, sure, we haven't worked out how to corner yet, or stay cool, or stay on the ground, and a lot of stuff broke. In fact, the only thing that didn't break was the brakes. Hell, right now we don't even know if our paint job will last the whole 24 hours," Shelby says with a chuckle, before turning serious. "But our last lap, we clocked 218 miles an hour down the Mulsanne Straight. Now, in all his years of racing, old Enzo ain't never seen anything move that fast. And now, he knows without a doubt we're faster than he is. Even with the wrong driver." He turns and looks at Beebe on that last statement, to make the point. "And that's what he's thinking about while he's sitting in Modena, Italy right now. That man is scared to death that this year you actually might be smart enough to start trusting me. So, yeah. I'd say you got Ferrari exactly where you want him," Shelby says, pausing for effect, before adding, "You're welcome."

Ford turns to stare at Shelby for an uncomfortably long time, then stands and motions for him to come over to the window. "See that little building down there?" the Deuce asks, pointing in the distance. "In World War II, three out of five US bombers rolled off that line. You think Roosevelt beat Hitler? Think again. This isn't the first time Ford Motor's gone to war in Europe." Shelby looks at the building, then back at the Deuce. "There is one man running this company. You report to him. You understand me?" he says. "Yes, sir," Shelby replies. "Go ahead, Carroll," the Deuce says. "Go to war."

Answer: The perfect lap

Miles drives out to the middle of the test track with Peter. It is magic hour. He gets out of the car, and points to something on the tarmac. "You see that crack?" Miles asks his son. "That's my marker for turn eight." Miles walks ahead, as Peter catches up. "What, to slow down?" Peter asks. "Brush the brakes and downshift," Miles explains. "But you'll be going 150 miles an hour," Peter asks. "So how do you see it?" Miles keeps walking ahead. "You're going fast, but as the car speeds up everything else slows down. You don't do that," he says, holding his hands up to the sides of his face to mimic tunnel vision. "You do this, right?" he says, moving his hands to widen the field of vision, "And then you see everything." Peter asks if he sets other markers, and Miles confirms that he does. "Yeah, 'cause you can't just push the car hard the whole way, right?" Peter asks. "That's right. You have to be kind to the car. You feel the poor thing groaning underneath you. If you're going to push a piece of machinery to the limit and expect it to hold together, you have to have some sense of where that limit is," he says, as he sits down on the asphalt and motions out towards the horizon. "Look out there," he says. "Out there is the perfect lap. No mistakes. Every gear change, every corner, perfect. You see it?" Miles turns to look at his son. "I think so," Peter says. "Most people can't. Most people don't even know it's out there, but it is. It's there," he says. They spend a few moments staring out at the track.

Later, Miles takes Peter through the track at Le Mans, detailing every gearshift, turn, and downshift. "But you can't make every lap perfect," Peter says, puzzled. "But I can try," Miles replies.

Answer: His company

Shelby gets a warning from Iacocca that the Deuce has put Beebe completely in charge of the race program, and that Beebe doesn't want Miles to drive. "He and the Deuce are flying out there tomorrow," Iacocca says, "Now, all he is hoping for is that you lose your cool." Later, Miles questions Shelby when he senses something is wrong. "It's something to do with the suits, isn't it?" he asks. Shelby assures him that he has everything under control but refuses to provide any details, telling him to just trust him. "You got a plan?" Miles asks. "Absolutely," Shelby replies. "It a good one?" Miles asks. "It's high risk," Shelby replies. "Extremely high risk."

The next day, the Deuce shows up at the test track with his entourage in tow, ostensibly to look at the GT-40 Mk II that Shelby and Miles are developing for them. When Beebe pulls Shelby aside to tell him that he's been put in charge of the race program, Shelby listens and locks him inside his office, then heads outside to get the Deuce alone. "Why don't we take it for a spin?" he asks, getting into the driver's seat. "You ready?" Shelby asks. "The name in the middle of that steering wheel should tell you that I was born ready," the Deuce replies. Shelby puts the car in first and speeds off, the force pushing the Deuce back into his chair. "Oh my God," the Deuce cries, holding on to the dash for dear life as Shelby expertly navigates around the test track at top speed, avoiding obstacles along the way, before bringing the car to a screeching stop. The Deuce sits there gasping for a few moments before bursting into tears. "Mr. Ford? You okay?" Shelby asks as the Deuce removes a handkerchief and wipes his face. "I had no idea. I wish my daddy, he were alive to see this - to feel this," the Deuce blurts out between sobs. "Now, this is not a machine just anybody can get in and easily control," Shelby says. "Absolutely not," the Deuce says. "I had no idea." Shelby was hoping for this. "Now, you wanna win Le Mans, if you really wanna take first place, Ken Miles is the man to do it," he says. "Now, he knows this car because he helped me build it." The Deuce sees a complication. "Shelby, you know I've already appointed Leo Beebe director of racing," he says. "Which is exactly why I'm talking to you," Shelby explains. "Now you let Ken Miles race Daytona. If he wins, he gets to drive Le Mans." The Deuce thinks about it. "And if he doesn't?" he asks. "Ford Motor company gets full ownership of Shelby American, lock, stock and brand, forever," Shelby replies.

Miles races Daytona, and wins. He is going to France.

Answer: His door won't close

Miles takes up his position at the start of the race with the other drivers - at Le Mans, you have to run to your car from the starting line. The flag comes down and the drivers start sprinting to their cars. Miles gets in and immediately has problems - he slams the door shut but it won't stay closed. He speeds off anyway, and only just manages to avoid a collision right in front of him. He races on towards Dunlop Bridge, but is distracted every few seconds each time the driver's side door swings open again, forcing him to intervene. Cars are passing him as he attempts to avoid more crashing cars and close his door at the same time. It won't stay closed. After one lap, Ferrari is in first place. "Where is Miles?" the Deuce asks from up in the Ford box. Down in the Shelby American pits, Shelby is asking Remington the same thing. Miles finally appears bringing up the rear, still struggling with his door. He steers into the pit lane. At home, Peter is watching the race with his mother. "I think it's his door," he says.

"The bloody door won't close," Miles yells as he pulls up. The pit crew work on the problem, but nothing works. Finally, Remington appears with a lump hammer. "Guys, get out of the way," he says, as he slams the door into place. "Go, go, go!" he yells, as Miles pulls out of the pit lane. He accelerates furiously, trying to make up for the horrible first lap. He passes car after car, setting a new lap record of 3 minutes and 34 seconds for his second lap.

Answer: Slow down so that the other Ford cars can catch up

The Ferrari cars get taken out of the race because of collisions or a blown engine, leaving Miles in the lead and four minutes ahead of everyone else. The Ford team realize that Ford cars are fielding first, second and third positions. Beebe goes to the Deuce with an idea. "You know, I was thinking, Mr. Ford. Wouldn't it be great if all three Fords lined up and crossed the finish line at the exact same time?" he says. "I don't think we can actually do that, sir," Iacocca says. "Why not?" Beebe asks. "Miles is laps ahead, Leo. What would you have him do, slow down?" Iacocca asks. Beebe thinks about it for a moment, then says, "Yeah." Beebe breaks the news to Shelby, telling him that it is a request from the Deuce himself, as it "would make a great photograph". Shelby passes the request along to Miles, but leaves it to him to decide if he will do it.

Miles takes the car out onto the track again, accelerating hard up to Dunlop Bridge, before navigating the tricky bend past the trees to the Esses. He speeds up once he hits the Mulsanne Straight, slowing down for the hairpin turn but remaining in complete control of the car. On he goes, past Arnage and the White House corner, which takes him past the grandstands and the pits. Remington consults his stopwatch. "Three-thirty point six," he says. "That's another record. Peter watches at home, in awe. "It's a perfect lap," he whispers to himself. Back in the car, Miles is cruising along enjoying the peace of the countryside when something comes over him. He starts to slow down, allowing the other two Ford cars to catch up. "What's he doing?" Peter asks his mother. "It's all right," she says, as the three cars begin to line up together. "Look, he's bringing them in." The three Ford cars cross the finish line in a single line to cheers from the crowd.

The race officials declare that McLaren in the second Ford car wins the race on a technicality because he started further back when the drivers ran to their car, as Le Mans is won by the driver who travels the furthest distance over 24 hours. So even though the Ford cars all crossed the finish line in a dead heat, it isn't a tie. Shelby goes to console Miles. "I never should've asked you," he says. "You promised me the drive, not the win," Miles finally says.

Answer: The wrench

A couple of months after Le Mans, Miles is killed while testing the prototype of a new Ford GT when his brakes fail again. Shelby takes it hard. One day at the Shelby American showroom, Phil Remington appears in his office. "I need you to come outside for maybe a minute," he says. "And do what?" Shelby asks. "Be Carroll Shelby. Tell them a story," Remington says, referring to the two customers outside. "Spin a few magic words." Shelby becomes agitated. "What does that mean? 'Magic words'?" he says. "It means come outside and say hello and make them feel good about their purchase," Remington replies. "They're getting the damned cars. That's what they get for their money, Phil. Now either they want 'em or they don't. Am I some kind of a lounge act?" Shelby says irritably, "Am I here to talk people into things?" Remington knows what he's referring to. "It's been six months, Shel," he says as he walks out of the office. "Sometimes they don't get out of the car."

Shelby goes to visit Miles' wife and son, but can't bring himself to walk up to the house. He sees Mollie emerge from the house and call out for Peter to take out the garbage. Shelby stands on the sidewalk, hesitating. A familiar voice suddenly calls out, "Mr. Shelby?" He turns to find Peter on his bicycle. "Oh, hello Pete," he says awkwardly. Peter stares at what Shelby is holding in his hand. "I remember that wrench. My dad threw it at you," Peter says. "I believe he did," Shelby replies. Peter asks why. "Oh, I think I probably said something to him. Called him a few names," Shelby confesses. "That's right. Do you want to speak to my mum?" Peter asks. "Well, I did. I came to say hello, check in on her and then I started thinking that sometimes words just are not useful," Shelby says. "Tools are useful 'cause you can make stuff with 'em and you can fix stuff with 'em." He hands Peter the wrench. "Thanks," Peter says. "Your daddy was, uh..." Shelby trails off, not knowing what to say. "He was your friend," Peter says. "Yes, he was, yes, sir. And he thought you was just finer than frog fur," Shelby says. "I think I've gotta go help my mum," Peter says. "What are you doing here then? Go on," Shelby replies, as Peter rides off. Mollie comes out of the house again and spots Shelby, and they exchange waves.

Shelby gets into his car and takes a moment to compose himself. He starts the engine and listens to the sounds it makes before pulling out. In the title cards before the end credits, we learn that Ken Miles was inducted posthumously into the Motorsports Hall of Fame, and that the Ford GT40 won Le Mans in 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969.