History Film / FordVFerrari

* MythologyGag: Shelby holds up a placard saying "7000+ GO LIKE HELL" at Daytona to let Miles know he can push the car past 7000 rpm. ''Go Like Hell'' was the working title for the movie, taken from the title of a book about the event by A. J. Baime.
** In later years Shelby used it as a car name, the Dodge Omni GLH hot hatchback, after Iacocca headhunted him over to Chrysler.

* AlliterativeName: Not stated outright, but Molly, being married to Ken Miles, would be '''M'''olly '''M'''iles.

* ProductPlacement: After their WimpFight, Shelby and Miles reconcile over Coca-Colas, and the scene ends with them clinking bottles with the labels turned to the camera.

-->'''Ford:''' I want the best engineers... the best drivers. I don't care what it costs. We're gonna build a race car... and we're gonna ''bury'' that goddamn greasy wop 100 feet deep under the finish line at Le Mans... and I will be there to watch it.

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: While for the most part the orchestrated photo finish for the three Ford [=GT40=] cars were correct, the formation they had in the movie was completely different from the [[https://the-drive.imgix.net/http%3A%2F%2Fd254andzyoxz3f.cloudfront.net%2F062016-1966-le-mans-finish-hero.jpg?w=1440&auto=compress%2Cformat&ixlib=js-1.4.1&s=4df451ea734529565d603085f9d849fb actual photo finish]] taken during the real-life race.

* NiceHat: Being a Texan, Shelby often wears a cowboy hat. Miles also has a straw hat that he's quite fond of, [[spoiler:which the [[DeadHatShot camera lingers]] on following his fatal crash]].

* WimpFight: When Shelby asks Miles to drive again after getting fired, a comically clumsy and un-damaging tussle ensues. Part of it is that they both suck at fighting, but the other part is that no matter how angry they feel they don’t want to ''actually'' hurt each other: Shelby can be seen finding a can from Miles's groceries, only to discard it and hit him with a loaf of bread instead.

* ChromosomeCasting: Miles' wife is the only notable female character in the movie, which otherwise centers on a large group of male racers and car designers.

** Ken Miles actually did race in the '65 Le Mans in the Ford GT40 (though all the GT40 cars did end up retiring from the race due to breakdowns as mentioned in the film)). While the real Leo Bebe did raise objections to Ken's behavior, notably criticizing what Bebe felt were unnecessary risks taken by Ken on the track at the 12 hours of Sebring and Le Mans, it never reached the levels of constant corporate maneuvering trying to get Ken (or Shelby's crew) fired or prevented from racing as portrayed in the films.

* BerserkButton: When Iacocca relates Ferrari's insults to Ford, he's faintly amused at first. Then he learns that Ferrari called him a second-rate knockoff of his grandfather, the smile slides off his face, and he decides that ThisMeansWar

** One might wonder who the underdogs are in a story about the massively wealthy but inexperienced Ford racing team against the small and artisanal but successful Ferrari team. The fact that the protagonists are at Ford makes that choice easy. Played with in that Ferrari is presented as a WorthyOpponent, while all of the Ford executives besides Lee Iacocca are a bunch of {{Obstructive Bureaucrat}}s; Shelby and Miles make the most headway when allowed to build and race ''their'' way, much like Ferrari.

* ButtMonkey: Chevrolet cars, apparently. None of the characters in the film have anything good to say about them, with Miles at one point outright said that Chevy Chevelle is a [[PrecisionFStrike “fucking terrible car!”]], and the Chevy cars we do see racing on the screen in the race at Willow Springs end up breaking down mid-race.

* {{Foil}}: Henry Ford II and Enzo Ferrari are both leaders of their respective companies but aside from their mutual dislike of each other, they have almost nothing in common. Enzo founded his own company, and he looks down on Ford as an InadequateInheritor of his grandfather's company. Ford's EstablishingCharacterMoment has him chastising the entire workforce of his company for the decreasing sales and [[BadBoss threatening to fire them all unless they come up with a good idea that could save the company]], while Enzo is first seen calmly observing his mechanics work on his cars to [[BenevolentBoss ensure that they're motivated and satisfied working under him]]. Ford is also [[MoneyDearBoy a businessman first and foremost]] (though not one completely without appreciation for his product) while Ferrari clearly views building cars and racing them as [[DoingItForTheArt an artistic pursuit in and of itself]]. [[spoiler: At Le Mans, Enzo stays with his pit crew through the entire length of the race [[note]] This is ArtisticLicenseHistory, though. In real life, Enzo Ferrari was never there at the race. [[/note]] and tips his hat for Ken Miles for being a WorthyOpponent. On the other hand, Ford leaves the racetrack just a few hours into the race in a helicopter to retire to somewhere else before coming back near the end, and doesn't seem to care that his desire for a historic photo finish cost Miles his victory.]]

* {{Foil}}: Henry Ford II and Enzo Ferrari are both leaders of their respective companies but aside from their mutual dislike of each other, they have almost nothing in common. Enzo founded his own company, and he looks down on Ford as an InadequateInheritor of his grandfather's company. Ford's EstablishingCharacterMoment has him chastising the entire workforce of his company for the decreasing sales and [[BadBoss threatening to fire them all unless they come up with a good idea that could save the company]], while Enzo is first seen calmly observing his mechanics work on his cars to [[BenevolentBoss ensure that they're motivated and satisfied working under him]]. [[spoiler: At Le Mans, Enzo stays with his pit crew through the entire length of the race [[note]] This is ArtisticLicenseHistory, though. In real life, Enzo Ferrari was never there at the race. [[/note]] and tips his hat for Ken Miles for being a WorthyOpponent. On the other hand, Ford leaves the racetrack just a few hours into the race in a helicopter to retire to somewhere else before coming back near the end, and doesn't seem to care that his desire for a historic photo finish cost Miles his victory.]]

* AntiVillain: Enzo Ferrari is really only the side villain of the film. He's ultimately portrayed as a proud and talented SelfMadeMan who takes racing very seriously. In the end, he's the only one who gives Ken Miles his due respect while he's pushed aside by the Ford execs.

** One might wonder who the underdogs are in a story about the massively wealthy but inexperienced Ford racing team against the small and artisanal but successful Ferrari team. The fact that the protagonists are at Ford makes that choice easy. Played with in that Ferrari is presented as a WorthyOpponent, while Ford's executives with the exception of Lee Iacocca are a bunch of {{Obstructive Bureaucrat}}s; Shelby and Miles make the most headway when allowed to build and race ''their'' way, much like Ferrari.

** One might wonder who the underdogs are in a story about the massively wealthy but inexperienced Ford racing team against the small and artisanal but successful Ferrari team. The fact that the protagonists are at Ford makes that choice easy. Played with in that Ferrari is presented as a WorthyOpponent, while Ford's executives are a bunch of {{Obstructive Bureaucrat}}s; Shelby and Miles make the most headway when allowed to build and race ''their'' way, much like Ferrari.

* ManlyTears: After Shelby takes Henry Ford II for a very intense high-speed ride in the GT40, Ford breaks down crying...not because the experience terrified him, but because he wishes his father had lived to see his company build such an incredible car.

Sales are slumping for the Ford Motor Company. The first baby boomers are growing up and they don't want Ford's 50s-style cars. They want something cool and sleek, like a race car. Vice President Lee Iacocca (Creator/JonBernthal) proposes that Ford go into racing, specifically the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race, to boost their credibility and public image. Ferrari has won four of of the last five Le Mans races, and Enzo Ferrari (Remo Girone) is nearly broke; why not buy him out? However, Ferrari instead makes a deal with Fiat, turns down their offer and insults their president. Furious, Henry Ford II (Creator/TracyLetts) wants to strike back. He doesn't want to just beat Ferrari at Le Mans; he wants to ''bury'' them. And for that, he needs a car.