What will I learn about: how the incredibly dangerous 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race became the ultimate battleground for the historic rivalry between Ford and Ferrari?

Discover how the incredibly dangerous 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race became the ultimate battleground for the historic rivalry between Ford and Ferrari.

What will I learn about: Learn how Henry Ford II saved the Ford Motor Company from financial ruin by modernizing the brand and capitalizing on post-WWII America's obsession with speed?

Learn how Henry Ford II saved the Ford Motor Company from financial ruin by modernizing the brand and capitalizing on post-WWII America's obsession with speed.

What will I learn about: why Enzo Ferrari's singular focus on racing birthed agile, impeccably built European sports cars that dominated the field despite the sport's deadly toll?

Understand why Enzo Ferrari's singular focus on racing birthed agile, impeccably built European sports cars that dominated the field despite the sport's deadly toll.

What will I learn about: why Ford abandoned the 1957 government Safety Resolution to re-enter the lucrative racing market, proving the adage that wins on Sunday equal sales on Monday?

Find out why Ford abandoned the 1957 government Safety Resolution to re-enter the lucrative racing market, proving the adage that wins on Sunday equal sales on Monday.

What will I learn about: Explore how legendary automotive figures like Carroll Shelby helped Ford build powerful racing machines to capture the youth market and revitalize the brand's reputation?

Explore how legendary automotive figures like Carroll Shelby helped Ford build powerful racing machines to capture the youth market and revitalize the brand's reputation.

Go Like Hell

Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans

A. J. Baime

★ 4.4 / 5(26 ratings)

Start ListeningDownload QR code that opens AudiobookHub on the App Store

Try free on iPhoneScan to start in 5 seconds

Categories:

History

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡Did you know that a single rejected business deal sparked an obsession that would change the world of automotive racing forever?
💡Have you ever wondered what it takes to push both man and machine to the absolute breaking point in the world’s most dangerous 24-hour endurance race?
💡What’s the secret behind how a massive American corporation managed to out-engineer the legendary speed of Enzo Ferrari’s unbeatable racing team?

Listen to Go Like Hell — Free Audiobook

Loading player...

Key Takeaways from Go Like Hell

✓Discover how the incredibly dangerous 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race became the ultimate battleground for the historic rivalry between Ford and Ferrari.
✓Learn how Henry Ford II saved the Ford Motor Company from financial ruin by modernizing the brand and capitalizing on post-WWII America's obsession with speed.
✓Understand why Enzo Ferrari's singular focus on racing birthed agile, impeccably built European sports cars that dominated the field despite the sport's deadly toll.
✓Find out why Ford abandoned the 1957 government Safety Resolution to re-enter the lucrative racing market, proving the adage that wins on Sunday equal sales on Monday.
✓Explore how legendary automotive figures like Carroll Shelby helped Ford build powerful racing machines to capture the youth market and revitalize the brand's reputation.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Go Like Hell

Mind Map

Go Like Hell

Era of Deadly Racing+

Ford's Revitalization+

Ferrari's Dominance+

The Catalyst: A Failed Buyout+

The Battle for Le Mans+

1966 Victory & Aftermath+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 6

Why did Henry Ford II initially decide to enter the dangerous world of professional car racing in the early 1960s?

A. To fulfill a lifelong personal obsession with European endurance racing.
B. To counter the soaring popularity of Chevrolet's Corvette and capitalize on the idea that racing wins boosted car sales.
C. To honor his father Edsel's dying wish of building a world-class racing team.
D. To test new safety features that could be implemented in everyday consumer vehicles.

Question 2 of 6

What was the primary reason the business deal between Ford and Ferrari fell through, sparking their bitter rivalry?

A. Henry Ford II discovered that Ferrari's consumer cars were losing massive amounts of money.
B. The Italian government intervened to prevent an American company from buying a national symbol.
C. Enzo Ferrari refused to relinquish control over his company's racing division to the Americans.
D. Ford demanded that Ferrari immediately relocate its manufacturing plant to Detroit.

Question 3 of 6

How did the text characterize the financial and structural differences between Ford and Ferrari during their rivalry?

A. Ford relied on a few wealthy investors, while Ferrari had a massive corporate budget.
B. Ford had a seemingly bottomless budget for mass production and racing, while Ferrari poured almost every cent he earned into funding his next race.
C. Both companies had equal financial backing, but Ferrari had superior computer-assisted testing facilities.
D. Ferrari was heavily subsidized by the Italian government, whereas Ford was struggling financially and needed a racing win to avoid bankruptcy.

Question 4 of 6

What was the main reason Ford's GT40 failed to finish the 24 Hours of Le Mans in its 1964 and 1965 attempts?

A. The drivers were too inexperienced to handle the winding European roads.
B. The cars suffered from critical durability issues, such as transmission failure and overheating engines.
C. Ferrari's team sabotaged the Ford vehicles during nighttime pit stops.
D. The cars were too heavy to reach the top speeds required on the Mulsanne Straight.

Question 5 of 6

Why is the 1966 Le Mans final considered highly controversial?

A. Ken Miles was disqualified for a minor technical violation regarding his car's weight.
B. A devastating crash caused the race to end prematurely, and Ford was awarded the win by default.
C. Ford executives orchestrated a three-car photo finish, which inadvertently cost Ken Miles the first-place trophy due to a technicality about starting positions.
D. Ferrari protested the results, claiming Ford used illegal fuel injection systems.

Question 6 of 6

What tragic event happened shortly after the controversial 1966 Le Mans race?

A. Carroll Shelby suffered a fatal heart attack while celebrating the victory.
B. Enzo Ferrari sold his entire company and retired from the automotive industry entirely.
C. Ken Miles was killed in a fiery crash while testing Ford's experimental J Car.
D. Henry Ford II was ousted as president of the Ford Motor Company due to the massive expenses of the racing program.

Go Like Hell — Full Chapter Overview

1Recommendation
21 — Henry Ford II pulled Ford Motor Company out of a financial free fall during a national car boom.
32 — Enzo Ferrari’s early passion for racing helped him dominate a deadly sport.
43 — After backing out of a safety agreement, Ford entered the profitable racing market in 1962.
54 — When a deal collapsed, Ford became determined to beat Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
65 — Ford’s first move into endurance racing was the GT40, and it struggled at the start.
76 — The revamped GT40 debuted in 1965, and things began promisingly.
87 — The 1965 Le Mans ended painfully for Ford, prompting another round of fixes and upgrades.
98 — Le Mans ended in controversy in 1966, followed by tragedy.
109 — After the tragic loss of one of Ford’s top drivers, Ferrari bounced back at Daytona but never won Le Mans again.
1110 — Final summary

Go Like Hell Summary & Overview

Go Like Hell (2009) tells the remarkable story of a high point in automotive racing: the mid-60s rivalry between Ford and Ferrari, two very different car manufacturers that wanted to win at all costs. The pinnacle of this rivalry was the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans, the most gruelling endurance race in the world as well as the most prestigious.

Who Should Listen to Go Like Hell?

Fans of the Ford vs. Ferrari movie
NASCAR and racing enthusiasts
Anyone who loves a good sports story

About the Author: A. J. Baime

A. J. Baime is a former automotive and sports feature editor for Playboy and is a frequent contributor to the Wall Street Journal and Road & Track magazine. His other books include Big Shots: The Men Behind the Booze (2003).

Go Like Hell

If You're Curious About These Questions...

Listen to Go Like Hell — Free Audiobook

Key Takeaways from Go Like Hell

Learning Tools

Mind Map

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Go Like Hell — Full Chapter Overview

Go Like Hell Summary & Overview

Who Should Listen to Go Like Hell?

About the Author: A. J. Baime

Books Similar to Go Like Hell