In the early 1960s, Enzo Ferrari faced financial and operational challenges that led him to seek a partner to manage his automotive retail business, allowing him to concentrate on racing. In 1963, a discreet communication was passed through the German consul in Milan to Robert Layton, Ford’s head of finance in Cologne. Layton relayed the message to Ford’s headquarters in Michigan, noting its potential strategic interest. This opportunity aligned with Ford Chairman Henry Ford II’s growing fascination with European style and racing, as well as Lee Iacocca’s vision to enhance Ford’s appeal to the baby boomer generation. Iacocca, of Italian descent, saw purchasing Ferrari as a way to boost the company’s image.
However, negotiations with Ferrari did not result in a sale. According to both film accounts and automotive historians, Enzo Ferrari used the interest from Ford as leverage, effectively testing the market for better offers. The Italian automaker eventually accepted an investment from Fiat, securing the funding and operational independence he sought. The failed deal reportedly angered Henry Ford II, who viewed the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race as the ultimate stage for automotive prestige. With Ferrari having dominated Le Mans by winning the previous four years, Ford initiated a high-profile campaign to challenge that supremacy.
Over the next three years, Ford invested approximately $100 million in present-day terms to develop a winning car. The project involved acquiring a prototype called the Lola, designed by British engineer Eric Broadley, which was then reworked into the Ford GT40 by engineer Shelby Colby, a former Le Mans winner himself. The GT40 was a powerful vehicle with a seven-liter engine, known not for refinement but for raw, aggressive performance.
Driver Ken Miles was central to the GT40 program. A former tank commander and motorcycle racer who had moved to California in the 1950s, Miles possessed a rare intuition for racing and vehicle dynamics. Colby championed Miles’ involvement both as a test driver and competitor, praising his ability to communicate with the car on the track. Despite his talent, Miles clashed with Ford’s corporate culture and marketing managers, who reportedly found him too blunt for the company’s desired public image.
The 1966 Le Mans race highlighted these tensions. Ford GT40s led the race, with Miles in a commanding position. However, Ford’s executives ordered him to slow down to orchestrate a staged photo finish featuring three Ford cars crossing the line together, overshadowing Ferrari completely. This strategy contributed to Ford’s first victory at Le Mans, ending Ferrari’s winning streak. The GT40 continued to dominate the event in 1967, 1968, and 1969.
Ford’s rivalry with Ferrari in the 1960s reshaped the company’s image and corporate identity, instilling a spirit of innovation and competition that carried over into future models, including the iconic Mustang. The story reflects a blend of corporate ambition, racing heritage, and personal dynamics that helped define an era in motorsport history.