Ford v Ferrari
AIMS k discuss characters, events and
technical details in the film k share facts about fast cars, drivers and car races
Ford v Ferrari (2019) is an American drama film based on the true story of former racing driver and automotive designer Carroll Shelby and the British racing car engineer and driver Ken Miles. Along with their team of American engineers and designers, they work hard to build the Ford GT40 racing car, with the goal of defeating the Ferrari team in the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France in 1966. It’s a highly entertaining film about trial and error in the endless pursuit of perfection. The plot revolves around the two main characters who, through knowledge, experience and instinct, work hard to create the fastest car possible. It brings the audience not only into the creative process but also into the competition of racing, showing race cars on the track and also what it is like to be in the car: the intensity, the speed and the power.
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Before you start What do you know about race cars and sports car racing? Share in class.
Watch and understand
5.39 After watching the film, answer the questions. a At the beginning of the film, which differences are there between the Ford Motor Company and Ferrari, their cars and the way they produce them? b What inspires Henry Ford II to start producing racing cars? c What kinds of improvements and changes do Carroll Shelby, Ken Miles and their team make to increase the speed and performance of the Ford GT40? d What tools do they use in the film? e Which car parts and metals are mentioned? f Explain what happened to Ken Miles in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Whose fault was it? g How did he and Carroll Shelby handle the Le Mans result and what happened next? h What skills seem to be important for a good race car driver? automotive biltrial and error prøving og feiling defeat overvinne, beseire pursuit jakt etter
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Speak
5.40 Discuss the following questions. a What is your opinion of the film? Explain. b During the race in Le Mans, how do Henry Ford II and Enzo Ferrari show different attitudes towards the competition? Which of the two would you like to work for? c Ken Miles has a very direct style when talking with people. Is this a good or a bad thing? Would you like to have a colleague like him? Explain. d How many other race car drivers do you know of? Are there any women on your list? Look up names if you need some help. e If you were to build your own car, what type of car would it be and what qualities would be the most important? f What are the dominant themes in the film? Study the suggestions below, add others and discuss. ambitions – dreams – profit – jealousy – love – friendship – travelling – challenges 5.41 Choose a sports car you find interesting. Give a presentation where you focus on its background, performance and appearance. Some examples of racing car manufacturers are mentioned in the film: Shelby America, Ford, Ferrari, Aston Martin, mg and many others like Maserati, Bugatti, Porsche, bmw, Toyota, Lamborghini and Alfa Romeo. See “Sharing Information” in Chapter 1 for advice.
Practise
5.42 Fill in the correct determiners – this, that, these, those – in the sentences. a car here is faster than car over there. b engines here are more powerful than engines over there. c fuel tank here is larger than fuel tanks over there. d windscreens here are much heavier than windscreen over there.
Did you know
In the race to be the fastest car in the world, there are constantly new winners. In a top speed record run in 2019, the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport – powered by a 1,177 kW quad-turbocharged W16 engine – hit a maximum speed of 483 km/h! It is, however, equipped with a speed limiter so if you buy the car the top speed will be “only” 420 km/h. Recently, electric cars have also joined the race. In 2020 the Pininfarina Battista made headlines with its 4 engines, an electric range of 451 km, an acceleration from 0–100 in two seconds and a top speed of 349 km/h. 226 | Chapter 5: Tools of the Trade | SKILLS
Write
5.43 • Who is your favourite character in the film Ford v Ferrari? Write a paragraph where you explain your point of view and share examples from the film. 5.44 •• Choose two characters from the film and write a short text to compare them. 5.45 ••• Write a film review of Ford v Ferrari. Would you recommend this film to others? Give reasons for your answer.
Explore
5.46 On YouTube there are many instruction videos that show how to build a car or a go-cart. Choose one and watch it. What are the different steps in the assembly process? Which metals, parts and tools are required? 5.47 Use at least two sources to find more information about Ken Miles or Carroll Shelby. Share your findings in class. 5.48 Use online sources to find information about the three car races particularly mentioned in the film: Sebring, Daytona and Le Mans. Which drivers and car manufacturers have won recently? Which one would you like to watch?
Listen
5.49 “Size Matters” Cars are not only impressively fast, some are also incredibly big. Listen to the text and answer the questions. Check “Listening Strategies” in this chapter for advice on listening for specific information. a Where do we find the biggest trucks in the world? b What kind of job is performed with these vehicles? c How much do they weigh?? d How many tonnes can they carry? e How much horsepower is needed in such trucks? f How high and long are they? g How much does such a truck cost? h How much diesel does it consume?
How did you do? After working with the text and tasks, I can discuss characters, events and technical details in the film YES
ALMOST
NO
share facts about fast cars, drivers and car races YES
ALMOST
NO
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