The Story of Ford's Revival and Victory at the Toughest Race in the World
May 1, 2017
The annual 24 Hours of Le Mans is a grueling sports car race on an eight-mile course in the French countryside, involving relays of professional drivers at speeds that can exceed 200 mph. Until the late 1960s, customized Ford automobiles triumphed in the tournament. In 2016, Ford returned to sports car endurance racing, armed with an all-new Ford GT that would compete in a production vehicle class against BMWs, Chevrolet Corvettes, Ferraris, and Porsches. DeBord, an automotive journalist and broadcaster, provides background on the volatile American carmaking business and its relationship to racing. He outlines the creation and development of the Ford GT, interviewing the executives and designers involved. The narrative then follows Ford's efforts at various races, including the epic Le Mans competition. Ford maintains on pace, suffering some mechanical troubles but ultimately reaching victory. DeBord has paid his dues reporting from Detroit office towers, secret design studios, and pit lanes. DeBord vividly conveys the atmosphere and personalities at each venue, but some illustrations would have been welcome. VERDICT Sophisticated auto buffs and racing fans will enjoy this book and appreciate Ford's accomplishment.--David R. Conn, formerly with Surrey Libs., BC
Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from March 13, 2017
DeBord, a senior correspondent for Business Insider, takes readers inside Ford before, during and after the 2016 Le Mans race and emerges with an upbeat, feel-good business story. After steering itself back to relevance under former Boeing exec Alan Mulally, Ford made a stunning move in early 2015. The automaker released a new version of its famed GT and announced that it would run in Le Mans. The significance of this entry was clear. The 24-hour race had turned the victorious GT40 into a legend in 1966. DeBord shows how Ford, a stalwart of the sometimes old-fashioned American auto industry, learned to embrace “One Ford,” Mulally’s modern culture of collaboration and culpability, while celebrating its high-octane past. Car enthusiasts will savor the insider information, including DeBord’s interviews with key members of the new GT’s design team, whose meetings were held in a “gloomy, grungy space” like a “garage set up for hot-rodding on a semi-pro scale.” Readers from the business side will enjoy this snapshot into how an American industrial titan flourished by going back to its past as part of its future.