[PREVIEW] BONUS Ep 4: Ford v. Ferrari (2019)
About this episode
The hosts kick off with a scene featuring an MG MGA, arguing that older engines really do need to be revved higher to run right—tying that driving advice back to Ken Miles’ know-how. They then pivot to how characters are portrayed in Ford v. Ferrari, including a quick Ken Miles reference before discussing Ford Motor Company and Leigh Iacocca. From there, they zoom out to Ford’s corporate timeline: a 1963 factory shutdown under Henry Ford II, right after the Edsel disaster, leading into the Mustang turnaround.
Hello! On this bonus episode, Victoria and Jordan have watched Ford v. Ferrari (2019) and here to break it down for y'all on what we thought of it. This is not a commentary track; ideally, you can listen to this without ever having seen the movie and still sort of get an idea of what the movie is and what we think of it (imagine our friends over at Be Gay Solve Crime or Kill James Bond!)
As an aside, for our own workload and sanity, we are switching the format to four total episodes per month - i.e., this bonus episode takes the place of this week's main episode. Having burnt out before with other creative projects, we're both trying to avoid doing that with this one, and one episode a week is much more sustainable for us for both recording and editing. We will be back next week with a free episode about Everything That Has Happened!
MG MGA
"... think that wearing a 60s mod dress and naming an MGA is very much a- that is also my gender. Let me go..."
The MG MGA is an older British sports car, typically a small roadster meant for driving for fun. It’s known for its classic look and open-top style. People often talk about it because it’s a well-known model from MG’s earlier sports-car lineup.
The MG MGA is a mid-1960s British sports car known for its lightweight, open-top roadster style and classic design. It’s often discussed because it represents a key era of MG’s small, enthusiast-focused cars and is a popular choice for restoration and collecting. In a podcast, it may be mentioned as a cultural or aesthetic reference point as much as a technical one.
revving it high enough
"Christian Bale has to tell him that he's being a pussy and not revving it high enough which like- that was correct advice, you did need to rev the shit out of old motors..."
This means pushing the engine to higher RPM. Older engines can feel weak if you don’t rev them enough, so the advice is basically “keep it in the power band.”
“Revving it high enough” refers to keeping an engine at sufficiently high RPM so it’s operating in the range where it produces more torque and power. The speaker connects this to older performance engines that can feel sluggish or “gum up” if you don’t keep them in the right rev range.
50 horsepower
"it has like 50 horsepower but in any case, like what we establish here is that like, you know, Ken Miles is a cool car knower..."
Horsepower is how much power the engine makes. If a car only has around 50 horsepower, it usually won’t feel quick unless you rev it harder.
“Horsepower” is a measure of engine power output, and the speaker uses “50 horsepower” to emphasize how limited the MGA’s power is. With low power, you often need to rev more aggressively to maintain speed and acceleration.
Ken Miles
"in any case, like what we establish here is that like, you know, Ken Miles is a cool car knower who knows how to rev cars and his customers don't know how."
Ken Miles was a real race car driver. The speaker is basically saying he knew how to get the most out of race cars by driving them the right way.
Ken Miles was a famous race driver associated with Ford’s racing efforts in the 1960s, especially the era depicted in Ford v. Ferrari. In this segment, he’s framed as someone who understands how to drive and rev cars effectively—contrasted with “his customers” who don’t.
Ford Mustang
"...eat. This is right during the lead up to the Ford Mustang which sort of revitalizes the company but this is..."
The Ford Mustang is a sporty car made by Ford, usually offered as a coupe or a convertible. It’s known for being a popular, performance-focused model. People bring it up a lot because it helped make Ford feel more exciting again.
The Ford Mustang is a classic American sports coupe/convertible that became one of Ford’s most recognizable performance models. In podcast discussions, it often comes up as a major turning point for the brand because it helped re-energize Ford’s lineup and public image. It’s also a frequent reference point when people talk about how car design and marketing can revive a company.
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