As TIME reported in 1957 when the car debuted, the company had spent 10 years and $250 million on planning one of its first brand-new cars in decades. The Edsel came in 18 models but, in order to reach its sales goals, it would have to do wildly better than any other car in 1957 was expected to do.

Why was the Edsel so bad?

At launch, the car was too expensive, used up too much gas, and was mocked in the press. A redesigned 1959 Edsel debuted to better reviews, but the damage was done. ... J.C. Doyle, an Edsel marketing manager, even went so far as blaming the American public for the failed launch.

What killed the Edsel?

Edsel Ford died of stomach cancer at the age of 49, in May of 1943, at Gaukler Point, with his wife Eleanor by his side. Henry Ford ordered all of Ford Motor Company to shut down and observe a moment of respectful silence the day his only child was laid to rest at Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit.

Why did Edsel Ford fail?

Ugly, overpriced, overhyped, poorly made and poorly timed, the Edsel was made for only two years. In the end, the failed program cost Ford $250 million [source: Carlson]. The "car of the future" is now a cautionary tale in business classrooms, though there were actually a few winners in the case of the Edsel.

How many Edsels still exist?

Fewer than 10,000 Edsels survive and they are considered valuable collectors' items. A mint-condition Edsel convertible from any of its three model years may sell for over $100,000. The rarest Edsel (by body style) is the 1960 Ranger convertible: only 76 were built. Approximately 25 survive today.

The Short-Lived and Expensive Tale of Ford's Edsel

15 related questions found

What went wrong with the Edsel?

So actually the first failure occurred for the Ford Edsel before anyone even saw the automobile. And for those who did buy an Edsel found that the car was plagued with shoddy workmanship. Many of the vehicles that showed up at the dealer showroom had notes attached to the steering wheel listing the parts not installed.

How much is a 1958 Edsel worth?

"You can get them for less than $5000. Nice ones go for about $5000 to $10,000," says Mike Hinsch of North Plains, Oregon, of cars like his 1958 Edsel Pacer two-door hardtop.

Did Edsel make a Ranchero?

1959 Edsel "Ranchero"

What is the meaning of Edsel?

[ ed-suhl ] SHOW IPA. / ˈɛd səl / PHONETIC RESPELLING. noun. a male given name: from Old English words meaning “rich” and “hall.”

What is a DeSoto car?

DeSoto (sometimes De Soto) was an American automobile marque that was manufactured and marketed by the DeSoto division of Chrysler Corporation from 1928 to the 1961 model year. More than two million passenger cars and trucks bore the DeSoto brand in North American markets during its existence.

Who made Edsel cars?

The Edsel wasn't just a car. It was a whole new division within the Ford Motor Company, created to compete with General Motors' Oldsmobile. Planned in the mid-1950s' flash flood of optimistic consumerism, it was developed behind a screen of blinkered hype.

Who was responsible for the Edsel?

One of the Edsel designers responsible for its production was the late Roy Brown who was with Ford styling. Brown began designing the Edsel back in 1954 and pointed toward a weak consumer market for its low sales. At one time, Brown said he had nothing to do with the car's failure and blamed the economic downturn.

What does Edsel is a no go mean?

The car model Edsel was named after Henry Ford's only son, Edsel Bryant Ford. ... Between three years, 1957 and 1960, only 118,287 actually sold, even though the car was modified each year. No car Henry Ford had ever designed had ever sold this poorly.

Was Edsel Ford successful?

"His father was free to concentrate on engineering and manufacture." Ford saw a good deal of success during his early years at the company. He helped bring the Fordson tractor to market, supervised automobile sales and foreign operations and assisted in managing the company's wartime production.

What is an AMC Pacer?

The AMC Pacer is a two-door compact car produced in the United States by American Motors Corporation (AMC) from the 1975 to 1980 model years. ... The body surface was 37% glass, and its surface area of 5,615 square inches (3.6 m²) was 16% more than the average passenger car at the time.

Is Edsel a boy or girl name?

The name Edsel is primarily a male name of German origin that means Noble One.

Did Edsel Ford take over Ford?

Edsel Bryant Ford (November 6, 1893 – May 26, 1943) was an American business executive and philanthropist who was the son of pioneering industrialist Henry Ford and his wife, Clara Jane Bryant Ford. He was the president of Ford Motor Company from 1919 until his death in 1943.

What name means money?

Along with Edward, other names that mean wealth in the US Top 1000 include Cash, Darius, Edwin, Edith, Elodie, Florence, Jessie, and Otis. Unisex names with meanings related to wealth or richness include Bayan, Fortune, and Renny.

Did Mercury make a Ranchero?

Mercury — not Ford — Ranchero.

A product of Ford Motor Co. of Canada Ltd., based in Oakville, Ontario, its Mercury division produced both Ranchero Custom and Ranchero Custom 300 trim level pickups in both 1957 and '58.

What is an Edsel Ranger?

The Edsel Ranger is an automobile that was produced and sold by the newly formed Edsel Division of Ford for the 1958–1960 model years. ... It was available in two-door coupes, four-door sedans, and two- and four-door hardtops with a convertible also offered in 1960.

Why did Edsel go out of business?

Whatever small chance of success the Edsel had when it debuted in 1958 was killed by an economic recession. To their credit, Ford executives realized how much of a failure they had on their hands, killing the Edsel brand at the end of 1959.

Who was the Edsel named after?

The Edsel was named after Henry Ford's son, no small honor, and it had its own division of the company devoted to its creation. As TIME reported in 1957 when the car debuted, the company had spent 10 years and $250 million on planning one of its first brand-new cars in decades.