Whatever Happened To The Edsel?
It wasn't a bad car. No really, it wasn't a piece of junk. Maybe the timing was just bad. Or maybe it was just a wee bit over-hyped.
It was the Edsel.
Unfortunately, for many people the first word that comes to mind when they think of Edsel is failure. And...ok, ok, I guess it was.
September 4, 1957. That was 'E-Day', the day America was introduced to the new model from the Ford Motor Company, the Edsel. Named in honor of the son of the company's founder, everyone wanted to take a look at this new model, the model that would change automotive history.
And so the Edsel arrived. With a thud.
Was it unattractive? Over priced? Unappealing?
Apparently.
It never did gain a foothold with the American buying public. Some called it a 'reborn Lasalle', a model that met its end back in 1940. How much money was lost in developing, manufacturing and marketing the brand spanking new Edsel? I've seen a variety of dollar numbers and suffice to say, they were all huge.
By the way, Ford launched 4 different Edsel models. You could choose the Citation or Corsair. Maybe you wanted the Pacer or Ranger. Or maybe, just maybe, you didn't want any of them.
By November 19, 1959 Ford said enough. It was the end of the Edsel. I don't think it was like the Edsel was a piece of junk (I've been on the planet long enough to see some pieces of junk from the car companies). It just plain flat out didn't sell.
Less than 120,000 Edsel's were ever made. It came and went in a hurry. For many, Edsel equals failure. But let me ask you something.
Wouldn't you love to have one of these shiny 'failures' in your garage right now? I mean, wouldn't it be cool to be motoring down the highway in a beautiful (beauty is in the eye of the beholder) Edsel Citation?
And a final question: Did you ever own, or even ride in, an Edsel?
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