In late 1956, Ford established the Edsel division to compete with Oldsmobile and DeSoto. Exactly three years later, FoMoCo retired the brand following a loss of over $250 million in development, manufacturing, and marketing costs. That's a whopping $2.5 billion in 2023 dollars!
What went wrong? Well, Edsel's demise can be blamed on several factors. For starters, the Edsels looked quirky and suffered from poor fit and finish. It can also be blamed on the weak internal support for the brand and Ford's failure to understand American buyers.
The cars were also a bit too expensive. While Edsel products were supposed to slot between Ford and Mercury vehicles, its cars overlapped with the latter in price. The economic recession in late 1957 and the fact that Edsel had to compete with well-established automakers didn't help either.
Often described as the world's biggest automotive flop, the short-lived Edsel division spawned seven nameplates over three model years. The lineup included four sedans: the Citation, Corsair, Pacer, and the Ranger. Edsel also offered three station wagons: the Bermuda, Roundup, and the Villager. In all, the company sold 118,287 units from 1958 through 1960.
More than 70 years have passed since Edsel's spectacular failure, and these cars have become highly collectible. Sure, most of them are still relatively affordable nowadays, but some examples in Concours condition can fetch more than 100,000.
The entry-level Ranger is the most common, with around 54,000 units produced. The Roundup wagon is the rarest, with only 963 examples delivered. The Corsair you see here is part of a two-year production run that included 19,305 cars. Far from rare overall, but this 1959 rig is one of only 1,343 convertibles built that year. And it might just be the finest out there.
1959 brought a significant redesign to the Corsair. Edsel toned down the styling by reducing the size of the quirky, vertical grille and lowering the quad headlamps. The bumpers and the rear fender inserts were less flamboyant, and the lineup expanded to include a convertible in addition to the two- and four-door hardtops.
Finished in President Red, this particular example is a stunning restoration that looks flawless from every angle. The paint shines like new, as do the massive chrome bits front and rear. The interior is just as spectacular, thanks to its perfect black-and-red upholstery.
The same goes for the engine bay that hides a massive V8 displacing 361 cubic inches (5.9 liters). Built exclusively for the Edsel brand, this mill was an optional upgrade to the base 332-cubic-inch (5.4-liter) V8 in 1959. While the latter was rated at 225 horsepower, the bigger V8 came with 303 horses on tap.
And while it was a downgrade from the 345-horsepower 401-cubic-inch (6.7-liter) V8 offered in 1958, the 361 was still plenty powerful for the era. You can hear it in the video below, which includes a full walkaround and driving footage.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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