Marking the 62nd anniversary of Edsel's introduction

By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(September 5, 2019) The Edsel was introduced to an awaiting — and over-hyped — public on Sept. 4, 1957. Exactly the wrong car at the wrong time, and saddled with the wrong name, it began as a vehicle designed to sit above Mercury and below Lincoln.


But it was quickly revised to sit above Ford and below Mercury; moving the latter — which had a concrete place in the buying public's mind — into new territory at the same time a new entry (Edsel) was placed in the slot vacated by Mercury.

Mix in atrocious quality control at all the divisions, a last-minute move of Lincoln to a large unit body platform (which killed the so-called "Super Mercury" that would have shared its body on frame construction with the Lincoln), internecine fighting (a Ford hallmark throughout history) and the chess moves of power-hungry Robert McNamara, and you have a recipe for disaster.

That said....

Had the brand survived to this day, What are the chances that today's Edsel would have slightly scowling headlights with two lighting elements per side, a modern take on the original model's grille, and look not that much different than... an Alfa Romeo?