68 Years Ago, Ford Launched Edsel, Its Biggest Automotive Fiasco

On September 4, 1957, the Ford Motor Company grandly launched a whole new automobile brand: Edsel.

Named after the son of Henry Ford, Edsel Ford, this brand was supposed to revolutionize the American market by slotting itself between Ford and Mercury, with bold design, technical innovations, and a full range. But within just a few months, the Edsel would go down in history as one of the biggest failures in automotive history.

In the 1950s, the American automobile market was booming. Families were buying cars in large numbers, and Ford wanted to secure its share of the pie against General Motors and Chrysler. The brand announced a new mysterious lineup, carefully teased through massive communication. Never before had a model benefited from such an ambitious marketing campaign.

The public was expecting a revolution. On launch day, curiosity was at its peak. But from the very presentation, astonishment gave way to perplexity.

The Edsel’s visual signature, its famous vertical oval grille, was meant to evoke a rifle barrel or a horse’s mouth rearing to neigh… certainly in the 1950s, marketing arguments were not the same as they are today. But it quickly became a subject of ridicule, nicknamed “the suction cup” or worse. This overly bold style, far from appealing to the average customer, drove away a clientele that was eager for spectacular cars.

Unfulfilled Promises

Yet, the Edsel offered interesting innovations, such as push-button electric gear selection on the steering wheel. However, the finish was shoddy, reliability issues were numerous, and the price, higher than expected, put it in direct competition with already established and better-regarded models.

Furthermore, America in 1957 was entering an economic recession. Buyers were turning towards more compact and affordable models. The Edsel, on the contrary, appeared too big, too expensive, and above all, impossible to place within the Ford lineup.

In just three years, Ford lost the equivalent of more than 2 billion dollars today on this project. Production ceased in 1960 after only 110,000 units were sold, far from its goals.

The Edsel ultimately remained in memories as a symbol of marketing disconnected from reality and a lack of consumer listening. Today, some collectors make it a cult icon, but it mostly serves as proof that an advertising campaign, no matter how costly, never compensates for a poorly designed product.