T.S. Eliot predicted that the world might end “Not with a bang but a whimper.” That’s a fair description of how the Edsel finished up its unfortunate three-year career.
The story of the 1960 Edsel may be sad, but at least it’s short. Production began on September 14, 1959 at the Ford Louisville plant, the sole remaining Edsel manufacturing facility, while the formal public introduction was held on October 15. The last official day of production then came on November 19, only 34 days later, with just 2846 vehicles assembled. It’s painfully obvious that when the 1960 models were rolled out to the public, the Edsel was already dead as far as the Ford Motor Company was concerned.
Indeed. Many observers say the Edsel project was so rife with problems and misgivings from the start that in the eyes of key Ford executives, the brand was already a dead man walking by E-Day on September 4, 1957, the formal launch of the Edsel brand. The company quickly lost faith in the original Edsel concept with its radical styling and tricky gadgets and for ’59, the product was far more conventional. Its Edsel-ness, if you will, was dialed well back. And for the final model year in ’60, the Edsel was nothing more than a Ford with a minor facelift: a different grille, tail lamps, and side trim, and that was pretty much it. The marketing tagline was “New, Nifty, Thrifty,” a far more modest pitch than the original Edsel messaging.
While the ’58 product line included four models and 18 body styles, for ’60 the catalog was cut back to but one model, Ranger/Villager, and a bare-bones assortment of body styles: two and four-door sedans and hardtops, a four-door wagon, and a convertible. (With only 76 units produced, the convertible is especially rare today.) When the Edsel was introduced, Henry Ford II called it “the only truly new car on the American road.” But by 1960 it was simply a warmed-over Ford, and when the end came, hardly a tear was shed.
In 1960, Edsel also made a two-door station wagon, a Villager model. I’ve seen pictures of it and it’s also easily spotted on google.
That so-called two-door Villager was a modified Ford Ranch Wagon. No different than a fake 1960 Edsel convertible
I’ve always wondered the point of introducing a new model and discontinuing it a month later. Desoto did that also for the ’61 models. Was it possibly due to fulfilling contracts with dealers?
Parts for approximately 3200 1961 DeSotos were made before Chrysler decided to drop the line–and they had no choice but to build them. In fact, lawsuits by former DeSoto dealers weren’t resolved until 1976!
That’s my understanding too (about the DeSoto.). I also read somewhere that Edsel originally planned to field a Corsair series with deluxe trim and upholstery. That got canceled, but the upholstery was included as an option for the Ranger.
I’ve seen a number of photos showing the last this or last that coming off the assembly line. What puzzles me is there is always at least one car behind the last.
In this case that is probably a Ford behind it. They were built on the same lines, which was one of the problems.
Often thought the same thing! If its the last – how come there’s more in line?
What a shame, by the 1960 model, the Edsel was finally a decent looking car. The two door hardtop built on the Sunliner was a stunner. I have seen several of the other years of Edsels, but have never happened up on a 1960, probably due to the low production number. Wonder how many are left, I’d say probably not very many.
I’ve seen exactly one 1960 Edsel in the “flesh”, a 4 door sedan, & that was 41 years ago.
There are probably more 1960 Edsel convertibles converted from Fords than were built in the first place.
On the other hand, I’m almost surprised they did an Edsel-specific photoshoot of that station wagon rather than just painting the Edsel grille onto a Ford Country Sedan photoshoot,.