The 1950’s were the golden age of the American automobile: GM, Ford and Chrysler were topping the market, but smaller manufacturers like Hudson, Packard and Studebaker were developing as strong contenders.
While hardly the worst car ever, Ford’s Edsel was widely condemned.
The car’s over-the-top advance hype, questionable ornamentation – the new-fangled radiator grille (pictured at right) was variously compared to a cattle yoke, a toilet seat and a vagina -, excessive gadgetry (including a “teletouch” transmission and a speedometer that glowed red when the car exceeded a pre-set speed limit) and just plain bad luck (it was released in the middle of the recession of 1957) ultimately set the car up for failure.
The fact that many of the early models seemed to experience endless technical difficulties didn’t help improve its reputation and, in the minds of the American public, “Edsel” quickly became synonymous with “lemon”.
Ford tried again in 1958 with a slightly modified design and an understated advertising campaign, but they still wound up losing $250 million dollars on the car, which was finally discontinued in 1959.
Related Posts
Space Shuttle Plans for the Space Shuttle were created in 1972 as a way to keep the cost of spaceflight down. The…
Monster Trucks The Monster Truck craze was inspired in 1975 by Bob Chandler's 'Bigfoot' - a souped-up Ford with four-foot-high tyres, named…
Raleigh Chopper In 1888, Sir Frank Bowden's doctor told him that cycling could improve his health. He bought an interest in a…
Leyland P76 The controversial Leyland P76 was introduced in Australia in 1973 but ceased production in 1975 after less than two years…
Outspan (Orange) Mini The Outspan Orange car was shaped like an orange, had orange skin-textured fibreglass bodywork, and looked like an orange but…
Hovercraft The hovercraft was invented by British boat builder Christopher Cockerell in 1955. The theory behind one of the most successful…
