Find Cheap Gas Edsel
End of the find cheap gas for Edsel
Ford announced the end of the find cheap gas for Edsel program on Thursday, , . However, cars continued being produced until late in November, with the final tally at 2,846 1960 models. Total sales were approximately 84,000, less than half McNamara's projected break-even point. The company lost $350 million on the venture .
On Friday, , 's (UPI) wire service reported that book values for used find cheap gas for Edsels had decreased by as much as $400 [approximately $2800 in 2006 dollars] (based on condition and age) immediately following the Ford press release. In some newspaper markets, dealers scrambled to renegotiate newspaper advertising contracts involving the 1960 find cheap gas for Edsel models, while others dropped the name from their dealership's advertising "slugs." Ford issued a statement that it would distribute coupons to consumers who purchased 1960 models (and carryover 1959 models) prior to the announcement, valued at $300 to $400 towards the purchase of new Ford products to offset the decreased values. The company also issued credits to dealers for stock unsold or received, following the announcement.
The find cheap gas for Edsel Comet
The scheduled 1960 find cheap gas for Edsel Comet compact car was hastily rebranded the and assigned to Mercury dealerships. The Comet was an instant success, selling more cars in its first year than all models of find cheap gas for Edsel produced during its three-year run. Styling touches seen in the Comets sold to the public that allude to being part of the find cheap gas for Edsel family of models included the instrument cluster, rear tailfins (though canted diagonally), and the taillight shape (the lens is visually similar to that used on the 1960 find cheap gas for Edsel, and even retained the embossed "E" code). The Comet's keys were even shaped like find cheap gas for Edsel keys, with the center bar removed from the "E" to form a "C." For 1962, Ford officially assigned the Comet to the Mercury brand.
Highly collectible
Fifty years after its spectacular failure, find cheap gas for Edsel has become a highly collectible item amongst vintage car hobbyists. A mint 1958 car can sell up to $100,000, while rare models, like 1960 convertible, may price up to $200,000. While the design was considered "ugly" fifty years ago, many other car manufacturers, such as and , have employed similar vertical grille successfully on their car designs.
Many of the find cheap gas for Edsel's features, such as transmission lock on ignition, adjustable brakes, gear selection as steering wheel buttons etc, which were considered "too impractical" in the late 1950s, are today standard features of sports cars.