Why did the Edsel become a joke?

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Here are pictures of the rears of the Pacer (top photo) and Citation (bottom photo). Even the shape of the Trunk Lids differ. The Tail Lights might look the same, but they also will not interchange between the two series. Who would authorize these differences that look the same? What do others think?
 
its because one is a ford and the other mercury.you can put a ford front clip on a ranger or pacer and merc on the other.they are just a ford or merc in hiding.
 
Dobie Gillis said:
Ford had called in Robert S. McNamara and his "Whiz Kids" to save their bacon. They were numbers guys and their numbers suggested Ford needed another make placed between Ford and Mercury to better compete with GM. Enter the Edsel. The Whiz Kids had a lot to do with the Allied victory in WWII, but just because you can win a world war doesn't mean you can run an auto manufacturer. I've been in the business for 40+ years and have seen outsiders brought in to fix problems. They don't usually last and they can really muck things up before they depart. McNamara went on to a high position in the Lyndon Johnson administration. Not a resounding success IMO.
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JFYI, Litton Industries, or "Whiz Kids", were hired in '45 to help Henry 11 save the failing company, and they did exactly that, far from "mucking things up". :rolleyes:
Ironically, the failure of the Edsel allowed much needed manufacturing facilities for the very successful '60 Falcon/Comet.
 
That's a great comparison Mercman. I've never seen the two together. In fact, I'd never seen one in person till I bought the one I have.
 
Edsel trivia. At the fall of Edsel in about 1960, Ford Motor Company gave every Edsel purchaser a cash refund of something like $300 each car because Ford thought they had charged too much for their Edsels. Humor at that time: A three time loser is a pregnant *****, wearing a Nixon campaign button and driving an Edsel.
 
The $300 was a goodwill gesture because they were discontinuing the car and therefore the resale value would be lowered. My salesman that retired a few years back started selling Edsels in the fall of 1957 for his father in Mount Carmel Pa. They had bought and remodeled a separate building for Edsel. When Ford dropped Edsel they gave them the Mercury franchise so they wouldn't sue them. One of the promotions was Ford made you get a pony for the kids to ride while the parents looked at the Edsel. Jack said cleaning up the pony poop got old quick. The Comet was supposed to be an Edsel from what I read. Had that happened maybe Edsel would have made it and maybe Mercury wouldn't have?
 
This guy says "bring it,just slam on my Edsel" I'll give you a room for the night. ;)
 

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Not many Edsels have found their way to Australia, but this pair of 1959 models were rusting away in a suburban back yard when I snapped these photos a few years ago. A sad end for this pair, a Corsair 4 door sedan and a Ranger 4 door hardtop.
 
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For those wishing to learn more about the ill-fated Edsel, here are two books by C. Gayle Warnock, the Divisions Public Relations Director at the time the Edsel was being marketed. His first book is entitled "The Edsel Affair" was was published in 1980. His follow-up book, "The Rest of the Edsel Affair" was published in 2007. The earlier book is available on Amazons, while there are many copies of the updated book on eBay. I have read his first book and it is an excellent read.
 
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"Disaster in Dearborn, the Story of the Edsel" by Thomas E Bonsall, is another book on the Edsel which was written in 2002. I have not seen this book, so cannot make any comments on it. There are quite a few copies available on eBay for those interested in obtaining a copy.
 
Henry Ford II (HF II as he was often known) we as obsessed with outselling Chevrolet (which he did manage to do--barely--in 1957) so that was another reason for bring the Edsel into the works.
 
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