The Definition of Automotive Failure: Edsel Citation

The Edsel Citation is an "in-between" machine that couldn't quite find its market among the likes of Ford and Mercury. But does that mean it's bad? Or did Henry Ford just cast too big of a shadow to allow his son's dreams to flourish?
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[@vayabroder729]

Don’t care what anybody says; Edsels are cool cars.

[@nicholasmatcovich8714]

My dad's the president of our local Edsel club. He has a 59 retractable hard top 😊

[@melvinburwell8202]

They might not have been liked then. But now they are a definite classic. You never see any out there. This is the nicest example I've seen. Continental kit. Skirts. Nice and smooth. Cool Mr. O.❤🧡😎🔥💚

[@matzrat5006]

I've seen a two tone green station wagon, it was pretty incredible.

[@jdgimpa]

The Desoto was slotted between Dodge and Chrysler, not between Plymouth and Dodge. When It was discontinued it was priced almost the same as the equivalent Chrysler.

[@Nunofurdambiznez]

EXCELLENT video!! Thank you for your positive comments about the Edsel automobile - one of the greats!

[@johnstapler5956]

Two-tone Edsels are stunners. I especially like the wagon. Nobody's color pallette even came close to Edsels. I love them.

[@loumontcalm3500]

1960 Edsel convertible: 76 made. Edsels, like Corvairs, were saved early on because the would be "collectors items". Try to find a '58-60 Mercury today. They're rare.

[@jazzfan6]

Thank you for another excellent commentary! Two minor points: 1) Although Chrysler initially positioned DeSoto between Plymouth and Dodge in its brand line-up, in 1933 it repositioned the marque between Dodge and Chrysler. 2) While overall the Edsel was no more oddly styled than other late 50's American automobiles, the "horse collar" grill was an overly distinctive focal point that drew excessive negative attention from comics and critics alike. In the conformist 50's, it is possible that few people wanted to own a vehicle that invited such a reaction (amplified, no doubt, by friends and neighbors parroting the comments of those comics and critics).

[@jonathancook6557]

The father of a high school classmate of mine (class of ‘77) was a Ford dealer and had an original Edsel he bought new. My classmate got to drive it for special occasions like the senior prom. He always took the hubcaps off and locked them in the car. Apparently they were highly “collectible” The car was nearly mint and beautiful with a white-over-black paint job. Sadly, I never got a ride.

[@TheGbeecher]

Edsel was a solution, looking for a problem...Ford, Mercury and Lincoln had the market adequately covered - each had a strong niche and identity...

[@SSgtBaloo]

I think the reason people zeroed in on the styling, justly or not, was that the difference between the hype about the Edsel oversold it, compared the reality that it wasn't a particularly well-made vehicle, resulted in a perception that the car was very much not as brilliant a machine as they had been told. I think the reason much of the criticism focused on the styling was that it was quite easy to point out how "different" it looked from other cars and quite difficult to enumerate the quality-related problems Edsel buyers were facing, so people aimed their criticisms at its looks. If the quality (and pricing) had been better executed, we might still be buying Edsels today.

[@LifeofnotBrian]

Darn... I'd forgotten that I want one of these. Always loved them. Fantastic-looking cars, specially the wagons with those crazy cool "boomerang" taillights!

[@wesalexander2693]

As always, Donald, an excellent review and perspective! For a convertible, throughout your drive, the car is amazingly quiet. As for the Edsel's marketplace failure, without risk, there can be no success. Credit to Ford for the attempt at something different. With the Edsel in the rear-view mirror, one would think Ford would be shy of taking chances. Thank goodness they weren't, giving us the Mustang.

[@JS.436]

No, Edsel did not have any dedicated assembly plants. There are Ford Product Planning videos on KZbin. In planning, the Edsel was to fit between Mercury and Lincoln. In execution - things were different. Also, McNamara despised FoMoCo’s complicated model line-up. He made sure Edsel was DOA.

[@toddbonin6926]

Donald I could not love and respect you more than I do now. Thank you a million times over for standing up for Edsel Ford and for Ford’s Edsel. Since I was a child, unencumbered by public opinion, I have loved the Edsel and thought it one of the most beautiful cars of the 50s. I think its failure was due largely to timing. The ‘58 recession killed several car brands with more loyal followings. All medium priced brands took big hits that year. In addition, FoMoCo was answering a question nobody was asking, as they went through a major identity crisis. Mercury was also a perpetual victim of FoMoCo indecisiveness. BUT, Edsel was a great car!!!!

[@donkeyboy585]

On the front end styling what jumps out most to me is the cheap kinda guardrail looking bumper not the grill

[@lewisstone4203]

I recall that the pushbutton transmission in the steering wheel was problematic.

[@richcoleman469]

You didn't mention the ugly horse collar. I'll stick with my 58 Chevy Delray

[@cmoore7700]

Donald I love your show/ commentary and insight. This time sir I believe you are mistaken. The Edsel is truly one of the ugliest cars ever, perhaps the early 60s Chrysler's are the only cars uglier. Anyway, as always thanks for the video. Stay well

[@jimmeyer9075]

25 years ago I gave my dad a 1959 edsel when he retired. He had fun with it.

[@johndanderson5268]

EXCELLENT video!

[@daniellatimer1876]

My dad had a 1958 Edsel, and in two years the electrical contacts on the push button transmission had corroded due to Michigan winters with road salt.

[@JoseBernaudo-tv6xx]

My dad had a 58 Mercury with the push button transmission. It was a tank, but the transmission constantly gave problems. The crude electric systems used for all the gadgets were far from reliable. Dad eventually left the thing at a gas station after the trans just wouldn’t work anymore.

[@bigsarge2085]

A special car, I always appreciated Edsels! I've seen a few at car shows here and there.

[@tramptramp5401]

Having had the opportunity to drive two of these wonderful cars, I have to concur.

[@paulscountrygarage9180]

Lovely car and great video, thank you. I still keep the Edsel name current albeit with Edsel Greyhound my 8 year old boy. He does love to ride in my ‘27 Australian assembled Ford Model T.

[@user-co3cw9tb3g]

I totally agree with you about the Edsel styling. It is not any more outrageous than the Harley Earl '58 GM cars. I think they came out at a time when the US was in a recession. I believe all the mid price cars suffered in sales at that time.

[@roncarguy6361]

Within the last quarter of 1957 into 1958, Hudson, Nash, Packard, Continental were gone. Over the next couple of years DeSoto, as well. Middle price cars were a drug on the market, due to the offerings included with the lower priced cars, and the rise of VW and compact cars like AMC(1958),Studebaker Larks(1959). Only 2 cars had an increase in sales for 1958, the 4 seat T -Bird and Rambler.

[@CharlesWiningham]

The Edsel Corsair and Citation were built on the Mercury platform at the Metutian New Jersey plant. Edsel management wanted one plant to make the Edsel to control quality. The Ford based Ranger and Pacer were made at all the Ford plants, making it hard to control quality.

[@stevekehr6768]

Saturday mornings me and my friends would visit junkyards in the 70s to find parts for our muscle cars. I remember seeing some Edsels there and thinking they were kind of cool and I should find one for myself. This was a 17 old kid. I bet I could’ve gotten one cheap. Not now ☹️

[@davidjernigan8161]

I think we have so many white, silver, grey and black cars today because a lot of auto makers charge extra for other colors, and some colors they ask a significant amount

[@danielulz1640]

If Edsel had been launched in the fall of 56 as a 57 model, I think that it would have succeeded. Look at the drop in sales of the 58 Oldsmobile, Buick and Desoto.

[@eibborshorg8978]

It is very hard what Donald is doing? Driving AND commentating is a level of concentration most don't understand. Then add in the provenance of the vehicles. It is a pleasure im sure but, not an easy task as Donald has us think. Thanks to all involved. Teamwork makes these possible.

[@AudrainMuseumNetwork]

Glad you enjoyed! It's nice when people recognize the work and passion we put into these videos. Donald does make it look easy - often times it seems it actually is easy for him. Yet, we can attest it is an acquired skill.

[@LogicAndReason2025]

The only thing that prevented a bigger flop, is the design absurdities of the Crysler-Plymouth line of the time. GM just had them all outclassed in looks.

[@user-dc1rd9wc4r]

I'm with you. I love edsel

[@Valvey789]

You look tiny in that car. It must be enormous.

[@donschultz8491]

I just noticed the one-piece wraparound back window on a convertible. Not sure I've seen that on any other convertible.

[@ursirius4878]

My father was around when the Edsel came out. He said it was the ugliest car he had ever seen, and it because of that huge gaping center, well hole in the grill.

[@jeffaulik3980]

When the Edsel was conceived, the mid price market was booming. By the time the Edsel was introduced, mid priced cars were out of favor, formerly sucessful marques like Buick and DeSoto were selling poorly, and AMC was heating up. If the Edsel had come out in 1954, things might have been different. Looks-wise, the Edsel is downright handsome from the rear, side or rear 3/4 view. The dashboatd was driver-centric and tasteful and interiors were also good looking. I liked Edsels when I was a kid and I like them now.

[@davidjernigan8161]

I think you have the answer as the pricing, there was I believe some engineering issues with the push button transmission.

[@unclemarksdiyauto]

Cool cars for sure. A friend of the family had a convertible back in the 80s. It wasn’t really worth a whole lot back then and not overly desirable. I don’t know what he did with it.

[@joelpierce3940]

If the cooling system would have been straightened out, they would have been ok.

[@olehansen6655]

So cool car

[@chrisagnew2923]

For years I have heard and read about how the Edsel compared to GM models. Then Donald compared the Edsel to the DeSoto. I think I actually heard a bell ring!

[@8avexp]

The Edsel was discontinued on my third birthday.

[@LogicAndReason2025]

It was the horse collar. Not that complicated.

[@user-ur5om5vm5k]

Donald Osbourne is super cool !

[@AudrainMuseumNetwork]

Thank you! We love Donald

[@Pauley_in_GP]

I always respect your opinion, but, romanticism aside, it’s astounding that there were so many reasons that the Edsel failed. So much has been written about this subject. (And I think I've read it all!) One of the major reasons that is not usually discussed is that for the year leading up to its introduction, Ford hyped the Edsel as a car that was going to be like no one had ever seen before. After it went on sale, it wasn’t long before the press and public realized that Edsels were merely Fords and Mercurys with different - and controversial - front and rear styling as well as some gimmicks. If I am not mistaken, they were NOT built on their own production line - the lower models were built with Fords, others were built on Mercury production lines. This can be seen in the door stampings as well as the entire greenhouse. (This is the reason that counterfeiting an Edsel is a relatively easy thing to do.) I agree that it is an interesting and "cool" collectible now, but from what I read, Ford executives knew it was going to flop even before it was launched.

[@seed_drill7135]

DeSoto was above Dodge and below Chrysler in the 50’s. I think in the 20’s they may have been reversed.

[@THROTTLEPOWER]

👍👍

[@rayrussell6258]

Yugos are the definition of failure! Edsels were great cars, just were introduced during a US economic recession.

[@tomclayton6875]

Problem with the Edsel was its grill. Looks like it just sucked on a lemon. Change the front and I think people would have accepted it better.

[@tettazwo9865]

The Definition of Automotive Failure: The Clustertruck®

[@JeffreyWilliams-dr7qe]

Ralph Lauren well reprented with the Gentlemen.

[@dallas6847]

😎😎😎😎👍👍👍👍

[@robertwbingo]

You nailed it on the styling issue. Look at a '69 Pontiac Catalina or Bonneville. Edsel's styling was just a little ahead of its time.

[@richardelliott8352]

everybody said they looked like it was sucking on a lemon when it came out. kids would point and laugh. So I respectfully disagree with our host. putting push button transmission controls where everyone expected the horn button to be was also considered weird, at the time. fortunately mighty GM created the Aztec to claim the throne of monumental failure from this line.

[@billhenley6605]

Somebody should have raked the leaves before you went on this drive.

[@AudrainMuseumNetwork]

That would take quite some time - time we'd much rather spend driving! Leaves don't hurt!

[@user-wj6zo3nf1s]

DeSoto pricing btw Plymouth & Dodge? DeSoto was the upwardly mobile choice above Dodge & below Chrysler. Edsel styling no different than any other '58 on offer??? Come on, at the very least it was polarizing.

[@stuffhappens5681]

Ferrari proved over and over it doesn’t matter how flawed a car is as long as it’s good looking it’ll sell. Edsel’s would’ve sold fine had they not been so terribly ugly. The Edsel’s design language is incongruent. Nothing compliments anything and that grill is hideous.

[@carlbeaver7112]

Quality-wise the Edsel was no worse than any other American built car of the day. However, the big question is, "Which is the buggliest car - the Edsel or the Mercury Turnpike Cruiser?" They both cost about the same and they were both as ugly as the south end of a northbound pig.

[@JamesAllmond]

Not a failure, just a misread of the market, followed by a recession. The 1960 Edsel was very attractive. Shame this is what Ford did with his legacy. Ford V8, Model A and Lincoln is what he should be remembered for.

[@dflf]

You’re being much too kind to the styling.

[@decencywarrior9598]

I thought the E painted on the valve cover was short for E-nigma 🤣

[@johanslabbert2869]

That’s a beautiful car.

[@radioguy1620]

from the front not good looking the rest is par or above, the rear view of GM's offerings looks much worse showing perhaps the front is by far the most important view to get right.

[@raypeters4525]

NOTHING WRONG WITH EDSEL, IT WAS TOO MUCH LIKE EXISTING MERCURY !

[@rob1tnt]

Ive always liked the styling of them, its certainly not elegant but it has a somewhat sinister face. I think the front end styling created controversy but I think what doomed it was for all the hype and marketing it just wasnt that different then a Ford or a Mercury.

[@VincentBasso-ix1zv]

All historians like point out the contentious relations between Edsel and Henry. Nice for dramatics but far short in evidence that support Edsel's early demise. The Edsel was car without a company and no leadership from the top to champion the marque.

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

I would own one.

[@realbogus]

I read where the Edsel had a good warranty, but parts, like belts and hoses, were junk and failed just outside of that warranty. Henry was an antisemitic, racist, meglomaniac. I can understand why poor Edsel was stressed to death. I prefer to think of Edsel in reference to the original Contenental of the 1940s. Lovely car.

[@stephendavidbailey2743]

A marketing failure, perhaps. But a design triumph.

[@johnsavage6628]

This was an ugly car.

[@arevee9429]

The 58's from GM were indeed ugly and this is why that styling them lasted only a year. IMO, Edsel's styling is probably a large part of the reason if flopped.

[@carnography344]

Don, I generally enjoy your comments but I would challenge you to walk down the street and find a handful of people that would find the Edsel attractive. It may be a pleasure to drive and interesting historically but it is simply an ugly car

[@radioguy1620]

possibly the GM marketing crew had some control of the automotive media and helped along it's demise.