The planned 1960 Edsel Comet compact car was relabeled Mercury Comet and sold more cars in its first year than all models of Edsel ever produced . The scheduled 1960 Edsel Comet compact car was hastily rebranded as the Comet and assigned to Mercury dealerships as a stand-alone product . While based on the new-for-1960 Ford Falcon , the Comet was an instant success , selling more cars in its first year than all models of Edsel produced during that marque 's entire three-year run .