Title: Why the Ford Edsel Failed | HowStuffWorks
Headings: Why the Ford Edsel Failed
Why the Ford Edsel Failed
Content: Well, that wasn't the case with the 1958 Ford Edsel. Ford dubbed Sept. 4, 1957, the day the Edsel debuted, as "E-Day" and spent the year leading up to it pushing a teaser campaign for the new brand and the new car. At launch, Ford made 18 different versions of the Edsel available — an unheard-of move at a time when most car companies offered just a few models. The Edsel was supposed to be everything American car buyers wanted; however, it was a terrible flop. Advertisement
Ford started developing the Edsel in 1955, based on polling data from car shoppers — but unfortunately, the company disregarded much of the data from the polls. Ford's marketing department also overpromised on the Edsel. That yearlong teaser campaign had whipped the public into a frenzy, leading everyone to expect the car of the future — something the Edsel clearly was not. The Edsel was saddled with quality and reliability issues from the very beginning. Its price was another sticking point: