The Ford Edsel was in production for just three years, from late 1957 to the 1960 model-year. Ford invested $400 million in its development, including an intensive ad campaign conducted for almost 12 months before the vehicle’s launch. The public was not receptive to its odd design and its failure to live up to the intensive advertising campaign’s hype. The Edsel’s price tag seemed overpriced. Ultimately, Ford lost $350 million, and the Edsel continues to this day to define a massive commercial failure. 

     1958 featured four models, with hardtop and convertible options with two or four doors. Just over 68,000 vehicles were sold that first year in the United States and Canada. While this was a good launch, it failed to meet the expectations of Ford, especially with the oversized and ongoing ad campaigns. 1959 saw two models eliminated, and sales dropped to 47,000+ vehicles. It was announced just before the 1960 model year that Edsel production would discontinue, and only 2,846 vehicles were produced.