First, it should be noted that this is not a Ford Edsel, but an Edsel Ranger, so there was with 'Edsel' a new company (Division) in the Ford Group. The Ford management had realized that the competitors in the automotive middle class GM (Buick, Pontiac, Oldsmobile) and Chrysler (Dodge, De Soto, Chrysler) each had three divisions and Ford only one, Mercury.

In addition, the US population was growing 2.5 million per year at that time. Ford, since a longer time no more number 1 in saled cars, was considered to be specialized in producing cheaper cars. Ford needed to catch up in the middle class. However, the Korean War heavily burdened the economy in USA. With the delay in the development of the new company and the new car one more reason had been given for the disaster.

Mostly suffering from the failure of the Edsel Ranger was the dealer network. The company starts with 1,200 just engaged with the perspective of a good life as Ford dealer. The new division failed miserably within nearly two years. Another reason for this failure was the recession of 1908.

Even more than the design (Please judge for yourself!) the name 'Edsel' for the new company was critizised. First they started a big name findings campaign and afterwards they voted for a family name. In the English language 'Edsel' did not evoke pleasant associations.

Overall, only half of a planned annual production was only sold in the course of four to five years. Of these, apparently only 10 percent escaped the scrap press. Of course, now desirability and prices are increasing. Since then, Ford has never tried to establish a new division. After all Mercury, in the Group since 1938, was abandoned as result of the financial crisis 2010.

Also the commitment at Land Rover, Jaguar and Aston Martin is almost completely finished. Only Lincoln remained as a luxury brand. Ford is currently (2016) the fifth largest automaker in the world. 01/16