The failure of what car model is still considered to be an embarrassment to Ford Motor Co.? The answer is the Edsel.
Ford introduced the Edsel for the 1958 model year after a heavily promoted development effort costing hundreds of millions of dollars. The new marque was intended to fill a gap between Ford and Mercury and compete with General Motors brands such as Buick and Oldsmobile. It was named after Edsel B. Ford, Henry Ford's son and a former Ford president.
The Edsel was not simply a poorly engineered car, but its launch faced several problems. Ford's advertising created enormous expectations, the styling divided buyers, prices were relatively high, and the 1957–58 recession reduced demand for new cars. Early production and quality-control problems further damaged its reputation.
Ford ended Edsel production in November 1959, after only three model years. The brand's commercial failure was so conspicuous that “Edsel” became a common shorthand for an expensive, highly publicized business failure.