Ford named the Edsel marque after Henry Ford’s son, Edsel Ford. The brand was introduced for the 1958 model year as a new division positioned between Ford and Mercury.
Edsel Ford had served as president of Ford Motor Company from 1919 until his death in 1943. He was Henry Ford’s only child and played a major role in expanding the company, including the acquisition and development of Lincoln. Naming a later automobile division after him was intended to honor his legacy.
The Edsel marque became one of the most famous examples of a commercial failure in the American automobile industry. Its launch involved extensive promotion, but sales did not meet Ford’s expectations. The brand was discontinued after a short production run, with 1960 models being its final offerings.
The name is sometimes mistakenly treated as a model name only. Edsel was a marque with several models, including the Citation, Corsair, Pacer, and Ranger, rather than one single Ford car.