1950s car designed by Henry Ford’s only son was so unpopular that it has become rare
- Edsel Ford was Henry Ford’s only son
- He launched two sub-divisions, including one that bears his name, Edsel
- One of his creations, the Edsel Corsair, is now a classic
Published on Dec 26, 2024 at 4:00 AM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Nov 27, 2024 at 2:18 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
Everyone knows who Henry Ford was, but most people do not know much about his only son, Edsel Ford.
Edsel could never replicate his father’s success in the automotive industry, although – to be fair – it would’ve been difficult for anyone to match Henry Ford’s achievements.
Even so, Edsel Ford still managed to create a couple of iconic cars.
One of these cars was so unpopular when it was launched that it has now become rare and, therefore, somewhat of a classic.
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The story of Edsel Ford, the only son of Henry Ford
Edsel Ford was the only son of Henry Ford, and he was also Henry Ford II’s father.
Henry Ford II, for reference, is the guy that took on Ferrari with the Ford GT40 and won.
Remember the movie Ford v Ferrari? Yep, that’s the one.
As for Edsel, he contributed to the history of Ford by growing the Lincoln brand, and he also launched two sub-divisions: Mercury and the one that bears his name, Edsel.
In 1958, Edsel launched the Corsair.
The Edsel Corsair was quite unpopular.
It only remained in production for two years, and only 20,000 units were sold.
However, precisely because of that, it is now a rare and coveted classic.
This isn’t the only ‘Corsair’
Interestingly, the ‘Corsair’ nameplate was also used by Ford and Lincoln.
What makes it remarkable is that even though all three cars use the same name and are built by brands under the same umbrella, the Ford Corsair, Lincoln Corsair and Edsel Corsair have actually nothing in common.
The Lincoln Corsair is an SUV that’s currently in production.
It is the smallest SUV that Lincoln makes, slotted right under the Navigator, Aviator and Nautilus in the Lincoln line-up.
As for the Ford Corsair, now that’s an entirely different story.
Launched in the 1960s, the Corsair preceded the mythological Ford Cortina, which in turn was also sold as Lotus Cortina.
Sometimes, the confusing relationships between different car brands and groups almost make the automotive world look like a soap opera.
