Sign-In
Cart
Disaster in Dearborn: The Story of the Edsel
Hardcover
Series: Automotive History and Personalities
Biographies GeneralAutomobiles20th Century United States History
Publisher Price: $55.00
ISBN13: 9780804746540
Publisher: Stanford General Books
Published: Aug 9 2002
Pages: 240
Weight: 1.28
Height: 0.90 Width: 6.88 Depth: 10.35
Language: English
Few cars in history have grabbed the public's fancy as much as the ill-fated Edsel--the Titanic of automobiles, a marketing disaster whose magnitude has made it a household word. Remarkably, there has never before been a book that tells the whole story--how the Edsel was planned, created, produced, and marketed.
This richly illustrated book is the result of years of research by an award-winning automotive historian with access to the dark reaches of the Ford Motor Company's archives. The author also interviewed most of the original key Edsel design team stylists, who have supplied additional archival material. The result is a unique history of the Edsel program from the initial discussions in the late 1940s, through the first sketches in the mid-1950s, to the last, unlamented 1960 models.
The Edsel story, however, deals with much more than a new brand of car. It was a key component in a deadly serious corporate undertaking at Ford Motor Company following World War II. Ford wanted to remedy years of mismanagement and return the company to parity with General Motors by dramatically expanding Ford's presence in the burgeoning medium-priced field. The Edsel was the most spectacular failure in that effort, but was only one pawn in a complex, high-stakes chess game that was a thoroughgoing disaster from start to finish.
In the case of the Edsel, the failure was the result of almost too many factors to count: poorly conceived marketing, contentious internal corporate politics, bad quality control, and, ultimately, lack of support at the higher reaches of the corporation. The greatest irony of all, though, is that the Edsel--as this book demonstrates in its surprising conclusion--was actually a modest success that deserved continued management support.
Also in
Automobiles
100 Years of Legends: The Official Celebration of the Le Mans 24 Hours
Holtz, Julien
Davoine, Basile
Holtz, Gerard
Hardcover
The Impossible Road Trip: An Unforgettable Journey to Past and Present Roadside Attractions in All 50 States
Dregni, Eric
Hardcover
The Hardest, Longest Race: Henry Ford and the Cross-Country Contest That Changed America
Moskowitz, Eric
Hardcover
Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves from the Tyranny of the Automobile
Naparstek, Aaron
Goodyear, Sarah
Gordon, Doug
Hardcover
Mechanic Shop Femme's Guide to Car Ownership: Uncomplicating Cars for All of Us
Milchtein, Chaya M.
Paperback
ASE Technician Test Preparation Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair (G1)
Delmar Cengage Learning
Paperback
California DMV Driver's Handbook: Practice for the California Permit Test with 350+ Driving Questions and Answers
Prep, Discover
Paperback
100 Cars That Changed the World: The Designs, Engines, and Technologies That Drive Our Imaginations
Auto Editors of Consumer Guide
Publications International Ltd
Hardcover
Mobile Solar Power Made Easy!: Mobile 12 volt off grid solar system design and installation. RV's, Vans, Cars and boats! Do-it-yourself step by step i
Prowse, William Errol, IV
Paperback
The Race to the Future: 8,000 Miles to Paris - The Adventure That Accelerated the Twentieth Century
St Clair, Kassia
Paperback
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways (MUTCD) 11th Edition, December 2023 (Complete Book, Color Print) National Standards
Federal Highway Administration
U S Department of Transportation
Paperback
The Machine That Changed the World: The Story of Lean Production-- Toyota's Secret Weapon in the Global Car Wars That Is Now Revolutionizing World Ind
Womack, James P.
Jones, Daniel T.
Roos, Daniel
Paperback
Driving the Green Book: A Road Trip Through the Living History of Black Resistance
Hall, Alvin
Paperback
Killed by a Traffic Engineer: Shattering the Delusion That Science Underlies Our Transportation System
Marshall, Wes
Paperback
Jeep, Dana & Chrysler Differentials: How to Rebuild the 8-1/4, 8-3/4, Dana 44 & 60 & AMC 20
Shepard, Larry
Paperback
Chevy Big-Block Engine Parts Interchange: The Ultimate Guide to Sourcing and Selecting Compatible Factory Parts
Baechtel, John
Paperback
CDL Study Guide 2025-2026: 6 Practice Tests and CDL Permit Prep Book [2nd Edition]
Hettinger, B.
Paperback
Food Truck Business Guide for Beginners: Simple Strategic Plan to Build and Maintain a Successful Mobile Business
Durrant, Shaun M.
Paperback
The Story of Classic Cars Gift Set: A Tribute to Four Automotive Icons
Smith, Luke
Codling, Stuart
Tomalin, Peter
Hardcover
100 Most Collectible Cars: Timeless Icons of Automotive Excellence
Publications International Ltd
Hardcover
CDL: Commercial Driver's License Truck Driver's Test, Fifth Edition: Comprehensive Subject Review + Practice
Mike Byrnes and Associates
Paperback
Backroads & Byways of Upstate New York: Drives, Day Trips, and Weekend Excursions
Smyczynski, Christine
Paperback
Formula 1 75 Years: At Speed with the World's Greatest Motorsport
Roberts, James
Mann, James
Codling, Stuart
Hardcover
Understanding A3 Thinking: A Critical Component of Toyota's Pdca Management System
Sobek II, Durward K.
Smalley, Art
Hardcover
Cult of Gt-R: A True Story of Crime, Obsession and the World's Most Coveted Car
Zummallen, Ryan
Paperback
Oklahoma Drivers Manual: Comprehensive Guide to Passing the Oklahoma Drivers Test and Safe Driving
Starcrest, Lucian
Paperback
Pennsylvania Driver's License Mastery: Ace Your Exam! 360 Practice Q&A (21 Full Tests) with Expert Tips and Detailed Explanations
Publishing, Autoadept
Paperback
Designing Dreams: Essays on the Inside Story of Gm, Harley Earl and America's Golden Automotive Age
Ruzzin, Dick
Hardcover
Hypercars: Ultimate Innovation, Engineering, and Performance
Publications International Ltd
Hardcover
The Great Driving Right Show: Cars, Crisis, and the Rise of Fossil Fascism
Callison, William
Edwards, George
The Zetkin Collective
Paperback
Inglés Fluido para Camioneros: Aprende el Inglés que Todo Camionero Necesita en Estados Unidos
Lamar, Juancho
Paperback
Auto Biography: A Classic Car, an Outlaw Motorhead, and 57 Years of the American Dream
Swift, Earl
Paperback
Corvette: The Photographic History of a Legendary Sports Car
Publications International Ltd
Hardcover
Classic Cars: 60 Years of Driving Excellence
Publications International Ltd
Auto Editors of Consumer Guide
Hardcover
Farmall Century: 1923-2023: The Evolution of Red Tractors and Crawlers in the Golden Age of International Harvester
Klancher, Lee
Hardcover