Edsel Corsair

Total Production: 19,305 1958 - 1959
The production lifespan of the Edsel Corsair lasted from 1958 through 1959. The Corsair was nearly the top-of-the-line Edsel for 1958 and featured many high-grade amenities and appointments. The Corsair was given stainless steel trim and deluxe wheel covers. It was offered in both a two-door or four-door hardtop and was powered by a V8 engine that displaced 410 cubic inches and produced 345 horsepower. Mated to the engine was an Edsel Teletouch automatic gearbox. The buttons were placed in the steering wheel hub which was easily accessible to drivers, especially those who enjoyed using their horns a lot.

Sadly, the entire Edsel production line never met favorably with the hopes of the Ford marque. The Corsair faired just the same with a total of 9,987 examples being produced in 1958. 3,632 were hardtop coupes and 6,335 were four-door hardtops. The cost of ownership for the Corsair ranged from $3,310 to $3,390.

The push-button transmission system was not used in 1959, as it had been too troublesome in the prior year. The powerplant was also changed to a Ford 332 cubic-inch V8 engine mated to a standard three-speed manual gearbox. The Mile-O-Matic two-speed automatic gearbox was optional and served as a replacement for the Teletouch system. Total production for 1959 was 9,318 examples. Due to slow sales, the Corsair was discontinued.
By Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2007