A few Ford Motor Company successes during the post-WWII era have been spectacular. First the Mustang in the 1960s, more recently the F150 pickup. Ford’s most stunning defeat was the Edsel, unveiled in 1957. The Edsel endures as a case study of serial flaming screw-ups in automotive design, advertising, production, and rollout.   All of the flawed Edsel’s moving parts were destined for a dumpster. First, the car was overhyped for more than a year, with no actual previews for the automotive press; no clandestine drawings, specs, or features of any kind were revealed. Second, dealers had no advance introductions. Third, when finally launched, the Edsel looked ugly -- sensationally ugly… No, breathtakingly ugly. Fourth, workmanship was sloppy, mechanical failures recurred, and frequently. Finally, the Edsel was overengineered, too complicated for average dealer mechanics to service. Thus, the Edsel collapsed with no redeeming virtues, except as fodder...(Read Full Article)