Edsel Corsair History

For 1958, the Corsair was one of the two senior Edsels, built on the longer 124-inch-wheelbase Mercury Monterey body. It sat just below the flagship Citation, priced between $3,311 and $3,390, competing directly with established Oldsmobile and Buick nameplates that carried far greater brand credibility.

When Ford cut the 1959 lineup from four passenger-car names to two, the Citation was dropped and the Corsair became the Edsel flagship — but in a significantly reduced form. It was now built on the same Ford-based 120-inch platform as the Ranger rather than the Mercury body, and expanded to include a 4-door sedan and a convertible. This consolidation was part of Robert McNamara's effort inside Ford to cut costs and simplify the troubled division. Despite the changes, sales continued to fall. The Corsair was not offered for 1960.