How Much Did an Edsel Cost in 1957?
By the Price Time Machine team · Updated
The Edsel price started at $2,484 when Edsels went on sale on September 4, 1957. Adjusted for inflation, that is about $29,575 in September 2026 money, roughly 11.9 times the original price.
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Edsel Ranger at a glance
- US launch price
- $2,484
- In today’s money
- ≈ $29,575September 1957 to September 2026 (CPI-U, BLS)
- US release date
- September 4, 1957
- Where the company was based
- Dearborn, United StatesA brand of the Ford Motor Company, which is based in Dearborn, Michigan.
- Category
- Cars & transport
- Price source
- en.wikipedia.org
Today’s price is the US launch price adjusted for US inflation with the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, comparing the launch month with the latest published month. It updates automatically as new figures come out.
Edsel prices in 1957
Edsel products for 1958 were priced from $2,484 to $3,766. The lower-trim Ranger and Pacer sedans were based on the Ford Fairlane, while the higher-trim Corsair and Citation shared bodies with the Mercury Monterey. There were also Edsel station wagons: the Roundup, the Villager and the Bermuda.
Ford meant the Edsel to be a fourth brand, sitting between Ford and Mercury in the medium price range, to win buyers from Chrysler and General Motors. But the cheapest Ranger was priced within $74 of the most expensive Ford sedan, so the brand never had a clear place of its own.
The Edsel price in today’s money
Inflation means a dollar buys less today than it did in 1957. Using the US Consumer Price Index, the original Edsel price of $2,484 works out at about $29,575 in September 2026 money, around 11.9 times the original figure. That is what the same amount of spending power would cost now, not what the Edsel Ranger sells for second-hand.
When was the Edsel released?
- “E Day”, Edsel launch: September 4, 1957
- Model years: 1958, 1959 and 1960
- Last cars built: November 19, 1959
- Brand discontinued: November 1959
Where was the Edsel made?
The Edsel was a brand of the Ford Motor Company, based in Dearborn, Michigan. Development began in 1955 under the code name “E car”. Most Edsels were built in the United States, and 7,440 were built in Oakville, Ontario, in Canada.
Why did the Edsel fail?
It arrived during a recession that hit sales of all medium-priced cars. Buyers saw it as overhyped, poorly built and unattractive, and its vertical grille was mocked for looking like a horse collar.
Only about 116,000 Edsels were sold between September 1957 and November 1959, less than half the number Ford needed to break even. Ford lost more than $250 million on the brand, and “Edsel” became a byword for a product flop.
Edsel facts you might not know
- It was named after Edsel Ford, Henry Ford’s son. Henry Ford II did not want his father’s name “spinning around on thousands of hubcaps”, but the board chose it in his absence.
- Ford’s advertising agency suggested more than 6,000 possible names, and Ford even asked the poet Marianne Moore for ideas.
- The Edsel introduced Teletouch push-button gear selection, with the buttons in the middle of the steering wheel.
- In all, only 118,287 Edsels were built.
Frequently asked questions
How much did an Edsel cost in 1958?
Edsels for the 1958 model year cost from $2,484 for a Ranger to $3,766 for the most expensive model. They went on sale on September 4, 1957.
How much is $2,484 from 1957 worth today?
Adjusted for US inflation, the Edsel Ranger’s $2,484 price is about $29,575 in September 2026 money.
How much money did Ford lose on the Edsel?
Ford lost more than $250 million on developing, building and marketing the Edsel.
How many Edsels were made?
118,287 Edsels were built, including 7,440 in Canada. About 116,000 were sold.
Want to compare the Edsel price with other launch prices? See what the first TV dinner cost, browse more famous launch prices, or play this question in Price Time Machine.
Sources
Launch prices and dates are checked against the sources below. Today’s price is calculated from official US inflation data and updates automatically when new figures are published.