1960 Edsel Ranger Convertible: A Rare Classic

1960 Edsel Ranger Browse the article 1960 Edsel Ranger

1960 Edsel Ranger

The 1960 Edsel Ranger convertible was part of Edsel's 1960 model run, when Edsel breathed its last breath. This token model run included just 76 convertibles. Ironically, the redesigned '60s were the most salable Edsels yet, but they simply had no future.

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Only 76 1960 Edsel Ranger convertibles were ever made.
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Ford Motor Company needn't have bothered with 1960 Edsels. Only 2809 were built by mid-November 1959, when Ford decided to end the Edsel experiment after two supremely disappointing years.

The 1960 Edsel Ranger had a standard 292-cubic-inch V-8 engine.

Rangers and Villager wagons made up Edsel's reduced 1960 lineup. Edsel's '59 convertible had been an upper-crust Corsair priced at $3072. The 1960 Ranger ragtop started at $3000, but its standard 292-cubic-inch V-8 had only 185 horsepower versus its predecessor's 225-bhp 332. A 300-bhp 352 V-8 was optional across the board for 1960. So was a humble 223 six.

All this applied to Ford, too, because the last Edsels were basically warmed-over '60 Fords. That meant mostly new cars that were longer, lower, much wider, and arguably better-looking than the boxy '59s. Trouble was, these Edsels were low-priced cars, not high-profit "executive" wheels; as such, they were superfluous to Ford's future. Edsel was thus quietly terminated, but it would not be forgotten.

For more classic convertibles of the 1960s, see:

1960 Dodge Polara
1961 Ford Galaxie Sunliner 1962 Dodge Polara 500 1963 Chevrolet Impala SS
1963 Ford Falcon Futura
1963 Plymouth Sport Fury
1965 Chrysler 300L
1965 Rambler American 440
1966 Chevrolet Corvair Monza
1969 Plymouth Road Runner
1969 Shelby GT-500
1973 Mercury Cougar XR-7
1975 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale
1975 Pontiac Grand Ville
1976 Cadillac Eldorado
1963 Studebaker Lark Daytona1968 Mercury Park Lane 1975 Chevrolet Caprice Classic

For more information on all kinds of cars, try these:

• Classic Convertible Cars: See profiles on more than 70 classic convertibles.
  
• Muscle Cars: Get information on more than 100 tough-guy rides.
• Consumer Guide New Car Reviews: Looking for a new car? Get the Consumer Guide rating.
• Consumer Guide Used Car Reviews: Considering a used car purchase? You'll want to check the Consumer Guide used car rating.