Automotif CCI...

File this one under "Cars I will definitely circle back around the block to park and photograph." It's an Edsel Ranger!

After the disastrously low sales of the 1958 model, the styling of the 1959 Edsels was dramatically toned down. This '59 Ranger almost looks normal, with the giant chrome toilet seat that dominated the prow of the '58 model shrunk down to a styling highlight in the center of an otherwise normal horizontal chrome grille.

"In a series of money-saving measures, the Teletouch Drive transmission that was originally planned as an option on the 1959 Edsel, was eliminated. Unique design elements were cut, and the Edsel began to lose some of the features that made it distinct. Taillights from the 1958 Continental were used, the chassis was the same as the Fairlane, and the dashboard became almost identical to the Ford. Also, as a result of the public's changing need for a more economical car, the available engine size for 1959 Edsels were significantly smaller than in the 1958 models. The powerful E-475 motor was eliminated, and the E-400 that was once standard was now a high-performance option. ...

None of the changes could turn the marque around, and sales dropped well below the 1958 model year totals. The future of the Edsel was in serious jeopardy."

The Ranger was intended to serve as a step up from Ford, price-wise, without costing Mercury money.

Like the one of the Rambler American in the same parking lot, I felt like the picture of the Edsel needed a little tweaking to make the photo look right...

1959 Edsel Ranger, shot with Sony RX100