12/11/12 6:30 PM

I recently started subscribing to The New Yorker (don't ask why--it has a lot to do with the Swiss Army Fork). Anyway, a new issue arrived today and page 13 was an ad headed "Does the world need another luxury car?"

My eyes skimmed the page (an ad for Lincoln) and I was about to turn the page when my eyes popped. Below the eye-grabber text, the first paragraph began "Edsel Ford knew something about what makes a fine automobile..."

OK.

Now I know I'm getting old. The name Edsel has been a joke for so long, justly or unjustly, that seeing an ad open with it was a bit of a shock...

12/11/12 8:13 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edsel_Ford

12/11/12 9:44 PM

I did read that, and it disagrees with the history as presented in the ad a little, but...the main thing is, can you imagine an ad for a car twenty years ago even mentioning Edsel? The failure of the brand (and by extension, unjustly, of the person) was a cultural touchstone.

12/11/12 10:17 PM

Ford Lincoln Merc probably threatened to pull their advertising if the ad firm did not spread some Edsel Ford Cudos, or is that cooties...

12/12/12 5:21 PM

I was expecting this thread to perhaps be an R.I.P. notice of (noted English framebuilder) Ron Cooper's passing this week.
And it was Alex Moulton who also passed just days ago.
Two of the best.

12/13/12 6:05 AM

I've never owned any of their creations, but they were both pioneers in the business. RIP.

12/13/12 6:49 AM

Semi hippy/granola Andy reading the New Yorker and ogling Lincolns...:)

My father in law owned an Edsel.

RIP to the Brits. I monitor a Saab board and there was a thread about Moulton in relation to his automotive work - apparently he designed the suspensions on the Mini and other Brit cars of the era. His bikes were pretty popular around here in the '80s. In '75 a guy in my club got a Ron Cooper and it was one of the cleanest, prettiest bikes I have seen.

12/13/12 8:15 AM

I only read it for the articles.

Actually, very good ones on chemical warfare and Joni Mitchell in this one...

The thing that jumped out at me from Moulton's obit was that he had worked on suspension that was used in--among other cars--the MG F . My dad had a '67 MGB, and so I was aware when the (frankly, horrific-looking) MGC appeared c. 1970. I had thought the latter the end of the line (something I was reminded of by Richard Thompson's song "MGB-GT") but noooo. It appears they actually got better.

Nice to know.