Comet (marque)

Overview
1960 Comet 2-Door Sedan
Overview
Also calledMercury Comet
Edsel Comet
Production1960-1961.[1]
Body and chassis
ClassCompact
Body style2-door sedan
4-door sedan
4-door station wagon
2-door station wagon
RelatedFord Falcon
Frontenac
Mercury Comet
Powertrain
Engine144 cu in (2.4 L) Thriftpower Six
170 cu in (2.8 L) Thriftpower Six
Transmission3-speed manual
2-speed Comet Drive automatic[2]
Dimensions
Wheelbase114 in (2,896 mm) (sedan)
109.5 in (2,781 mm)[3] (wagon)
Length194.5 in (4,940 mm)[4]
Width70.4 in (1,788 mm)[5]
Height54.5 in (1,384 mm)

Comet is a defunct American automobile brand of compact cars marketed by the Lincoln-Mercury division of Ford Motor Company from 1960 to 1961.[6] Comet vehicles were promoted as "the First Compact Car with Fine Car Styling" and were offered in 4 body styles:[7]

Comet cars were originally meant to be introduced under the Edsel brand as the 1960 Edsel Comet[8] before Edsel was shut down in November of 1959.[9] Comet was subsequently released on March 17th, 1960 in the United States[10] and was sold through Lincoln-Mercury-Comet and Mercury-Comet dealerships.[11] Comet was introduced to the Canadian market for 1961[12] as a replacement for the one-year-only 1960 Frontenac.[13] Lincoln-Mercury announced the consolidation of the Comet and Mercury lines on September 20, 1961 for both markets. For the 1962 model year onward, all Comet cars were sold under the Mercury brand as the Mercury Comet and distributed through Lincoln-Mercury dealerships.[14][15]

Although never marketed as Mercury Comets when new, 1960 - 1961 Comet models are often historically and incorrectly referred to as Mercury Comets.[16][17]

  1. ^ "Introducing the 1962 Ford Family of Fine Cars". Ford Heritage Vault. Ford Motor Company. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  2. ^ Comet "Quick Facts" and Price Comparisons (C60-102 ed.). Dearborn, MI: Lincoln-Mercury Division of Ford Motor Company. 1960.
  3. ^ "automobile-catalog.com". Archived from the original on 2016-05-18. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  4. ^ "Directory Index: Mercury/1960 Mercury/1960_Mercury_Comet_Brochure". Oldcarbrochures.com. Retrieved 2012-05-31.
  5. ^ Carfolio. Retrieved May 11, 2017.
  6. ^ "The Comet Story". Curbside Classic. Lincoln-Mercury Division Public Relations Department, Ford Motor Company. 15 February 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  7. ^ Comet "Quick Facts" and Price Comparisons (C60-102 ed.). Dearborn, MI: Lincoln-Mercury Division of Ford Motor Company. 1960.
  8. ^ Zyla, Greg. "Edsel's flop begat the fantastic Mercury Comet". The Providence Journal. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  9. ^ Rothman, Lily (19 November 2014). "What Happened to the Car Industry's Most Famous Flop?". Time. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  10. ^ Phillips, David (March 17, 2020). "Lincoln-Mercury's Comet takes off in 1960". Automotive News. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  11. ^ "Identity Crisis: Ford Introduces the 1960 Comet". Motor City Garage. 21 Oct 2021. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  12. ^ "Comet 1961". Ford Heritage Vault. Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  13. ^ English, Bob (23 September 2010). "Ford Frontenac a one-year wonder". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  14. ^ "Ford Motor Company Presents the Ford Family of Fine Cars for 1962". Ford Heritage Vault. Ford Motor Company. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  15. ^ Shea, Terry. "From the Ashes - 1962 Mercury Comet". Hemmings. Hemmings Motor News. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  16. ^ Pearson, Mal (2 July 2019). "Mercury Comet: The Small Savior". Makes That Didn't Make It. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  17. ^ Burrell, David. "Mercury's Comet: Stellar Success was Almost an Edsel". Shannons. Retro Autos. Retrieved 9 May 2024.