The Edsel Bermuda is a station wagon that Edsel produced and sold for the 1958 model year only. It was the highest trim level of the brand’s wagon range, recognisable by its simulated wood panels and frames, and it came in six- and nine-passenger versions.
Edsel Bermuda at a glance
| Maker | Edsel division of Ford |
|---|---|
| Production | 1958 only |
| Body | four-door station wagon, six or nine seats |
| Wheelbase | 116 in (2,946 mm), shared with Ford wagons |
| Trim | top of the Edsel wagon range |
| Engine | 361 cu in (5.9 L) V8, standard |
| Gearbox | three-speed manual; three-speed automatic; Teletouch automatic |
| Woodgrain | simulated wood panels and frames |
| Taillights | boomerang-shaped |
| Price | $3,155 (six-passenger), $3,212 (nine-passenger) |
| Built | 2,235: 1,456 six-passenger and 779 nine-passenger |
Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Edsel Bermuda.
History of the Edsel Bermuda
The Bermuda was introduced with the rest of the Edsel range in the autumn of 1957. Like the Edsel Villager and the two-door Roundup, it was built on the 116-inch wheelbase used by Ford’s station wagons and shared their core body stampings. What set it apart from the Ford wagons built on the same lines was Edsel’s front fascia and vertical grille assembly, and a rear end with boomerang-shaped taillights. The shape of those lights caused a small problem when they were used as turn indicators: from a distance the left-hand lamp looked like an arrow pointing right, and the right-hand one like an arrow pointing left.
Inside, the Bermuda was the best-equipped wagon Edsel offered, with deluxe appointments and the simulated wood panels and frames that were a hallmark of premium wagons from Ford and Mercury. It was available with six or nine seats. All Edsel wagons shared the Ranger’s engine range, with the 361 cu in V8 as standard and a three-speed manual gearbox. Buyers could order a three-speed automatic with a column-mounted selector, or pay for Edsel’s heavily promoted but trouble-prone Teletouch automatic, whose drive buttons were set in a stationary hub in the centre of the steering wheel.
The launch was heavily publicised, but Edsels turned out to be a marketing disaster for Ford. The Bermuda found 2,235 buyers in its single year: 1,456 six-passenger cars at $3,155 and 779 nine-passenger cars at $3,212. That made the nine-passenger Bermuda the rarest 1958 Edsel model. For 1959 the Bermuda and the Roundup were dropped, together with the Teletouch system, leaving the Villager as Edsel’s only station wagon.
Design and features
- Top wagon trim: the most expensive and best-equipped station wagon in the 1958 Edsel range.
- Simulated wood: woodgrain panels and frames in the manner of Ford and Mercury premium wagons.
- Six or nine seats: a nine-passenger layout was offered alongside the six-passenger car.
- Own face: Edsel grille and boomerang taillights distinguished it from the Ford wagons it was built alongside.
Edsel Bermuda versions
- Six-passenger Bermuda: 1,456 built, $3,155.
- Nine-passenger Bermuda: 779 built, $3,212, the rarest 1958 Edsel.
- Teletouch cars: ordered with the push-button automatic in the steering wheel hub.
The Bermuda sat above the Villager in the wagon range and shared its engine with the Ranger. More cars are in the Edsel collection.
Video: 1958 Edsel Bermuda Wagon
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Edsel Bermuda, English Wikipedia: wheelbase, trim, engines, production, price
