If a vehicle from Ford could be more popular than the Mustang or the Taurus, it would be the Edsel branded vehicles which were in the market in the late 50s.  Considered by many as the most spectacular failure in the history of the United States, the Edsel was first marketed by the Dearborn automaker in 1957 and two years, two months, and fifteen days later, the marque’s life was over, stifled by low sales and awful reviews.  But that was back then, today, believe it or not, a certain Edsel convertible depending on its condition can fetch as much as a hundred grand!

If you don’t believe that, then you haven’t heard yet about Kelley Blue Book’s blue book value for a 1958 Edsel Citation Convertible. Back in the days, the convertible cost about $3,800.  Today, 50 years after the first Edsels took to the streets; its value is now from $64,000 up to $100,000. Neat huh? 

For something that has been the butt of many jokes, the Edsel convertible that was the ugly duckling surely has now become the beautiful swan.

The value of the Edsel skyrocketed due to the fact that it is an orphan.  An orphan in the sense that its parent company is dead and gone but the cars live on.  And the Edsel Citation convertible is not the only orphan to have increased in value according to Kelly Blue Book.  Here are the other orphans with high value today according to the autocahnnel.com.

1948 Tucker ‘48 Torpedo Sedan
Original MSRP $2,450
Value 2007: $250,000 - $450,000

1957 Desoto Adventurer Convertible
Original MSRP $4,272
Kelley Blue Book Value 2007: $130,000 — $180,000

1953 Nash-Healey Roadster
Original MSRP $4,063
Kelley Blue Book Value 2007: $56,100

1958 Packard Hawk Coupe
Original MSRP $3,995
Kelley Blue Book Value 2007: $53,900

1981 Delorean DMC-12 Gullwing Coupe
Original MSRP $29,500
Kelley Blue Book Value 2007: $26,000

1964 Studebaker Avanti Coupe
Original MSRP $4,740
Kelley Blue Book Value 2007: $24,100

1957 Hudson Hollywood Hardtop
Original MSRP $3,030
Kelley Blue Book Value 2007: $17,500

1953 Kaiser Dragon Sedan
Original MSRP $3,924
Kelley Blue Book Value 2007: $15,100

1960 AMC Metropolitan convertible
Original MSRP $1,749
Kelley Blue Book Value 2007: $12,300

With the value of these cars skyrocketing today, I’m kinda wondering whether a Ford Focus today can also cost a hundred grand 50 years from now.  But these cars are orphans, so that would mean that a Focus today can have a value of a hundred grand five decades if Ford will go the way of Edsel.  Hmmm… But that won’t happen though.