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]
Sales
Comet enjoyed immediate success in the marketplace, selling 116,331 cars for the 1960 model year.[18] 1960 was a short model year for Comet, lasting only from March - October 1960.[19] Comet sales increased by 58% for 1961 models to 197,263 units. Comet outsold the Mercury brand by 70% in 1961.[20]
For 1961, the Comet S-22 package was released for Comet 2-Door Sedans. S-22 was available with either motor and transmission. Promoted as a luxury-oriented package, Comet S-22 models gained:
Comet S-22 was treated as a 5th offering in the Comet lineup, and received Body Series Identification Code 17 in its VIN. Standard Comet 2-Door Sedans were designated by the number 11.[32]
Competitors
To prepare Lincoln-Mercury-Comet dealerships to competitively sell in the compact car market, Comet identified primary competitors in training materials:[33]
The Comet line of cars was folded under the Mercury brand for the 1962 model year,[34] with Comet models wearing Mercury brand and Comet model emblems.[35] Rear end styling was revised to better resemble other Mercury models such as the Meteor.[36] Comet models were included in Mercury brochures, workshop manuals, and advertisements for the first time for 1962.[37] The Comet Drive automatic transmission was also renamed to Merc-O-Matic Drive for 1962.[38][39] By adding Comet to the Mercury line of cars, Mercury brand sales on paper more than doubled from 1961 to 1962.[40]
^"The Comet Story". Curbside Classic. Lincoln-Mercury Division Public Relations Department, Ford Motor Company. 15 February 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
^Burness, Tad (2017). My Dad Had That Car: A Nostalgic Look at the American Automobile 1920-1990 (First ed.). New York: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers. p. 383. ISBN978-0-316-43091-3.
^The New Comet S-22!!!!. Dearborn, MI: Lincoln-Mercury Division, Ford Motor Company. pp. 1–4. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
^"Comet". Motor Trend. 12 (10): 30–33. October 1960.
^The New Comet S-22!!!!. Dearborn, MI: Lincoln-Mercury Division, Ford Motor Company. pp. 1–4. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
^1961 Comet Service Specifications Handbook (FORM NO. MD-9937-61 ed.). Dearborn, MI: Lincoln-Mercury Division, Ford Motor Company. 1961.
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