Undoubtedly, Edsel's most memorable design feature was its trademark "horsecollar" grille, which was quite distinct from other cars of the period.
According to a popular joke at the time, Edsels "resembled an Oldsmobile sucking a lemon", while automotive critic Dan Neil cites the grille's vaginal appearance.
 Many others compared the grille's shape to a toilet seat.

According to Thomas E. Bonsall's book, Disaster in Dearborn (2002), it was assistant stylist Bob "Robin" Jones, who suggested a vertical motif for the front end of the "E-car".

Edsel's front-end ensemble as it eventually appeared bore little resemblance, if any, to the original concept.
Roy Brown, the original chief designer on the Edsel project, had envisioned a slender, almost delicate opening in the center.
Engineers, fearing engine cooling problems, vetoed the intended design, so a ring design was suggested.
Ernest Breech then demanded the grille be taller and wider, which led to the now-infamous "horsecollar".

The vertical grille theme, while improved for the 1959 models, was discontinued for the 1960 models, which were similar to Ford models of the same year, although coincidentally, the new front-end design was very similar to that of the 1959 Pontiac.

Complaints also surfaced about the taillights on 1958-model Edsel station wagons.
 The lenses were boomerang-shaped and placed in a reverse fashion.
 At a distance, they appeared as arrows pointed in the opposite direction of the turn being made.
When the left turn signal flashed, its arrow shape pointed right, and vice versa.
 However, there was little that could be done to give the Ford-based station wagons a unique appearance from the rear, because corporate management had insisted that no sheetmetal could be changed.
 Only the taillights and trim could be touched.
There was room for separate turn signals in addition to the boomerangs, but the U.S. industry had never supplied them up to that point, and they were probably never seriously considered.
Undoubtedly, Edsel's most memorable design feature was its trademark "horsecollar" grille, which was quite distinct from other cars of the period. According to a popular joke at the time, Edsels "resembled an Oldsmobile sucking a lemon", while automotive critic Dan Neil cites the grille's vaginal appearance.  Many others compared the grille's shape to a toilet seat.
According to Thomas E. Bonsall's book, Disaster in Dearborn (2002), it was assistant stylist Bob "Robin" Jones, who suggested a vertical motif for the front end of the "E-car".
Edsel's front-end ensemble as it eventually appeared bore little resemblance, if any, to the original concept. Roy Brown, the original chief designer on the Edsel project, had envisioned a slender, almost delicate opening in the center. Engineers, fearing engine cooling problems, vetoed the intended design, so a ring design was suggested. Ernest Breech then demanded the grille be taller and wider, which led to the now-infamous "horsecollar".
The vertical grille theme, while improved for the 1959 models, was discontinued for the 1960 models, which were similar to Ford models of the same year, although coincidentally, the new front-end design was very similar to that of the 1959 Pontiac.
Complaints also surfaced about the taillights on 1958-model Edsel station wagons.  The lenses were boomerang-shaped and placed in a reverse fashion.  At a distance, they appeared as arrows pointed in the opposite direction of the turn being made. When the left turn signal flashed, its arrow shape pointed right, and vice versa.  However, there was little that could be done to give the Ford-based station wagons a unique appearance from the rear, because corporate management had insisted that no sheetmetal could be changed.  Only the taillights and trim could be touched. There was room for separate turn signals in addition to the boomerangs, but the U.S. industry had never supplied them up to that point, and they were probably never seriously considered.
Edsel