Roy Brown, Designer of Ford’s Edsel, Dies

Longtime Ford Motor Co. designer Roy Brown died on Feb. 24 at age 96.

Brown penned the Lincoln Futura concept car that inspired the 1960s Batmobile. He was chief designer of the successful Ford Cortina compact in Europe. But he was always best known for the car that remained the butt of jokes for decades: the Edsel.

Brown was hired in 1937 by design legend Bill Mitchell to work in the Cadillac design studio at General Motors. Brown became Oldsmobile design chief in 1941.

After World War II and a consulting stint, he joined Ford in 1953. His mission for the Edsel was to make a car that looked different from every other car on the road while borrowing from the Ford and Mercury parts bin. The new car also was the flagship of the short-lived Edsel brand.

After the debacle, Brown was transferred to Ford of England, where he redeemed his reputation by designing the Cortina and several other hits. Brown later returned to the U.S., becoming executive designer at Lincoln-Mercury before retiring in 1975.

Brown said years later that the Edsel's reception was "a blow to my ego," but he quickly got over it. Brown came to relish the appreciation of the Edsel clubs that sprang up, attending their events and even designing posters for enthusiasts.