Comet (marque) explained

Overview
Aka:	Mercury Comet Edsel Comet
Production:	1960-1961.^[1]
Related:	Ford Falcon Frontenac Mercury Comet
Class:	Compact
Body Style:	2-door sedan 4-door sedan 4-door station wagon 2-door station wagon
Engine:	1441NaN1 Thriftpower Six 1701NaN1 Thriftpower Six
Transmission:	3-speed manual 2-speed Comet Drive automatic^[2]
Wheelbase:	1140NaN0 (sedan) 109.50NaN0^[3] (wagon)
Length:	194.50NaN0^[4]
Width:	70.4sigfig=4NaNsigfig=4^[5]
Height:	54.5sigfig=4NaNsigfig=4

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]

• • 2-Door Sedan 2-Door Station Wagon
• 4-Door Sedan
• 4-Door Station Wagon

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]

Model Year	Sales
1960	116,331
1961	197,263
Total	313,594

1960 Body Style	Sales
2-Door Sedan	45,374
4-Door Sedan	47,416
2-Door Station Wagon	5,115
4-Door Station Wagon	18,426
Total	116,331.^[21]
1961 Body Style^[22]	Sales
2-Door Sedan	71,563
4-Door Sedan	85,332
2-Door Station Wagon	4,199
4-Door Station Wagon	22,165
S-22	14,004
Total	197,263^[23]

1961 Model Year Changes

• Revised front grille^[24]
• Comet adds 101 horsepower Thrift-Power 170 6-cylinder engine as an optional engine upgrade.^[25]
• Reduction in exterior paint choices from 11 to 10 colors^{[26] [27]}
• Revised front fender trim
• Comet side emblems moved from front fenders to rear fenders^[28]
• Comet S-22 model added to Comet line^[29]
• New Comet logo emblem for roof quarter panel (sedan models only)
• Addition of full-width chrome trim panel with Comet name incorporated above rear bumper (sedan models only)
• New deck lid handle with integral lock (sedan models only)
• Interior dome light moved to center of the roof vs. just above windshield
• Front upper A-arm busing changed from rubber bushing to pre-lubricated, threaded metal bushing
• Die-cast aluminum front engine cover replaces stamped steel cover
• Addition of vertical ribbing to reinforce oil pan in both motor options
• New Comet emblem for glovebox^[30]

Comet S-22

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:

• Front bucket seats
• Center console with storage compartment
• Front and rear De luxe armrests
• S-22 steering wheel and De luxe horn ring
• De luxe wheel covers
• De luxe door and quarter trim panels
• Additional insulation/sound-deadening material
• Factory undercoating
• Cigarette lighter
• Door courtesy-light switches
• Bright-work on door and window frames^[31]

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]

• Rambler 6
• Valiant
• Studebaker Lark
• Chevrolet Corvair
• Ford Falcon

1962 Mercury Rebranding and Continuation of Comet

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 fist 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]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Introducing the 1962 Ford Family of Fine Cars . Ford Heritage Vault . Ford Motor Company . 9 May 2024.
2. Book: Comet "Quick Facts" and Price Comparisons . 1960 . Lincoln-Mercury Division of Ford Motor Company . Dearborn, MI . C60-102 .
3. Web site: automobile-catalog.com. 2015-10-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20160518025856/http://www.automobile-catalog.com/. 2016-05-18. dead.
4. Web site: Directory Index: Mercury/1960 Mercury/1960_Mercury_Comet_Brochure . Oldcarbrochures.com . 2012-05-31.
5. http://www.carfolio.com/specifications/models/car/?car=135751 Carfolio
6. Web site: The Comet Story . Curbside Classic . 15 February 2023 . Lincoln-Mercury Division Public Relations Department, Ford Motor Company . 9 May 2024.
7. Book: Comet "Quick Facts" and Price Comparisons . 1960 . Lincoln-Mercury Division of Ford Motor Company . Dearborn, MI . C60-102 .
8. Web site: Zyla . Greg . Edsel's flop begat the fantastic Mercury Comet . The Providence Journal . 9 May 2024.
9. Web site: Rothman . Lily . What Happened to the Car Industry's Most Famous Flop? . 19 November 2014 . Time . 9 May 2024.
10. News: Phillips . David . Lincoln-Mercury's Comet takes off in 1960 . 12 May 2024 . Automotive News . March 17, 2020.
11. News: Identity Crisis: Ford Introduces the 1960 Comet . 9 May 2024 . Motor City Garage . 21 Oct 2021.
12. Web site: Comet 1961 . Ford Heritage Vault . Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited . 9 May 2024.
13. News: English . Bob . Ford Frontenac a one-year wonder . The Globe and Mail . 23 September 2010 . 9 May 2024.
14. Web site: Ford Motor Company Presents the Ford Family of Fine Cars for 1962 . Ford Heritage Vault . Ford Motor Company . May 9, 2024.
15. Web site: Shea . Terry . From the Ashes - 1962 Mercury Comet . Hemmings . Hemmings Motor News . 12 May 2024.
16. Web site: Pearson . Mal . Mercury Comet: The Small Savior . Makes That Didn't Make It . 2 July 2019 . 9 May 2024.
17. Web site: Burrell . David . Mercury's Comet: Stellar Success was Almost an Edsel . Shannons . Retro Autos . 9 May 2024.
18. Web site: Comet Model Overview . Hagerty . Hagerty Media . 9 May 2024.
19. Comet . Motor Trend . October 1960 . 12 . 10 . 30 - 33.
20. Skinner . Phil . What in Heaven?: The Unlikely Story of the 1960 - 1963 Mercury Comet . Collectible Automobile . October 2006 . 23 . 3 . 59.
21. Skinner . Phil . What in Heaven?: The Unlikely Story of the 1960 - 1963 Mercury Comet . Collectible Automobile . October 2006 . 23 . 3 . 59.
22. Web site: 1961 Mercury Models, Prices and Production Numbers . Mercury . Lincoln-Mercury Division, Ford Motor Company.
23. Skinner . Phil . What in Heaven?: The Unlikely Story of the 1960 - 1963 Mercury Comet . Collectible Automobile . October 2006 . 23 . 3 . 59.
24. Web site: Comet Model Overview . Hagerty . 9 May 2024.
25. Book: 1961 Comet . Lincoln-Mercury Division of Ford Motor Company . Dearborn, MI . 8 . C61-105 . 10 May 2024.
26. Book: 1961 Comet . Lincoln-Mercury Division of Ford Motor Company . Dearborn, MI . 8 . C61-105 . 10 May 2024.
27. Web site: Fine Car Styling for the Economy-Wise, Comet . Mercury Brochures . Ford Motor Company . 9 May 2024.
28. Book: Burness . Tad . My Dad Had That Car: A Nostalgic Look at the American Automobile 1920-1990 . 2017 . Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers . New York . 978-0-316-43091-3 . 383 . First.
29. Book: The New Comet S-22!!!! . Lincoln-Mercury Division, Ford Motor Company . Dearborn, MI . 1–4 . 10 May 2024.
30. Comet . Motor Trend . October 1960 . 12 . 10 . 30 - 33.
31. Book: The New Comet S-22!!!! . Lincoln-Mercury Division, Ford Motor Company . Dearborn, MI . 1–4 . 10 May 2024.
32. Book: 1961 Comet Service Specifications Handbook . 1961 . Lincoln-Mercury Division, Ford Motor Company . Dearborn, MI . FORM NO. MD-9937-61.
33. Book: Comet "Quick Facts" and Price Comparisons . 1960 . Lincoln-Mercury Division of Ford Motor Company . Dearborn, MI . C60-102 .
34. Book: Gunnell, John . 55 years of Mercury: the complete history of the Big "M" . 1994 . Krause Publications . 978-0-87341-311-4 . Iola, WI . 128.
35. Web site: Comet Model Overview . Hagerty . Hagerty Media . 9 May 2024.
36. Web site: Shea . Terry . From the Ashes - 1962 Mercury Comet . Hemmings . Hemmings Motor News . 12 May 2024.
37. Web site: Introducing the 1962 Ford Family of Fine Cars . Ford Heritage Vault . Ford Motor Company . 9 May 2024.
38. Book: Comet "Quick Facts" and Price Comparisons . 1960 . Lincoln-Mercury Division of Ford Motor Company . Dearborn, MI . C60-102 .
39. Book: Mercury Comet '62 . 1962 . Lincoln-Mercury . Dearborn, MI . 13 . LM62-112 . 10 May 2024.
40. Web site: Mercury Comet 1gen production numbers data .