I don't believe performance played much if any role in the overall design of the FE. Since it usually took 38 to 42 months to bring a engine to production. From a clean sheet of paper to the actual approval by management to the actual casting, machining and assembly of parts consider this: the actual sales of cars with FEs [Edsel] started early Sept. 1957 that means design started in or about June 1954 at the latest. It could have been as early as mid/late 1953. NASCAR was nothing more than a bunch of ex bootleggers who's existence was hardly a blip of any of the big three's radar. Ford saw that with higher octane gasoline being made available that would allow higher compression ratios and saw a need for larger displacement engines for heavier cars and trucks and the opening of the new interstate highway system a new design was needed to stay competitive with GM and Chrysler. About the only factory supported racing efforts was the Pan American [Mexican] road race that was dominated by the factory backed Lincolns in their class with the 317" Lincoln version of a Y block in 1952-53-54. I do agree with Bill that the FE design was more for lower hood profiles, more torque, better fuel mileage along with a more modern design that was to take Ford into the late 60s with the average engine design life span of about 15 to 20 years. Anyone older than 60 years old should remember the advertising slogans... "Longer, Lower, Wider" was the typical advertising theme of the mid to late 50s.
