"Hudson Hornet" - a forgotten Detroit car brand

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

Have you ever heard of a car like the Hudson Hornet? Have you watched the cartoon "Cars"? If you watched, then you probably remember a character named Doc Hudson. So it is a copy of the same Hornet, which has not been produced for more than half a century, but remains in the hearts of motorists, and especially fans of the classics. In this article, you will learn the history of the Hudson Hornet and its main features.

A few words about the company

Surprisingly, Hudson is not named after the creators, but after the investor. It all started with the fact that in 1909 four enterprising young men decided to create a car company. Then one of them turned to his father-in-law with a request to borrow money. And so it happened that a man who was completely ignorant of cars immortalized his last name by investing 90 thousand dollars in his son-in-law's business. Soon, this money paid off with a vengeance. Well, today we will consider the most resonant model of the company - "Hudson Hornet" ("Hornet" - this is how the name of the model is translated).

General characteristics of the model

The model is a full-size passenger car, which was produced from 1951 to 1957. It was made by Hudson Motors of Detroit, Michigan for the first four years, and then by American Motors of Kenosha, Wisconsin.

The first generation of cars received streamlined shapes and a lower center of gravity, which allowed them to perform quite successfully in races.

The second generation was a restyled version of the Nash, which was produced under the Hudson brand until 1957. Now let's take a closer look at all versions of the Hudson Hornet machine.

1951 Hudson Hornet

The first modification, which rolled off the assembly line in 1951, was based on the Step-down design concept, which was first embodied in the Commodore model three years earlier. The essence of the concept was to combine the body and frame (into which the bottom was built) into a single structure. This solution, together with a lower center of gravity, created a stylish, streamlined look for a car that could comfortably carry six passengers.

The 1951 Hudson Hornet was offered in three body styles: 4-door sedan, 2-door coupe, convertible, and hardtop. In terms of price, the cars were on par with the Commodore model - 2.5-3.1 thousand dollars.

All models were aggregated with a 6-cylinder, 5-liter engine with an in-line arrangement of cylinders. The motor was equipped with a two-chamber carburetor and developed 145horsepower power. The model could accelerate to a speed of 180 km / h. For such characteristics, she received an AAA certification from NASCAR. From November 1951, it became possible to purchase a Hornet with a Twin H-Power engine for an additional $85.

For the debut year, 43.6 thousand cars of this model were produced.

1952-1953

In 1952, the Twin H-Power became standard on the car. Together with a double intake manifold and two carburetors, the engine developed 170 hp. With. And in some trim levels, this figure could be increased to 210 liters. With. In 1952, 35 thousand copies of the Hudson Hornet rolled off the assembly line. The following year, the car received minor exterior changes, the main of which was the renewal of the grille. This year, 27 thousand models were produced.

1954

In 1954, the model underwent a significant restyling. It included a curved windshield, new taillights, and a modern interior and dashboard. But the changes are still a little late and did not greatly affect sales. As before, the cars were equipped with in-line "sixes", while competitors have already switched to V-8 engines.

Before the merger of Hudson and Nash, production for 1954 amounted to almost 25,000 cars.

Race success

Cars of this model often participated in races and repeatedly won the championship among serial racingcars of those years.

At the 1952 AAA races, a Hornet driver named Marshall Teague was first out of 13 runs at 12.

In NASCAR races, 5 drivers competed on the Hornets at once. Together they won 27 victories. In total, the model was in first place 40 times and won in 83% of the races. The car on which Marshall Teague showed his phenomenal result was called the Fabulous Hudson Hornet. During 1953-1954, the car received many more victories, which glorified it throughout the world.

The original Fabulous Hudson Hornet is now in the Ypsilanti Automotive Museum, Michigan.

Second Generation

After Hudson and Nash merged into one company in 1954, the production of cars in Detroit stopped. It was moved to the Nash factories located in Wisconsin. All subsequent models were built on the Nash platform, but featured the distinctive Hudson emblem.

1955

New model entered the market in 1955. Compared to competitors, the second generation Hudson Hornets had a rather conservative design. From now on, the car was carried out only in sedan and hardtop bodies. Under the hood of the model was a 5.2-liter V-8 engine that develops 208 horsepower. The motor was named Packard. It is noteworthy that it was aggregated with an automatic transmission. The rear suspension system was tubular and the front springs were lengthened.

Like the Nash models, the new Hudson had an efficient systemair conditioning and wide front seats. Automotive expert Floyd Clymer once said that the Hudson Hornet cars, thanks to their welded body, efficient braking system and excellent maneuverability, are the safest cars in America.

1956

This year it was decided to update the design of the Hornet line. Designer Richard Arbib came up with the concept of V-line Stuling, which was based on the shape of the letter V. The interior and exterior of the car were redesigned. And the tricolor coloring made it unique and noticeable from afar. But even this did not help prevent a significant drop in sales in 1956. Sales fell from 13,000 to 8,000 units.

1957

In 1957, the car was slightly modified: an “egg-shaped” radiator grille and chrome side moldings were installed. Also added 5 color options. The power of the car was increased to 255 horsepower, while the price was lowered. Nevertheless, sales of the model fell to 3 thousand copies a year.

As a result, production was stopped. The Hudson trademark was dropped and the cars were given a new name - Rambler.

Legacy

In 1951, the Hornet was named "Car of the Year" by motoring journalist Henry Balls' Lenta.

In 1970, the Hornet index was revived on one of the AMC models.

In 2006, they developed a concept car called the Dodge Hornet.

The car, as already mentioned, is one of the characters in the cartoon "Cars". Also, if you lovecomputer games, you can meet the Hudson Hornet there. GTA 5 and Driver San-Francisco make it possible to purchase a model in virtual space.

Conclusion

The fate of the revolutionary cars of the past is developing in an amazing way. Some of them achieve phenomenal success and recognition, others become a collapse for entire automobile concerns. And some manage to combine both the first and the second, as, for example, in the case of the Hudson Hornet car. Photos, history and opinion helped us to know what this model is.