The Hudson Motor Car Company produced Hudson and other branded cars in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., from 1909 to 1954. In 1954, Hudson combined with Nash-Kelvinator to create American Motors Corporation (AMC). The Hudson name was used until the 1957 model year, after which it was no longer used.

Company strategy

The name "Hudson" was chosen in honor of Joseph L. Hudson, a businessman from Detroit who owned a department store and provided financial support for the company. On February 20, 1909, eight Detroit business leaders formed the company to build an automobile that would cost less than $1,000 (about $35,833 today).

Roy D. Chapin Sr., a young executive who had worked with Ransom E. Olds, helped organize the company. Chapin’s son, Roy Jr., later became president of a car company called American Motors Corporation in the 1960s. The company began making cars in a small factory on the East Side of Detroit on July 3, 1909. The first car produced was called the "Twenty," and it was one of the first affordable cars in the United States. In its first year, the company sold 4,508 cars, which was the highest number of cars sold by any new company in the automobile industry at that time.

As sales grew, the company needed a larger factory. A new building was constructed on a 22-acre plot in Detroit’s Fairview section, near the Chalmers Automobile plant. The land had once been a farm owned by D.J. Campau. The factory was designed by Albert Kahn, a famous architect, and opened on October 29, 1910. By 1911, the company produced 6,486 cars. In 1914, all Hudson cars sold in the United States had left-hand steering wheels.

Here are the number of vehicles produced by Hudson each year:
• 1909 – 1,115 Vehicles
• 1910 – 4,107 Vehicles
• 1911 – 5,448 Vehicles
• 1912 – 5,449 Vehicles
• 1913 – 6,221 Vehicles
• 1914 – 7,199 Vehicles
• 1915 – 10,918 Vehicles
• 1916 – 33,186 Vehicles
• 1917 – 21,320 Vehicles
• 1918 – 13,343 Vehicles
• 1919 – 39,286 Vehicles (including Essex)
• 1920 – 48,439 Vehicles (including Essex)
• 1921 – 25,415 Vehicles (including Essex)
• 1922 – 61,233 Vehicles
• 1923 – 88,184 Vehicles
• 1924 – 128,664 Vehicles
• 1925 – 263,937 Vehicles
• 1926 – 244,667 Vehicles
• 1927 – 276,330 Vehicles
• 1928 – 282,152 Vehicles

A company called Fisher Body Co. built car bodies for Hudson until 1919, when General Motors bought Fisher Body. From 1923, a company called Biddle and Smart built Hudson car bodies. They used aluminum instead of steel because they could not stamp steel. In 1926, Hudson completed a new factory that cost $10 million (about $181,860,902 today) to build. This factory allowed Hudson to make all-steel car bodies for the first time. Biddle and Smart continued to build aluminum bodies, which Hudson called "custom-built," even though they were the same as the steel-body cars. When Hudson started building bodies itself, Biddle and Smart’s work for Hudson dropped by 60%. Later, Hudson used other companies like Briggs Manufacturing and Murray Corporation to help with production. In 1930, Hudson ended its contract with Biddle and Smart, and the company went out of business.

In 1929, Hudson and its brand Essex produced a combined total of 300,000 cars in one year. This included cars made in factories in Belgium and England, where a factory had been built in 1925 in London. At that time, Hudson was the third-largest car maker in the United States, after Ford Motor Company and Chevrolet. In 1938, Hudson sold 719 trucks, and in 1939, it sold 409 trucks.

Hudson introduced several important features to the automobile industry. These included dual brakes, dashboard oil-pressure and generator warning lights, and the first balanced crankshaft. The balanced crankshaft allowed the Hudson straight-six engine, called the "Super Six" (1916), to run faster while staying smooth and powerful for its size. Before 1957, most Hudson cars used straight-six engines. The dual brake system used a secondary mechanical emergency brake that activated the rear brakes if the main brake pedal was pressed too far. Hudson also used oil baths and cork clutch mechanisms in its transmissions, which were both strong and smooth.

Essex and Terraplane

In 1919, Hudson introduced the Essex brand of automobiles. This line was created for buyers looking for affordable cars and was designed to compete with Ford and Chevrolet. At the same time, Hudson’s more expensive models competed with Oldsmobile and Studebaker. In 1922, a local coachbuilder named Briggs Manufacturing created the first closed coach body for Hudson’s Essex. This was the first closed vehicle available at a price close to open-bodied models. The 1922 Essex closed body cost only $300 more than the 1922 Essex touring model. Within three years, its popularity allowed Hudson to lower the price so that both the 1925 Essex touring and coach models had the same cost. The Essex brand became successful by offering one of the first affordable sedans. Combined sales of Hudson and Essex moved from seventh to third in the U.S. by 1925.

In 1932, Hudson began gradually stopping the use of the Essex name and introduced the modern Terraplane brand. The new line launched on July 21, 1932, with a special event led by Amelia Earhart. For 1932 and 1933, the redesigned cars were called Essex-Terraplane. From 1934 onward, they were known as Terraplane until 1938, when the name changed to Hudson 112. Hudson also started building cars in Canada, working with Canada Top and Body to assemble vehicles at their plant in Tilbury, Ontario. In England, Terraplanes made at the Brentford factory were still being advertised in 1938.

An optional feature on some 1935–1938 Hudson and Terraplane models was a steering column-mounted electric gear pre-selector and electro-mechanical automatic shifting system, called the "Electric Hand," made by Bendix Corporation. This replaced the floor-mounted shift lever but required drivers to use the clutch normally. Vehicles with this feature also had a traditional shift lever stored in clips under the dashboard, which could be used if the Electric Hand failed. Hudson also offered an optional vacuum-powered automatic clutch starting in the early 1930s.

Hudson Eight

In 1930, Hudson introduced a new eight-cylinder engine. The engine block and crankcase were made as one piece and had two cylinder heads. The engine had a 2.75-inch bore and a 4.5-inch stroke, which created a total displacement of 218.8 cubic inches (3.6 liters). It produced 80 horsepower at 3,600 revolutions per minute with a standard compression ratio of 5.78:1. The crankshaft had five main bearings and eight built-in counterweights, a first in the industry. It also used a Lanchester vibration damper. Four rubber blocks were placed where the engine connected to the car. A special oil pump improved the engine's splash lubrication system.

The new eight-cylinder engine was the only engine option in the Hudson line, replacing the Super Six engine, which was still used in the Essex models.

At the 1931 Indianapolis 500, Buddy Marr's #27 Hudson Special (which used a Winfield carburetor) completed 200 laps and finished in tenth place.

1936–1942

In 1936, Hudson changed its cars by adding a new suspension system called "radial safety control" and "rhythmic ride." This system used two steel bars and leaf springs to support the front axle. This design allowed for longer, softer leaf springs, which helped the car stay on course during bumps or braking. The 1936 Hudson cars also had more interior space than other cars of the time. Hudson claimed the interior was 145 cubic feet (4.1 cubic meters), compared to 121 cubic feet (3.4 cubic meters) in the largest competing cars. An optional trunk lid with a bulging shape could hold 21 cubic feet (0.59 cubic meters) of luggage. The engines in 1936 Hudson cars were strong for their time, producing between 93 and 124 horsepower (69 to 92 kilowatts; 94 to 126 metric horsepower).

In 1939, Hudson joined other American car makers by using a gearshift lever mounted on a column. This design saved space for front-seat passengers and became the industry standard until the 1960s, when "bucket seats" became popular. Hudson was the first car company to use foam rubber in its seats. The Hudson Terraplane model was no longer produced. For 1940 models, Hudson added coil springs that allowed the front wheels to move independently, aircraft-style shock absorbers inside the front springs, and center-point steering on all models. These changes improved performance for cars in this price range. The Super Six model was brought back. Despite these updates, Hudson sold fewer cars in 1940 than in 1939, and the company lost money again. Military contracts the following year helped improve sales.

In 1941, Hudson kept the front design of the 1940 models but added 5.5 inches to the body length for more legroom. A new manual 3-speed transmission with quiet, helical gears was introduced. Wheelbases increased by 3 inches, with options of 116, 121, and 128 inches. The car's height was reduced with flatter roofs. Convertibles now had power-operated tops. Big Boy trucks used the 128-inch wheelbase. In 1942, Hudson responded to General Motors' Hydramatic automatic transmission by introducing its "Drive-Master" system. This system combined ideas from the Electric Hand and automatic clutch. It used vacuum-powered parts on the transmission to switch between gears and control the clutch. Drivers could choose from three modes: manual shifting with clutching, manual shifting with automatic clutching, or automatic shifting with automatic clutching. These features were controlled by a complex mechanism under the hood. The Drive-Master worked well and, when paired with an automatic overdrive, became known as Super-Matic. Rebuilding the car's frame and using lower springs reduced the car's height by 1.5 inches (38 millimeters). Sheet metal "spats" covered the running boards, and wider front and rear fenders were added to fit this design.

Female designer

As women's influence in car-buying decisions grew, automakers started employing female designers. Hudson, seeking input from women in automotive design, hired Elizabeth Ann Thatcher in 1939. She became one of the first women in the United States to work as an automotive designer. During her time at Hudson from 1939 to 1941, she helped design features for the 1941 Hudson, including side lights on the car's body, the dashboard inside the car, and the fabrics used inside the vehicle. She left the company after marrying Joe Oros, who was then working at Cadillac. Later, Joe Oros led Ford's design team that created the Mustang.

World War II

During World War II, as required by the Federal government, Hudson stopped making cars from 1942 to 1945 to produce supplies for the war. These supplies included parts for airplanes, engines for ships, and anti-aircraft guns. The Hudson "Invader" engine helped power many of the landing craft used during the D-Day invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944.

At the same time, Hudson had an aircraft division that made ailerons for a major airplane builder in the East. The plant was able to produce wings, ailerons, and other airplane parts on a large scale. On May 22, 1941, Hudson received a contract to make the Oerlikon 20 mm cannon at the Jefferson Avenue Plant, located on Jefferson Avenue and Connor Avenue. This plant was responsible for adapting original Swiss designs to meet American production standards. The company produced 33,201 of these cannons for the United States Navy. The original design remained largely unchanged throughout the war, and all parts were fully interchangeable. Hudson also made millions of other weapons and vehicle parts for the war effort. During World War II, Hudson ranked 83rd among U.S. companies in the total value of military production contracts.

Fisher takeover attempt

The Fisher Body Company, which later became the Fisher Body Division of General Motors (GM), made car bodies for many car brands during the early 1900s. In 1926, the company became part of GM. Just before World War II, the Fisher brothers planned to take over the Hudson car company. They hired engineer Roscoe C. (Rod) Hoffman from Detroit to design and build several prototype cars with engines in the back, which could later be made as Hudson cars. One of these prototypes was secretly built in 1935.

World War II caused the brothers to pause their plans, as the company focused on making items needed for the war. In 1944, when Fred and Charles Fisher retired from GM, they brought back the idea of taking over Hudson to start new, independent car manufacturing. The brothers reached out to Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, who owned Hudson’s shares, and offered to buy the company. Through a middle person, Queen Wilhelmina showed interest in selling, so the Fisher brothers began preparing for a deal with Hudson’s factory. When news of this reached Wall Street, the price of Hudson’s stock rose quickly because investors believed a Fisher takeover would help Hudson. However, the Fisher brothers’ offer to buy Hudson’s shares was not enough to match the company’s suddenly higher value, and the deal did not happen.

1946–1953

Production began again after the war and included a 128-inch (3,251 mm) wheelbase three-quarter-ton pickup truck.

In 1948, the company introduced "step-down" bodies, which remained in use until the 1954 model year. The term "step-down" described how Hudson placed the passenger area lower inside the car's frame, so people stepped down onto a floor surrounded by the frame. This design made the car safer, more comfortable, and easier to handle because the car’s center of gravity was lower. Over time, most U.S. automakers adopted this method for building car bodies. Automotive writer Richard Langworth called the step-down models the greatest cars of their time in articles for Consumer Guide and Collectible Automobile.

For the 1951 model year, the 6-cylinder engine received a new block with thicker walls and other improvements. These changes increased horsepower by nearly 18% and torque by 28.5%, making Hudson cars powerful again. The GM-supplied 4-speed Hydramatic automatic transmission became an optional feature in Hornets and Commodore Custom 6s and 8s.

Hudson’s strong, lightweight bodies, combined with its high-torque inline six-cylinder engine, made the 1951–54 Hornet a racing champion. The Hornet dominated NASCAR from 1951 to 1954. Herb Thomas won the 1951 and 1954 Southern 500s, and Dick Rathmann won in 1952. Some NASCAR records set by Hudson in the 1950s, such as consecutive race wins in one season, still stand today. Hudson cars also performed well in races organized by the AAA Contest Board from 1952 to 1954. Marshall Teague won the 1952 AAA Stock Car Championship, and Frank Mundy won in 1953. Hudson cars often finished in the top positions in races. Later, Hudson cars had success in drag racing because of their high power-to-weight ratio. They performed well in NHRA trials and local dirt track events.

As the post-war market shifted from favoring sellers to favoring buyers, smaller U.S. automakers like Hudson and Nash struggled to compete with the Big Three (Ford, GM, and Chrysler) during the 1950s. A sales competition between Ford and GM in 1953 and 1954 left little room for smaller "independent" automakers to compete against the standard models offered by the Big Three. The Big Three changed car designs every year, while smaller manufacturers could only make gradual changes. Hudson’s unit-body construction was hard and expensive to update. Even though Hudson cars won many races, their success did not increase sales, despite a marketing campaign called "Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday." Sales dropped each year from 1951 to 1954, and only Korean War military contracts kept the company operating. The Hudson Motor Car Company reported a loss of $10,411,060 in 1953, compared to a profit of $8,307,847 in 1952.

After the high-priced Jet compact car line failed to attract buyers in its second year, Hudson CEO A.E. Barit met with George W. Mason, CEO of Nash-Kelvinator (makers of Nash and Rambler), to discuss a merger with Nash. Mason had previously proposed merging four independent automakers (Nash, Hudson, Packard, and Studebaker) into one company to compete with the Big Three. He had first suggested this idea in 1946 with Packard, but it did not work. Mason had also discussed the idea with Barit in 1952. On January 14, 1954, an agreement was reached, and Nash and Hudson executives began steps to combine the two companies.

1954: Merger and initial strategy

In 1954, the Hudson "step-down" models received design updates. These changes included a single-piece windshield and a redesigned rear section to create a notchback look, along with a new trunk and rear fenders featuring fin-shaped taillamps. Hudson's unique "step-down" unit-body construction made restyling difficult and costly. Compared to the Big Three automakers, who could afford frequent design changes, Hudson's efforts to update its 1954 models required significant work. At the same time, Hudson's larger cars still used only inline-six (I6) engines, while competitors offered V8 engines. Hudson's success in NASCAR racing helped boost sales. However, the new compact-sized Jet model did not sell well. Despite having more standard features, its design was criticized, and its price was higher than similar full-sized cars from the Big Three. The 1954 Hudson Jet had only minor updates, and sales dropped after its introduction.

On May 1, 1954, Hudson Motor Car Company merged with Nash-Kelvinator to form American Motors Corporation (AMC). After the merger, major changes occurred. Hudson's Detroit factory stopped making passenger cars by the end of the 1954 model year and was later used for military production during the Korean War. For the next three years, Hudson cars were made at the former Nash plant in Kenosha, Wisconsin, using rebadged Nash models sold under the Hudson name. AMC's early strategy focused on Nash marketing smaller Rambler models, while Hudson promoted its larger cars. The first Hudson model to be discontinued under AMC was the compact Jet, allowing AMC to focus on the more successful Nash Rambler line. Hudson dealers then sold rebranded versions of the Nash Rambler and Metropolitan compacts to meet legal requirements.

As AMC's CEO, Mason prioritized discussions with Packard's president, James J. Nance, about sharing parts between AMC and Packard. This was because AMC did not produce a V8 engine. An agreement was made to use Packard's new 320 cubic inch (5.2 L) V8 engine and its Ultramatic automatic transmission in the 1955 Nash Ambassador and Hudson Hornet models.

However, the situation for independent automakers changed quickly. In July 1954, Packard bought Studebaker, forming the Studebaker-Packard Corporation. Plans for a larger merger between AMC and Studebaker-Packard ended when Mason unexpectedly died on October 8, 1954. A week later, Mason's successor, George W. Romney, stated, "There are no mergers under way either directly or indirectly." Both company leaders were strong-willed, making a merger with Studebaker-Packard unlikely. Despite this, Romney honored Mason's agreement to buy parts from Studebaker-Packard. However, Studebaker-Packard did not buy parts from AMC as planned. The Packard engines and transmissions were expensive, leading AMC to speed up the development of its own V8 engine, which replaced the Packard parts by mid-1956.

1955: Integration and new engine

In 1954, the operations of Nash and Hudson merged. Soon after, the styling department began working faster to create new car designs. Plans for a 1955 Hudson were underway, but the focus shifted to building cars on a shared platform by adapting the Nash Ambassador to include Hudson-style designs. George Mason, the new leader of American Motors, wanted a new Hudson model introduced for the 1955 year. A design studio for Hudson was set up on the second floor of the AMC headquarters on Plymouth Road in Detroit. Stylists worked long hours to meet Mason’s schedule.

For the 1955 model year, Nash and Hudson senior models used a method already used by the "Big Three" automakers to reduce costs. This shared car body included design ideas from three key designers: Pinin Farina, Edmund E. Anderson (who created separate design studios for Nash, Hudson, and Rambler within AMC), and Frank Spring of Hudson. The Nash platform did not use the "Step-Down" design, making the new 1955 Hudsons taller and more upright than earlier models.

Although the 1955 Hudson models shared a body with Nash, they kept unique features to honor their brand. These included a special front section designed by Frank Spring and his team for a canceled 1954 "Step-Down" platform, the traditional Hudson dashboard, and the well-known "Triple Safe Brakes." They also added Nash’s "Weather Eye" heating and ventilation system, now improved with a less expensive air conditioning unit from Harrison Radiator Corporation.

A major change for Hudson in 1955 was the introduction of a V8 engine for the first time. This engine, designed and built by Packard, had a 320 cubic inch (5.2 L) size and produced 208 horsepower. Cars with the V8 could be paired with Packard’s Ultramatic automatic transmission for an extra $494.

In addition to senior models, Hudson dealers also sold smaller, more affordable Rambler and Metropolitan models under the Hudson brand. These cars had special markings, such as hood/grille emblems and horn buttons with the "H" logo. Hudson Ramblers also had "H" symbols on their fuel caps, and in 1956, on their hubcaps. A total of 4,357 Metropolitans were sold with the Hudson name in 1955.

1956: "V-line" styling

In 1956, the senior Hudson models received a focused effort to create a more unique appearance. Richard Arbib was chosen to design the cars, and he introduced the controversial "V-Line" styling. This design used "V" shapes throughout the car to reflect Hudson's triangular company logo. Despite these changes, Hudson's sales in 1956 were lower than in 1955, showing difficulty in gaining market share.

The 1956 Hudson models continued to use the well-known 308 cubic inches (5.05 liters) "Hornet Six" engine. This inline-six engine had an optional high-compression cylinder head and a two-carburetor manifold called "Twin-H Power." However, the "Twin-H Power" option was removed at the end of the 1956 model year. The smaller Wasp model used the 202 cubic inches (3.3 liters) L-head "Jet Six" engine, which produced up to 130 horsepower. The sedan version of the Wasp was Hudson's best-selling model for the year. Even though the styling faced challenges, Hudson models were generally considered to have better handling than Nash models due to their wider front track.

Inside the company, ongoing changes and the belief that the Hudson brand was becoming less important caused disagreements. In 1956, former Hudson president A.E. Barit left the AMC Board in protest over concerns that the Hudson brand might be stopped from being produced.

1957: Final year

In 1957, the Hudson car brand ended its production. American Motors Corporation (AMC) made its car models simpler by stopping the production of the smaller Wasp model. Only the more expensive Hornet Custom and Hornet Super models remained, which had a slightly lower body and new design features.

The final Hudson car was made on June 25, 1957, at the Kenosha factory. At that time, there were plans to continue using the Hudson and Nash names for 1958 models built on the Rambler car's base design. However, the total number of Hudson and Nash cars made was not enough to support creating new designs and equipment. Because of this, the Rambler's base design was expected to be used for longer cars. One major magazine reported that rumors about ending the Hudson and Nash brands were not true. Some reports said the 1958 Hudson and Nash models would be large and stylish. Factory design pictures showed plans for 1958 Hudson and Nash models based on the longer Rambler design. Early photos of the front of the car showed different design styles for Hudson and Nash.

AMC's president, George W. Romney, decided that the only way to compete with the largest car companies was to focus on a new line of smaller cars. The Hudson and Nash names were not as well-known or successful as the Rambler, and their sales were low. With help from AMC's chief engineer, Meade Moore, Romney ended the Hudson and Nash brands by the end of 1957. This decision happened quickly, as early photos of the 1958 Rambler Ambassador show models with both Nash and Hudson logos. The Rambler brand was chosen for future development and marketing, with a focus on small cars.

Starting in 1958, the Rambler and Metropolitan models became their own separate brands, no longer connected to Hudson or Nash. While this was hard for people who liked the old brands, it allowed AMC to use all its resources to improve the successful Rambler line. This strategy helped AMC grow stronger again in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

International markets

Hudson, Essex, and Terraplane vehicles were either sent overseas as finished cars or built locally from parts in many countries. This helped make the Hudson brand well known both internationally and in the United States. In its 1929 report, the banking firm Garden Detroit Company noted that in 1928, Hudson shipped 50,587 vehicles overseas, which was 17.9% of all vehicles produced that year. By March 1929, Hudson had exceeded all previous production records, shipping 44,295 cars in that month alone. This brought the total number of vehicles sent overseas during the first quarter of 1929 to 108,298, a record high.

Hudson vehicles were brought into Australia by the Brisbane company McGhie Motor Company in 1913. In 1915, the Sydney branch of Dalgety & Co. Ltd became the distributor of Hudson (and later Essex) vehicles in New South Wales. The company also distributed Wolseley, Daimler, Buick, Lacre, and Halley vehicles. Motor bodies were made by Henderson, Boulton, and Kirkham in Sydney. The company also performed trimming, fitting, painting, mechanical work, and repairs.

In 1922, the Sydney company Smith & Waddington began building custom car bodies for New South Wales and Queensland. These custom bodies were made to individual orders and special designs. The company assembled Hudson and Essex vehicles for Dalgety and also built bodies for Rolls-Royce, Wolseley, Dort, Benz, Fiat, and Turkat Méry. After a drop in business caused operations to stop in November 1927, Smith & Waddington restarted production in June 1928, again building Hudson and Essex vehicles for New South Wales and Queensland. They also added Dodge, Chrysler, Erskine, and Studebaker for all of Australia. In 1934, Sydney coach builder G.H. Olding & Sons built six Terraplane phaetons for Dalgety.

In 1926, a new company called Leader Motors Limited was formed to be the exclusive distributor of Hudson and Essex vehicles in Queensland. The bodies were made by Holden's Motor Body Builders in Brisbane. Holden also built bodies for Austin, Buick, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Cleveland, Dodge, Fiat, Oakland, Oldsmobile, Overland, Pontiac, Reo, Studebaker, Vauxhall, and Willys Knight. In 1927, Holden produced 1,252 Essex Standard Tourers, 173 Essex Special Tourers, 171 Essex Coaches, and 46 Essex S/S Roadsters. They also made 8 Hudson Tourers that year. Holden stopped producing Hudson and Essex vehicles in 1928. In 1930, Holden was bought by General Motors.

Hudson and Essex vehicles were assembled in Victoria by Neal's Motors of Port Melbourne starting in 1927. The contract to build bodies was first given to TJ Richards & Sons of Keswick, Adelaide, to supply parts for Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania, and to act as a second source for New South Wales and Queensland. Holden's Motor Body Builders also built bodies. Holden's records show that in 1927, the Adelaide plant built 1,641 Essex vehicles and 8 Hudsons. In 1928, 1,931 Essex vehicles and 59 Hudsons were assembled. Holden's final year of producing Hudson and Essex vehicles was 1928. In 1931, Holden was bought by General Motors.

In February 1934, Ruskins Body Works of West Melbourne secured the contract to build Hudson and Terraplane bodies for all of Australia. In June 1937, Neal's Motors celebrated assembling its 30,000th automobile: a 1937 Hudson Terraplane.

In 1939, Dalgety sold its automotive business to Ira L. & A.C Berk, agents for Packard motor vehicles in Sydney. This company then became the distributor for Hudson in New South Wales and Queensland. It opened a manufacturing plant in Belmore, Sydney, in February 1949.

After World War II, Australia passed laws limiting the use of U.S. dollars, which were in short supply. To import cars, a government permit was needed, restricting purchases to those with access to U.S. funds overseas, such as consular staff and entertainers. Despite this, Australian distributors of Hudson, Nash, Packard, and Studebaker brought in limited numbers of U.S.-built, right-hand-drive vehicles from 1946.

A report by Dunlop Australia about car sales from 1932 to 1949 noted that Hudson vehicles (including Essex and Terraplane) totaled 10,424 units over 17 years, ranking 13th overall. The report also stated that all car brands in Australia sold the most vehicles before World War II.

In 1960, six years after Hudson and Nash-Kelvinator merged to form American Motors Corporation, Australian Motor Industries (AMI) of Port Melbourne agreed to assemble Ramblers in Australia.

Canadian assembly of Hudson vehicles began in 1932 by Hudson Motors of Canada in Tilbury, Ontario. The factory was owned by Canadian Top & Body Co., which built the car bodies. The first models assembled were a series of Hudson Eights. World War II interrupted operations, and production stopped in 1941. After the war, production resumed in 1950 by Chatco Steel Products in Tilbury, Ontario. Operations ended in 1954 after the Nash-Hudson merger, which created American Motors Corporation. Toronto-based Nash Motors of Canada Ltd. became American Motors (Canada) Ltd., and all AMC operations continued in Toronto until its closure in 1957. Local production of Ramblers resumed after AMC's Brampton, Ontario plant opened in December 1960.

Hudson and Essex vehicles were assembled in Berlin, Germany, during the 1920s by Hudson Essex Motors Company m.b.H Berlin-Spandau. The cars had speedometers in kilometers, while fuel, oil, and temperature gauges remained in their original non-metric units.

Hudson and

Legacy

In 1928, a one yuan coin named the Auto Dollar was created by the Chinese warlord Zhou Xicheng to honor the building of roads in Guizhou province. The coin shows a picture of a car that looks like a soft-topped Hudson car, though it does not match any specific model exactly.

For the 1970 model year, American Motors brought back the "Hornet" name for a new line of small cars called the AMC Hornet. Later, American Motors was bought by Chrysler, which once thought about using the Hornet name again for Dodge cars. Chrysler finally did this for the 2023 model year with a car based on the Alfa Romeo Tonale.

The last Hudson dealership was Miller Motors in Ypsilanti, Michigan. This location is now part of the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum.

The Hostetler Hudson Auto Museum in Shipshewana, Indiana, had a collection of restored Hudson cars. Eldon Hostetler, an inventor who owned a Hudson car as a teenager, later bought and restored more Hudson cars. The museum shut down in 2018 after the Hudson Automobile Museum Board decided to close it and sell the collection.

A restored sign from a Hudson dealership still stands in its original place on Highway 32 in Chico, California.