Hudson Motor Car Company began the manufacture of automobiles in Detroit in 1909 and merged with Nash in 1954 to form American Motors Corporation. The Hudson nameplate was continued for three more years, ending in 1957. Prior to the merger, Hudson, like many other car companies, set out to build a sports car to bring attention to the brand and to bring customers into the showroom.
Coupe by Touring
View info and historyHudson created the Italia, a car built on the 1954 Hudson Jet chassis, with a hand-formed aluminum body built by Carrozzeria Touring in Italy. They were designed by Frank Spring with input from Carlo Felice Bianchi Anderloni of Carrozzeria Touring. Only 26 cars were produced, including the single prototype. The prototype, named X-161 - for Spring's 161st experimental prototype, was a four-door sedan that was much larger than the other Italias due to its full-sized Hornet platform. All cars were Italian Cream in color with red and cream interiors and rode on Borrani wheels. The cost to the dealer for the Italia was $4,800.The Hudson Italia used a tubular frame with unibody construction and was clothed with aluminum panels by Touring using their 'Superleggera' construction technique. Carrozzeria Touring created the bodies under the supervision of Springa and Hudson's vice president, Stuart Baits. The Italia measured 9 inches lower than the Jet and rested on a wheelbase that measured 100 inches. The doors were cut 14 inches into the roof, and the wraparound windshield had similar styling to the 1953 Chevy Corvette. The prototype example rode on Borrani chrome wire wheels, and the column-mounted three-speed transmission had overdrive. Standard features on the Italia included form-fitting bucket seats made from foam rubber and covered in red and white leather. They had reclining backrests with a contoured bolster for the shoulders and one for the lower back. Other features included a radio, deep-pile Italian carpeting, rear leather seat belts, flow-through ventilation, and a non-reflecting dash finished in red.
Coupe by Touring
View info and historyPowering the Italia was Hudson's 'Twin H' 202 cubic-inch L-head straight-six. With a higher compression ratio of 8:1 and dual one-barrel single choke downdraft carburetors, it developed 114 horsepower. Drum brakes at all four corners provided the stopping power.
Coupe by Touring
View info and history
Coupe by Touring
View info and history
Related Reading : Hudson Italia History
Produced by the Hudson Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, the Hudson Italia was a compact car with limited production capacity. It was designed by Frank Spring in cooperation with Carrozzeria Touring of Italy during the 1954 and 1955 model years. Toying around with the design for an Experimental Sports Car, Frank worked closely with Carlo Felice Bianchi Anderloni, the chief designer of Touring....
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1953 Hudson Italia Vehicle Profiles
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$2,265 - $3,050
$2,740 - $3,340
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