Хадсон Джет: Қысқа көлік және компанияның құлауы

Compact car produced by Hudson Motor Car Company

The Hudson Jet is a compact automobile produced by the Hudson Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, during the 1953 and 1954 model years. The Jet was the automaker's response to the popular Nash Rambler. The costs of developing and marketing the Jet ultimately led to Hudson's merger with Nash.

The Hudson Motor Car Company was one of several independent firms competing with the much larger Big Three U. S. automakers (General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler) that produced mainly "standard" large sized models. Hudson had limited financial resources, so management decided to develop a compact model instead of refurbishing its full size cars and developing a V8 engine. The Hudson Jet had exclusive engineering that included a roomy, comfortable, and solid welded unibody featuring excellent performance for the era, good fuel economy, and low cost maintenance. The Jet was introduced in the middle of the 1953 model year and achieved some success in the crowded compact segment. However, Hudson could not have foreseen the dramatic decline in overall compact car sales during the 1952 1954 period, which included three competitive makes. As a result, they could only produce a little more than 20,000 units for the 1953 model year. It was a car with no real vices but effectively destroyed the Hudson Motor Car Company. Consequently, the company was forced to merge with Nash Kelvinator, forming American Motors Corporation (AMC), because of the losses resulting from the Jet project along with the falling sales of Hudson's senior line.

The 1950 Fiat 1400 sedan was the source of inspiration for the new small Hudson car. Early clay models of Hudson's new compact car carried the name "Bee" in keeping with the automaker's Wasp and Hornet models. From the beginning, Hudson's president, A. E. Barit, who was 63 years old in 1953, hampered the Jet project. He disregarded the suggestions of the company's stylists and other advisors. Moran fancied the 1952 Ford's wrap around rear window and roofline, and Barit ordered a similar design for the Jet. The final result was that the Jet's styling closely mimicked the larger 1952 1954 Ford in many respects. The strong unitized Monobuilt bodies for the Jet were produced by the Murray Corporation of America of Detroit. One of the reasons for outsourcing the production of bodies "was that Murray agreed to amortize the tooling costs over the production run, reducing the upfront investment," making the Jet possible because Hudson did not have enough resources to pay for the tooling costs. The new small car was powered by Hudson's new inline L head straight six engine that produced at 4000 rpm and of torque at 1600 rpm. The engine was a re engineered version of Hudson's 1932 "3x4.5" I8, less two cylinders, de stroked, and configured for full pressure lubrication. It was a flathead design at a time when the rest of the industry was moving to overhead valves.

The Hudson Jet was unveiled in December 1952 at the Hotel Astor in New York City. Hudson was the only make fully committed to stock car racing, so both the founder of NASCAR, Bill France, Sr., and Hudson driver, Tim Flock, the Grand National champion, participated. For the 1953 model year, the Jet was the only new nameplate among the domestic automakers. In its introductory year, the Jet was available in either Standard or Super Jet trim levels, with two and four door sedan body styles. Unlike the fastback "step down" bodied Hudson full size cars, the Jet was designed as a three box notchback. When the Jet emerged for its introduction, it competed with the Henry J, Nash Rambler, and Willys Aero. It was shorter than the Henry J and the Willys Aero, as well as the narrowest and tallest of all four giving the Jet "a boxy look". Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine noted that the Jet has "much to recommend it" including "riding qualities [which] match more expensive models", good visibility, quiet operation, and more power than its competition for "excellent pickup and a high top speed". Total production in the U. S. for the 1953 model year was 21,143.

Hudson resorted to various marketing ploys to get consumers interested in the Jet, including the "Tea Cup Test". This fuel economy test utilized special kits comprising a glass cylinder, valves, and rubber hoses that Hudson dealers attached to test cars. The glass cylinder was mounted inside the front passenger door, with the hoses feeding into the engine's fuel line. Gasoline equal to the amount held in a teacup was added to the glass cylinder, and a potential customer drove the car. At the same time, a salesperson monitored the cylinder to prove how far a Jet could travel on that small amount of gasoline. Nevertheless, this novel test drive demonstration and advertising campaign failed to convey the Jet's value as an economical car. A Jet Liner convertible was built as an experiment because convertibles were available in Hudson's full sized cars. This sole example was purchased by Hudson's sales manager, Virgil Boyd. Without any funds to update the senior Hudson line, Barit convinced the Board that a merger into Nash Kelvinator represented the best chance of protection for Hudson's stockholders. Barit hoped that the Jet would survive the merger as the resulting new American Motors Corporation focused on the niche market of selling smaller cars. When the merger was completed, and Barit assumed his seat on AMC's Board of Directors in 1954, the Jet was the first Hudson model to be discontinued. The new company could then focus production and marketing on the more successful compact sized Nash Rambler. Henceforth, Hudson dealers would have badge engineered versions of Nash's Rambler and the Metropolitan sub compact to sell as Hudson products.

The Hudson Jet was fielded in the grueling Carrera Panamericana, described as the world's greatest road race. The 1953 race included Malcolm Eckart finishing in 53rd place, Segurs Chapultepec in 41st, and Enrique Paredes in 42nd out of the 182 cars that started. Francisco Ramirez finished eighth in the Turismo Especial. In drag racing, an Ike Smith–prepared Hudson Jet with a "Twin H" I6 Hornet engine ran consistently low 14 second times. The firewall required modification as the larger engine was not available from the factory, but the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) made an exception to its rules for this car. While there was a negative effect of the Jet on the company's financial condition, it was also a time when market forces, including steel prices and labor costs, as well as the sales war between Ford and Chevrolet, contributed to the demise of the smaller "independent" automakers such as Packard, Studebaker, and Willys. The Jet was the platform for a sleek two passenger coupé named Italia. The sporty Hudson Italia was designed by Frank Spring to be different from the Jet, even though Barit wanted a more conventional automobile. The limited production Italia featured a body built by Carrozzeria Touring of Milano, with the Jet's standard drivetrain including the I6 engine producing The Italia is arguably "one of the most uniquely designed American sports cars produced during the '50s." One prototype 4 door sedan was also built.

Hudson Jet owners today are part of a small group who enjoy driving a dependable six passenger vehicle from one of the independent automakers. The most desirable collector cars are the 1954 Hudson Jet Liner in either the two or four door sedan versions, as these were the top line offerings in the car's second and final year.