Hudson Italia
Today just a small percentage of car enthusiasts know about the Hudson car company. In fact, it was one of the dominant forces in the economy car class during the â50s. Hudson was one of the companies that formed AMC in the late â50s. However, before the merger, Hudson offered a luxury car in the form of the Italia to American buyers.
The famous Carrozzeria Touring designed and manufactured it in Milan, Italy. The Hudson Italia was a luxury coupe they built on a standard Hudson Hornet platform featuring the same suspension and drivetrain. But Carrozzeria Touring gave it a specific look with their signature “Superleggera” construction technique. And it made the car lighter and nimbler than the Hornet.
Unfortunately, the finished product was expensive at over $4,000. That was more than the Cadillac Coupe DeVille. They built it in a limited production with a long waiting period since they needed to ship the car from Italy. Also, Hudson lacked a reputation on the luxury car market, which sealed its fate. The company only made 26 Italias and the production lasted from 1953 to 1954.