Hudson Wasp

1954 Hudson Wasp

The Hudson Wasp was an automobile provided by the Hudson Motor Car Co. in Detroit , Michigan was produced from 1952 to 1954. The Wasp was also built by the successor company, American Motors Corporation in Kenosha , Wisconsin , until 1956 and marketed under the brand name Hudson .

Model series

1952-1954

The Wasp (Series 58) was introduced in 1952 as a model in the Hudson Pacemaker series, where it replaced the 1951 Hudson Super Custom . The Wasp was available as a 2- or 4-door sedan, convertible and coupé - known as "Hollywood". The Wasp had the shorter Hudson chassis with a 3,023 mm wheelbase and featured the “Step Down” body design. It was powered by the scaled-down Hudson in-line six-cylinder engine.

21,876 Wasps were produced in 1953 and in 1954, 17,792 in the last year before the merger of Hudson with Nash-Kelvinator .

1955-1956

In its final two model years, the Wasp became a model of the new American Motors Corporation . After completion of production in 1954, the production of the Hudson models was completely relocated to the Nash factory in Kenosha , Wisconsin . All Hudson were based on the large Nash models but had exclusive Hudson styling.

In 1955 the Hudson appeared as a conservatively styled car and differed from the large Nash models mainly in the front wheel arches and the position of the main headlights. Only a 2-door and a 4-door hardtop model were offered. While the large Hornet was optionally available with a V8 engine, all Wasps were powered by an in-line six-cylinder. Sales dropped to 7,191 that year as traditional Hudson buyers turned their backs on the brand because they saw these cars as inferior to the iconic Hudson models of the past.

In 1956, the AMC management decided to give the Wasp and the Hornet a little more character and thus boost sales. However, this plan failed. The designer Richard Arbib was entrusted with the design of the new models and he gave them a look that was unique for the 1950s, which he called "V-Line styling". He took the traditional Hudson's triangle as a pattern and used his V-shape in every conceivable shape on the inside and outside of the vehicle. Arbib's vehicle front combined the tightly woven "egg carton grill" (a tribute to the Hudson Greater Eight from 1931) with the prominent V in a prominent position (a tribute to the Hudson Italia from 1954). In conjunction with the three-tone paintwork, the appearance of the new Hudson was typical. However, the attempt at a better Hudson image failed; the extravagant styling of the Wasp did not convince the customers and the sales figures fell to 2,519 pieces in the last year of production.

In 1957, AMC discontinued 11 of the 15 Hudson models, including the Wasp and the Metropolitan and Rambler models created by badge engineering . So there was only the Hudson Hornet to buy in two body styles and two trim levels (the Super and the more luxurious Custom). In late 1957, the Hudson brand disappeared from the market as AMC focused only on the Rambler models and, to a lesser extent, the Metropolitan and Ambassador .

swell

• John Gunnell (Ed.): The Standard Catalog of American Cars 1946-1975 . 4th ed. Kraus Publications, Iola, Wisc. 1997, ISBN 0-87341-521-3 .
• John A. Conde: The American Motors Family Album . American Motors Corporation , Detroit 1987, ISBN 1-111-57389-1 .

Web links

Commons : Hudson Wasp  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files