On an overcast day in Hershey PA, a 1950 Hudson shows its very special design. Some rust spots but a very original car.

History

The Hudson Motor Car Company made Hudson and other brand automobiles in Detroit, Michigan IL. Company was founded in 1909 and went out of business in 1954. This year Hudson merged with Nash-Kelvinator to create American Motors Corporation (AMC). The new company continued to use the Hudson name until the 1957 model year.

In 1948, Hudson had launched the famous "step-down" bodies. They lasted through the 1954 model year. The term 'step-down' pointed to Hudson's placement of the passenger compartment down inside the perimeter of the frame. That meant, passengers stepped down into a floor that was surrounded by the perimeter of the car's frame.
The result was a safer car and greater passenger comfort. That was the case, because of the lower center of gravity. Handling of these cars was very good, also. Later almost all U.S. automakers used this as a means of building bodies.

Author Richard Langworth described the step-down models as the greatest autos of the era in articles for the publication 'Consumer Guide and Collectible Automobile'.