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The Hudson Jet was a compact automobile produced by the Hudson Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan during the 1953 and 1954 model years. The Jet was Hudson's response to the popular Nash Rambler , and Hudson, with its limited financial resources, chose to pursue a compact instead of refurbishing its line of full-size cars. However the Jet failed to capture buyers as the Rambler had for Nash ; consequentially Hudson was forced to merge with Nash-Kelvinator because of the losses created by the Jet project. DEVELOPMENT ISSUES From the beginning, the Jet project was hampered by Hudson President A.E. Barit , who insisted that the compact Jet offer full-size amenities. While designers attempted to form a car that was lower, wider and proportionally sleeker to the dimensions of a smaller compact car, Barit would not back away from features such as chair high seating for passengers, and a "tall" greenhouse and ceiling that would allow riders to wear their hats while in the car. Barit also decided that the Jet's rear design would incorporate Oldsmobile's high rear fender and small round tail light design. The design was further changed to accommodate the personal likes of Chicago, Illinois Hudson dealer Jim Moran, whose dealership regularly sold about 5% of Hudson's total production. Moran fancied the 1952 Ford's wrap around rear roof, and Barit ordered a like design for the Jet. 1953 For its introductory year, the Jet was available in either standard or Super Jet trim levels, with two and four-door sedan body styles only. Unlike the aging step-down bodied Hudson full-size cars, the Jet was designed as a true notch-back. The car was powered by Hudson's inline L-head 202 in³ six, which produced 104 hp at 4000rpm. Standard appointments included heater, theft-proof locks, rotary door-latches, defroster vents, dual horns, full-wheel covers, ash tray and a lighted ignition switch. While the inclusion of a passenger compartment heater as standard may be odd to present day car drivers, Cadillac still counted a passenger compartment heater as extra in 1953, at an option cost of $199. However when the Jet emerged for its introduction, the product lacked the appeal of the Rambler, largely because of the cars price and its blocky styling. While 1953 the senior Hudson's continued to be based upon the 1948 step-down design, the cars looked sleeker than the smaller, slab-sided Jet models. Consumer's also recognized that unlike the Rambler, which offered premium body styles such as a station wagon and convertible models, the Jet was available only in sedan form and although very well appointed, and was priced high than base level full-sized Chevrolet , Ford ] and Plymouth . The Tea Cup Test Hudson resorted to a variety of marketing ploys to get consumers interested in the Jet, including the "Tea Cup Test". The "Tea Cup Test" utilized special kits comprised of a glass cylinder, valves and rubber hoses that Hudson dealers attached to test cars. The glass cylinder was mounted to the inside of the front passenger door, with the hoses feeding into the engines fuel lines. And amount of gasoline equal to the amount held in a tea cup was added to the glass cylinder, and the car was driven away by the potential customer and salesperson that monitored the cylinder, to prove how far a jet could travel on the miniscule amount of gasoline. However novel, the Tea Cup Test failed to convey the Jet's value as an economical car. 1954 For 1954 the Jet received minor trim updates. A new luxury model, the Jet Liner was added making the Jet a three series model car line, however no new body styles were added. Production of the Jet series skidded to 14,224 units, down from 1953's disappointing 21,143 units. 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 assets. Barit hoped that the Jet would survive the merger as the new American Motors focused on the niche market of selling smaller cars. When the merger was completed and Barit assumed his seat on the AMC Board, in 1954, the first Hudson model to come-off line with the consolidation was the Hudson Jet. Henceforth, Hudson dealers would have a badge engineered version of Nash's Rambler to sell as a Hudson product. Automobile historian Richard M. Langworth has called the Jet "The car that torpedoed Hudson." EXTERNAL LINKS |
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