Hudson Commodore 8

Getting into this Hudson really means stepping down, because the floor sits much lower than the sills. This special construction is therefore called step-down, which gives the car a lower center of gravity and results in better road holding.

Getting into this Hudson Commodore 8 really is a matter of stepping down, because the floor sits much lower than the sills. This special construction is therefore called step-down, which gives the car a lower center of gravity and results in better road holding. Another advantage is the increased safety, because the frame rails of the chassis more or less surround the passenger compartment. The car is so advanced that competitor General Motors immediately buys a few examples to test them extensively for handling and performance. The Hudson Commodore 8, designed by head of design Frank Spring and development engineer Sam Frahm, is available as a coupe, sedan and convertible. Around 1953 the step-down design is outdated, but no successor to this large Hudson appears because the factory decides to introduce a more compact model. Together with Nash, Hudson forms American Motors in 1954, but the brand disappears in 1957. In 2006 the six cylinder Hudson Hornet, which resembles the Commodore, still has a role in the Disney/Pixar animated film Cars as Doc Hudson.