1950 Hudson Commodore Eight Convertible Brougham

Lot Location: Tilburg, Netherlands

Hudson’s step-down cars for 1948 marked a new direction for the company, as it had a partially unitary design, with the floor pan on the bottom of the frame rather than on the top, resulting in one literally stepping down to enter a Hudson. There was an all-new six-cylinder engine, but the legacy straight eight, which had been continually updated since its introduction in the 1930s, was also carried over. Its low center of gravity made for excellent handling, for which step-downs are still revered.

The new cars bowed on December 7, 1947. “You’re face to face with tomorrow,” said the ads, and “this time it’s Hudson.” Both dealers and the public were elated. The roof was low, but there was still plenty of room inside. Sales jumped nearly 50 percent over 1947, and Hudson rose from 13th to 11th place in the market.

Incremental internal improvements were made to the engines for 1949, and for 1950 the grilles and taillights were updated. Genuine leather was used on convertible interiors, and an electro-hydraulic power top and windows were standard.