The unknown classic from the 1950s that will set you apart from the rest of the drivers.

The American firm Hudson, little known on our continent, was founded in 1909 and disappeared in the late 1950s. Despite a relatively short history, it left behind some truly remarkable automobiles. One of them is the Hornet, which you can see in the photographs.

This model debuted in 1951 with a structure very similar to that of the 1948 Commodore (of the same brand). Unlike a monocoque configuration, the Hornet's design did not fuse the body and chassis into a single unit. The goal was simply to lower the car's center of gravity, thereby improving maneuverability and comfort.

The vehicle was powered by a 5.0-liter inline-six engine. The engine propelled the vehicle was a Twin H-Power engine that produced 170 hp. Although it wasn't designed with high performance in mind, the Hornet did eventually compete in high-level competitions.

The American manufacturer Hudson sold more than 130,000 first-generation units between 1951 and 1954, making it a considerable success. However, despite this high number, very few examples have survived in good condition to this day.

The 1952 Hornet Hollywood Hardtop featured in this article is one of them, and it's still on the road more than seven decades later. This model has undergone some exterior restoration but still retains its original interior. This Hornet sports a light blue body and a darker blue hood. It's worth remembering that this color combination was quite common during the 1950s, the decade that gave rise to the automobile.

As for the interior, pinstriped fabrics predominate, a motif that adorns both the door panels and the seats. This is complemented by a combination of dark gray and blue vinyl, as well as gray and brown paint colors. Despite being over 70 years old, the headliner is still in good condition.

The roof itself is one of the features that makes this model unique. In the year it left the factory, only 2,160 units of the Hornet Hollywood Hardtop (i.e., with a rigid roof) were manufactured.

And we can't overlook the light use of this Hudson, with just over 50,000 km on its odometer. You can enjoy this majestic American automobile in greater detail in the video accompanying this article.