The Hudson Hornet—sorry, we mean the Fabulous Hudson Hornet—might be the most memorable car the company ever built.

Folks can be forgiven for assuming that all the Hudsons of the step-down era were Hornets. Such is the power of the Hornet name that it has eclipsed the other models in the Hudson lineup in those years, including the Wasp, Commodore, and Pacemaker. (Read our feature on the influential 1948-54 Hudsons here.) In truth, the Hornet was a new premium model in the series launched for the 1951 model year. It was so successful, both in the showrooms and in NASCAR competition down south, that the rest of the ’48-’54 Hudson models seem to dwell in its shadow.

Introduced in September of 1950 with the rest of the Hudson model line, the Hornet was based on the deluxe-sized Commodore and its 124-inch wheelbase Monobilt platform, but with special exterior trim, interior appointments, and H-theme Hornet emblems.  Three body styles were initially offered: a two-door Club Coupe, a four-door Sedan, and a two-door Convertible Brougham. At mid-year a trendy Hollywood two-door pillarless hardtop came along. Above, three stylish ladies at the Cranbrook Academy in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan admire a Hornet Sedan. In its first year on the market, the Hornet became Hudson’s most popular model with nearly 44,000 sold. The price was $2,568, identical to a Commodore Eight.

Of course, the Hornet’s truly special feature was its engine, the mighty H-145. Hudson lacked the financial resources to develop a modern overhead-valve V8, but it did have plenty of machine tools and know-how to suit the venerable flathead six. So the H-145 was essentially the old 262 CID Super Six bored and stroked to 308 CID and with some careful improvements. In baseline form the Hornet six was rated at 145 horsepower and 275 lb-ft of torque—more than competitive with the state-of-the-art Olds Rocket V8, which boasted 135 hp from 303 cubic inches.

Thoroughly over-engineered in the Hudson tradition, the H-145 boasted a high-chromium-alloy block and other premium features, and in mid-1951 the famed Twin-H version appeared, first as an over-the-counter dealer kit and later as a regular production option (1952). The Twin-H Power setup (shown above) included a pair of Carter carburetors with greater throat area and improved fuel distribution, and was eventually rated at 170 hp. By far the biggest six on the U.S. market in those days, the H-145 could be mated to a three-speed manual or General Motors Hydra-Matic transmission ($158 extra).

Marshall Teague, a savvy NASCAR driver from Daytona Beach, Florida who had previously campaigned Lincolns, was quick to grasp the Hornet’s potential in stock car racing, recognizing its low center of gravity, battleship construction, and muscular engine. He managed to persuade Hudson management in Detroit to back his efforts, becoming the first racer in NASCAR with a factory sponsorship, it’s often said. The manufacturer developed special heavy-duty axles, chassis components, and the 7X engine, a factory-blueprinted H-145 with overbored cylinders, knurled pistons, and a trick camshaft, all offered over the counter. For their race car signage, Hudson campaigners adopted the company’s current ad tagline, “Fabulous Hudson Hornet,” creating one of the great racing logos of all time.

As much as anyone, the three racers above put Hudson on top in the early days of NASCAR, from left: Drivers Marshall Teague and Herb Thomas and mechanic extraordinaire Smokey Yunick. Teague won seven NASCAR events driving Hornets, including the Daytona beach races in 1951 and 1952, while Thomas and Yunick teamed up to crush the NASCAR field in 1953-54, winning 24 times in 71 starts, including the 1954 Southern 500.

When Hudson and Nash merged on May 1, 1954 to create American Motors, the decision was made to discontinue the aged Hudson step-down platform, which now dated back seven years. The Hudson name was continued on a reskinned version of the Nash Ambassador, and for ’55, this second-generation Hornet could be had with the trusty 308 CID L-head six or a Packard-built 320 CID V8. But sales continued to dwindle, and by ’57 there was only one model in the Hudson line, badged as a Hornet (above). The last Hudson rolled off the line on June 25, 1957.

Fortunately, the Hudson Hornet story doesn’t end quite there. The 2006 Pixar animated film Cars featured a beloved character named Doc Hudson, a retired stock car hero voiced by Paul Newman (below). As a result of the hit movie, the fabulous Hudson Hornet might be as recognizable to kids of today as a ’57 Chevy.