For 1941, Hudson sported fresh styling, larger and roomier bodies, a longer chassis, and a new slogan: “Symphonic Styling.”
For 1941, the Hudson line received a comprehensive makeover. While the front-end styling was a carryover from a 1940 facelift, the rest of the car was new, with larger, roomier bodies, a more contemporary rear-end treatment, and a three-inch stretch in wheelbase. However, the new catchphrase for ’41, “Symphonic Styling,” wasn’t a reference to the exterior look, mainly, but to “a wide selection of interior color combinations that harmonize with the exterior colors…at no extra cost!”
Commodore Custom Eight
At the time, cars in Hudson’s price class typically offered interiors in one, maybe two neutral colors to complement a broad range of exterior colors. For 1941, Hudson offered three (gray, tan, and green, including the carpeting and door panels) to harmonize with the 11 available exterior colors. “A symphony of line and color,” Hudson proclaimed. Meanwhile, the Bedford cord fabrics and cabin appointments, including fixed and folding armrests in the rear, were as fine as in any in the mid-priced field. The 128-inch wheelbase of the Commodore Custom Eight, above, enabled an especially accommodating rear seat.
Commodore Eight instrument panel
The director of all matters related to style at Hudson in these years was Frank Spring, who came to the company in 1931. The son of a wealthy and sophisticated San Francisco family and educated in Europe, he’d earlier served as the general manager at Walter M. Murphy, famed Pasadena coachbuilders, while his own personal taste in motorized vehicles ran to Beechcraft Staggerwings and Vincent motorcycles. It’s said his greatest challenge as chief of design at Hudson was bringing the conservative management led by CEO A.E. Barit on board with his ideas, but his taste and style are evident in the details, where he had more freedom to operate.
Super Six Coupe
The broad product line for 1941 featured six distinct models. With prices starting at $695, the base Hudson Six Traveler was competitive with Ford and Chevrolet, while the Six De Luxe added a few more features for around $60 more. Next up was the Super Six with a six-inch longer (121-in) wheelbase and a larger engine. There were four available powerplants, all inline L-heads: a 175 CID, 92-hp six for the Traveler and De Luxe ; a 212 CID six with 102 hp for the Super Six and Commodore Six, and a 254 CID straight eight for the Commodore Eight and Commodore Custom Eight that boasted 128 hp. As the top of the Hudson line at $1.537, the long-wheelbase Custom Eight Sedan (lead image) was priced in Buick Roadmaster territory.
On the strength of the updated styling and more attractive interiors, we’d like to think, Hudson production and sales rose six percent in 1941 to around 92,000 cars. But in truth, the company was just holding its own as the volume at Ford, GM, and Chrysler surged farther ahead. Hudsons in these days were known for their sound construction and quality features, which gave the cars a loyal if limited following. This same basic package was offered until December 7, 1947 and the introduction of the radical new Step-Down Hudsons.
Hudson plant at Jefferson and Conner Avenues in Detroit, 1941
Thank you for what you do. You educate, inform, add to, and enhance our knowledge of the automobiles we are addicted to…I mean that we admire. I love the two tone blue colors of the lead photo, and remember well sitting on seats as high as the rear one in the photo. As a child, my feet dangled, but as an adult, one’s legs were supported. As newer cars were “improved”, and became lower, a rear seat now has one basically sitting on the floor. MMCG affords us the opportunity to remember cars we may not know much about, as well as those we knew and loved. In many cases details are mentioned that we may not have been aware of. Thanks.again!