Hudson returned to civilian production for 1946 with a straightforward lineup of quality cars and the confident slogan, “Your next car.”

The World War II years were actually some of the most profitable for Hudson, with the big plant at Jefferson and Conner in Detroit running at full capacity turning out military goods. The company  experimented with a number of radical new car designs in the meantime, but when auto production resumed in late 1945, the 1946 models were mildly warmed-over versions of its prewar products, with the new details credited to stylist Art Kibiger. Hudson set forth with a flurry of print ads featuring a different slogan at the top of each one, but our favorite is simply “Your next car.”

Super Six Club Coupe 

To expedite production, the ’46 product line was pared down to two basic models, Super and Commodore, both on single 121-in wheelbase chassis. Each was available with an inline six or eight for power—Super Six and Super Eight, Commodore Six and Commodore Eight. The 212 cubic-inch six offered 102 hp, while the 254 CID straight eight was rated at 128 hp, though they were roughly similar L-head designs. However, the straight eight added another 150 lbs to the front end.

The available body styles were pared down as well, especially for the eight-cylinder cars. (Sixes would dominate Hudson sales in ’46.)  The Super Eight could be had as a four-door sedan or a five-passenger club coupe, while the Commodore Eight was also offered as a convertible coupe, which in the Hudson custom was called a Convertible Brougham. In the Super Six lineup, a two-door sedan and a three-passenger coupe were also included. Prices ranged from $1,481 to $2.050, solidly in Oldsmobile territory.

Commodore Eight Four-Door Sedan

Reportedly, Hudson allocated $40 million for materials and tooling for the return to civilian production, but like all the Detroit automakers, it was plagued by manpower and material shortages as the economy shifted back to a peacetime basis. And with its smaller size, Hudson was punished more than most. Still, model year production totaled more than 91,000 cars, equal to its 1941 volume. The ’46 product line was continued with few changes for ’47, in preparation for the company’s most radical new product in  history, the 1948 Step-Down Hudson.

Super Six Convertible Brougham