page_title: Hudson Italia
section_title: Production
hierarchical_section_title: Hudson Italia / Production
caption_attribution_description: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_Italia
context_page_description: The Hudson Italia is an automobile styling study and a limited production two-door compact coupé that was produced by the Hudson Motor Car Company of Detroit, Michigan, in cooperation with Carrozzeria Touring of Italy, and subsequently marketed by American Motors Corporation during the 1954 and 1955 model years. Designed by Frank Spring with input from Carlo Felice Bianchi Anderloni of Carrozzeria Touring, and introduced 14 January 1954, the Italia was based on the Hudson Jet platform and running gear, but with a unique body and interior.
context_section_description: Hudson commissioned Carrozzeria Touring to build what is believed to have been a total of 50 cars, and sent the needed "Super Jet" components to Italy. Despite lower labor costs in Italy, the hand-built car's price tag was US$4,350 at the New York port of entry (POE) according to an AMC press release (undated) or $4,800 FOB Detroit, per a September 23, 1953, Hudson letter to dealers and as listed in the Motor Trend October 1954 issue. This was more than the a price of a Cadillac at that time (the Sixty-Two Coupe de Ville started at $3,995).
  Hudson dealers began taking orders on September 23, 1953, but the response was lukewarm with only 18 or 19 firm orders. The Italia's price was high and dealers were disappointed that the more powerful Hornet engine was not offered. Less expensive were the $4,721 Nash-Healey, the $3,668 Kaiser Darrin, and the $3,523 Chevrolet Corvette.
  On January 14, 1954, Hudson Motors and Nash-Kelvinator Corporation announced a merger to form American Motors Corporation (AMC). Hudson's prospects as a stand-alone independent marque ended with full consolidation under AMC by May 1954. The newly formed automaker sent letters to all Hudson dealers announcing a deadline for pre-paid orders from customers for the cars assembled in Italy. However, "orphan" branded cars, such as the Nash and Hudson, were shunned by customers and depreciated quickly. Orders for the Italia were almost nonexistent and AMC committed to have only another 15 Italias built.
  The managers of the newly merged automakers at AMC had no intensions for the Italia to expand and further problems were encountered when Carrozzeria Touring refused to supply spare body and trim parts. Roy D. Chapin, Jr. "was the sales manager for the Italia program and was ordered to get rid of those cars."
  Most of the Italias were sold to the eccentric customers in Southern California. Twenty-one of the 26 Italias have been accounted for. The missing five cars carry serial numbers 5 through 10, with two in this group located in Europe, thus leading to speculation that these early cars were never delivered to the U.S. Contemporary reports indicated that the cars were sold in Europe.
caption: Hudson Italia at the 2016 Techno-Classica show in Essen[28]
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