Hudson Essex History

Hudson created the Essex brand in 1919 as a more affordable companion marque to compete with Ford and Chevrolet. Its breakthrough was the 1922 Essex Coach — an enclosed two-door body priced close to open touring cars, helping make the closed car the American norm rather than a luxury.

Essex volume was enormous: combined Hudson and Essex sales reached third in the US industry by the mid-1920s. As the Depression hit, Hudson replaced the Essex with the Terraplane brand in 1932, ending the Essex name.