The Hudson Hornet set itself apart from the very beginning when it was released for the 1951 model year. It featured the "step-down" body design that was first seen on the Hudson Commodore.

This chassis features two sets of frame rails situated outside the rear wheels, strengthening the car's body integrity. This unique chassis created an accommodating interior, with bench seats over five feet across. More importantly, it also gave the Hudson Hornet a lower center of gravity.

The Hornet also inherited the Commodore's straight-six engine, which could make up to 145 horsepower. For the 1952 model year, it got a new Twin-H carburetor setup, allowing it to produce 15 extra ponies.

A V8 wasn't available for the Hudson Hornet, though you could argue that it didn't exactly need one.

Still, this was one of the factors that caused the Hornet's sales to dip in 1953. The automaker attempted to freshen things up with new upholstery options, a HydraMatic transmission, and a radio.

The redesigned 1954 Hudson Hornet's body lines were squared off and the grille was simplified. A few new trims and body styles were made available, plus the Twin-H setup got 10 extra horsepower.

The Hudson Hornet got another redesign in 1955 when Hudson merged with AMC. It no longer had the iconic step-down body, and it was finally offered with a V8. Even so, its sales continued to decline until it was killed off after 1957.

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What's it like to drive a Hudson Hornet?

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The step-down chassis gave the Hornet a smooth ride that lacked any body roll, plus exceptional cornering abilities. Both acceleration and gear switches came smoothly.

However, because power-steering wasn't offered until 1954, it could be challenging to handle at lower speeds.

The Hudson Hornet was also quite fast, especially compared to other popular 50s cars. Cars with the Twin-H upgrade reportedly have top speeds of 107 mph. Reaching 60 mph took 12 seconds, an impressive feat considering the Hornet's weight and engine power.

Even luxury rivals struggled to compare

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The Hudson Hornet looks similar to the Cadillac Eldorado. Its price tag compared to the Hornet's was tripled due to its high-quality interior and limited availability. It also came with a 215-horsepower V8.

Even so, consumers actually favored the Hudson Hornet thanks to its better handling. The Chevy Corvette better matched the Hornet's price, but it had a weaker engine. While the Hudson Hornet's popularity may have dwindled by the late ‘50s, its legacy still lives on today.

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If you're a new Hudson Hornet fan, you're in luck. Despite the car's short production run, it's relatively easy to find one on car auction sites. Since this legendary vehicle is over 70 years old, it will definitely need to be covered by classic car insurance.

You can get classic car insurance through many popular carriers, such as Allstate and Geico. However, you might be able to find better rates from insurance companies that specialize in classic automobiles. Searching for these quotes by yourself might take hours, but the

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