Terraplane

Terraplane was an automobile marque and model line produced by the Hudson Motor Car Company of Detroit between 1932 and 1938. It replaced Hudson’s aging low-priced Essex line at a time when the automobile industry was under severe pressure from the Great Depression. Hudson’s objective was to create a vehicle that combined a low manufacturing cost and accessible price with the styling, comfort, structural strength, and performance normally associated with more expensive cars. The first cars, introduced in July 1932, were sold as Essex-Terraplanes. The name linked the new product to the established Essex range while also invoking the contemporary public fascination with aviation. The launch was staged as a major national event, attracting more than 2,000 Hudson dealers from across the United States. Aviator Amelia Earhart participated in the introduction, helping Hudson present the car as a modern, energetic product. The 1932 range initially consisted of a six-cylinder model on a 106-inch wheelbase, but the line expanded in 1933 with additional wheelbases, body styles, commercial variants, and an optional straight-eight engine. Terraplanes were notable for being relatively light while offering strong acceleration and handling. The 1933 Essex-Terraplane Eight in particular developed a reputation for an unusually favorable power-to-weight ratio. Its performance made it attractive in hill climbs, record attempts, and other motoring events, while its restrained appearance and rapid acceleration also made it popular among some American criminals of the period. A 1933 Terraplane eight-cylinder convertible coupe established a Mount Washington summit record that reportedly remained unbeaten for more than two decades. The cars also featured Hudson’s Duo-Automatic braking arrangement, combining hydraulic and mechanical systems so that mechanical braking remained available if the hydraulic circuit failed. For the 1934 model year Hudson removed the Essex name, making Terraplane the standalone marque. The eight-cylinder option was discontinued, and the cars became somewhat heavier and less prominent in competition, although the brand continued to offer a broad range of passenger cars and commercial vehicles. Terraplane sales made an important contribution to Hudson’s survival and growth during the Depression. In parts of the mid-1930s, Terraplane sales exceeded those of Hudson-branded cars, a situation that reportedly contributed to management’s decision to eliminate the marque rather than allow it to overshadow the parent name. The brand was gradually folded back into Hudson. For 1938, the final year, vehicles were marketed as Hudson-Terraplanes. Hudson also offered the closely related Model 112, a shorter-wheelbase car with a smaller engine. Terraplane production and branding ended after the 1938 model year. The name nevertheless retained a historical afterlife through surviving collector cars, references in automotive history, the British Railton cars that used Terraplane mechanical components, and Robert Johnson’s 1936 blues recording “Terraplane Blues.”

Terraplane emerged from Hudson’s effort to replace Essex, its inexpensive automobile line. Essex had helped Hudson make enclosed cars more attainable in the early 1920s, but by the end of the decade its sales were weakening. The economic collapse of the Great Depression intensified the problem: buyers needed inexpensive transportation, while manufacturers needed vehicles that could be built at lower cost without appearing crude or underpowered. Hudson president Roy D. Chapin supported a strategy centered on a light car in the lowest price class. The proposed vehicle was intended to combine style, comfort, reliability, and performance. The Terraplane name was selected partly because aviation had strong public appeal in the early 1930s. Hudson believed the name could give an inexpensive automobile a modern and energetic identity rather than presenting it merely as a stripped-down economy model. The first Essex-Terraplane was unveiled on July 21, 1932, in Detroit. The presentation was organized on a national scale, with more than 2,000 dealers attending from 40 states. Amelia Earhart took part in the introduction, reinforcing the aviation-inspired marketing. The 1932 car used a steel frame, a 106-inch wheelbase, and a 193-cubic-inch six-cylinder engine. Although related in appearance to earlier Essex products, it was conceived as a new and lighter vehicle. For 1933 Hudson expanded the line substantially. The Model K continued on the shorter wheelbase, while the KU six-cylinder and KT eight-cylinder models used a 113-inch wheelbase. Standard and Deluxe trim were available for the larger models, and light commercial derivatives joined the passenger-car range. The eight-cylinder Essex-Terraplane was produced only for 1933, but it gave the brand a particularly strong performance image. Its efficient downdraft carburetion and low vehicle weight produced an impressive power-to-weight ratio for a mass-market car. Contemporary performance testing and hill-climb results helped establish Terraplane as more than a basic economy automobile. Terraplane’s mechanical specification also included Hudson’s Duo-Automatic braking system. Hydraulic and mechanical brake systems were provided together, allowing the mechanical system to assist in stopping the car if a hydraulic line failed. This feature supported the marque’s emphasis on reliability and engineering value. Terraplanes appeared in numerous American record attempts and competitions, especially hill climbs. A 1933 eight-cylinder convertible coupe set a Mount Washington summit record that reportedly stood for over twenty years. The cars were sold throughout the United States and assembled or distributed in several overseas markets. Licensed or knock-down-kit production occurred in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Local body construction was important in Australia, where imported chassis were fitted with bodies by firms including Smith & Waddington, G. H. Olding & Sons, and Ruskins Body Works. In New Zealand, Dominion Motors and other assemblers handled Hudson-related vehicles, while Motor Assemblies of Christchurch assembled Hudson and Terraplane products from the mid-1930s. In Britain, Hudson-Essex Motors established a factory at Brentford, where Terraplane chassis and bodies were assembled and locally designed bodies were produced. The Terraplane chassis also supported specialist applications. British Railton used Terraplane eight-cylinder mechanical components for its early cars, including a 1934 light sports tourer with exceptional pre-war acceleration and a claimed top speed of 107 mph. Terraplane vehicles also appeared in British sporting events, including the Monte Carlo Rally and the Scottish Rally. From 1934, Hudson dropped “Essex” and used Terraplane as the standalone name. The range remained in production through 1937, with commercial models becoming increasingly significant. Terraplane sales were strong enough during the Depression to outpace Hudson-branded vehicles in parts of the mid-1930s. The success created an internal branding problem: the low-priced line was becoming more visible and commercially important than the parent marque. Hudson ultimately chose to retire the name and absorb the product identity into Hudson. For 1938, the cars were called Hudson-Terraplanes. Hudson also offered the Model 112, a related shorter-wheelbase model with a smaller engine. The Terraplane name disappeared after the 1938 model year. Although the marque was short-lived, it became one of Hudson’s most recognizable prewar products because of its combination of low price, light construction, acceleration, competition success, and distinctive aviation-era marketing.

• 1938

  Final Hudson-Terraplane models

  [1]Terraplaneen.wikipedia.org

  Hudson used Hudson-Terraplane branding during the final model year before ending Terraplane production.

• 1935

  New Zealand assembly expands

  [1]Terraplaneen.wikipedia.org

  Motor Assemblies Limited in Christchurch began assembling Hudson and Terraplane vehicles alongside other marques.

• 1934

  Essex name retired

  [1]Terraplaneen.wikipedia.org

  The marque became simply Terraplane, separating it from the earlier Essex identity.

• 1933

  Eight-cylinder model added

  [1]Terraplaneen.wikipedia.org

  The expanded range included the KT eight-cylinder model, additional wheelbases, broader body styles, and light commercial vehicles.

• 1933

  Mount Washington performance record

  [1]Terraplaneen.wikipedia.org

  A Terraplane eight-cylinder convertible coupe established a summit-race record at Mount Washington that reportedly remained unbeaten for more than twenty years.

• 1932

  Essex-Terraplane introduced

  [1]Terraplaneen.wikipedia.org

  Hudson launched the Essex-Terraplane as a low-priced replacement for Essex during the Great Depression.

An affordable, lightweight, durable, and unusually powerful automobile for mass-market buyers during the Great Depression, positioned between basic low-priced transportation and more substantial Hudson vehicles.

• Six-cylinder passenger car · 1932

  1932 Essex-Terraplane Model K

  The initial Terraplane model used a 106-inch wheelbase and a 193-cubic-inch six-cylinder engine. It was designed as a light, structurally strong, affordable car for buyers affected by Depression-era economic conditions.

• Eight-cylinder passenger car · 1933

  1933 Essex-Terraplane Eight

  The 1933 eight-cylinder model used a 244-cubic-inch straight-eight engine on the longer 113-inch wheelbase. Its low weight and strong acceleration gave it an unusually high performance profile for an inexpensive production automobile.

• Passenger cars · 1934

  Terraplane passenger-car range

  From 1934 through 1937, the standalone Terraplane marque covered multiple common American body styles and trim levels. The cars emphasized accessible pricing, practical comfort, reliability, and light construction.

• Light commercial vehicles · 1933

  Terraplane commercial vehicles

  Hudson offered limited light-commercial derivatives from 1933, with commercial production becoming more substantial by 1936. Related bodies and utility configurations were also produced in overseas markets through local assembly arrangements.

• Passenger car · 1938

  Hudson-Terraplane

  The 1938 Hudson-Terraplane represented the final phase of the marque. Hudson used the compound name while preparing to eliminate Terraplane as a separate identity.

• 1933Terraplane performance and record marketing

  United States · United Kingdom

  Hudson and private entrants used Terraplanes in hill climbs, record attempts, rallies, and other competitive events to publicize the cars’ light weight and acceleration.

  Outcome. The events strengthened the brand’s reputation for performance despite its low-price positioning.

  Source
• 1932Essex-Terraplane national launch

  United States

  Hudson staged a large Detroit launch for dealers from across the country and used aviator Amelia Earhart to associate the new automobile with modern aviation and national excitement.

  Outcome. The launch generated extensive newspaper attention and helped establish Terraplane as Hudson’s principal low-priced product.

  Source

• 1938

  Retire the Terraplane identityStrategy

  Background

  Terraplane sales had become strong relative to Hudson-branded vehicles, and Hudson management chose to phase out the separate make.

  Action taken

  Hudson renamed the final vehicles Hudson-Terraplanes before ending the marque after the 1938 model year.

  Aftermath

  Terraplane ceased to exist as an active automobile brand, while related Hudson models continued.

  Source

• 1934

  Make Terraplane a standalone marqueStrategy

  Background

  The transitional Essex-Terraplane name had served its purpose after the Essex line was retired.

  Action taken

  Hudson removed the Essex name and marketed the cars simply as Terraplanes.

  Aftermath

  The Terraplane identity continued through 1937 and became one of Hudson’s strongest-selling prewar names.

  Source

• 1932

  Replace Essex with a lighter low-priced carStrategy

  Background

  Declining Essex sales and the Great Depression created pressure for a vehicle with lower manufacturing and retail costs.

  Action taken

  Hudson developed and launched the Essex-Terraplane as a lightweight automobile combining economy with power and comfort.

  Aftermath

  The new line became an important contributor to Hudson’s Depression-era sales.

  Source

1. 1Terraplaneen.wikipedia.org