Hudson Metropolitan: the British-built compact sold by Hudson dealers

The Hudson Metropolitan was the Hudson-badged version of the Metropolitan, a small American-designed car built entirely in England and sold from 1953 to 1962. Hudson dealers offered it after the 1954 merger with Nash, and in 1957 the model became a standalone brand badged with a stylised M.

Hudson Metropolitan at a glance

English Wikipedia has no separate article on the Hudson Metropolitan: the title leads to the Nash Metropolitan page, which describes the same car sold through Hudson dealers. This article uses that page only.

History of the Hudson Metropolitan

Origins

Nash executives believed there was a market for a small, economical second car, at a time when most American makers were following a bigger-is-better philosophy. The Metropolitan was designed in Kenosha from the NXI concept built by the independent designer William J. Flajole, a tiny car with a wheelbase shorter than the Volkswagen Beetle’s but with styling related to the big Nashes, including enclosed front wheels and a bar grille. The concept was shown at a series of “surviews” starting on 4 January 1950 at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York, and the reaction convinced Nash that such a car could sell if it was cheap enough. The prototypes that followed, named NKI, gained roll-up windows, a more powerful engine and a column gear change with a bench seat.

British production

Building the car in America was impossible because the tooling would have cost too much, so Nash looked to Europe. On 5 October 1952 it announced that the Austin Motor Company, by then part of BMC, and Fisher & Ludlow would make the Metropolitan in Birmingham: Fisher & Ludlow pressed the bodies, BMC supplied the mechanical parts and Austin assembled the cars. It was the first American-designed car to be marketed in North America while being built entirely in Europe, a captive import sold and serviced through Nash and later American Motors dealers. Austin is believed to have completed the first pre-production prototype on 2 December 1952 and built five prototypes before production began. Total tooling cost was US$1,018,475.94, a fraction of what an American-built car would have needed.

The Metropolitan came as a convertible or a hardtop, with a “continental” spare wheel on the rear and equipment that was usually optional on small cars of the period. It was the first postwar American car marketed specifically to women, advertised in Women’s Wear Daily, and its first spokesperson was Miss America 1954, Evelyn Ay Sempier.

Hudson and after

When Nash and Hudson merged in 1954 to form American Motors, the Metropolitan was also marketed as a Hudson model, which is how Hudson dealers came to sell a British-built compact. The Nash and Hudson lines were later phased out in favour of Rambler, and in 1957 the Metropolitan became a standalone brand, badged with a stylised M on the hubcaps and grille. The cars were also sold in the United Kingdom and other markets.

Design and features

• Small package: a subcompact two-seater with a wheelbase shorter than the Beetle’s.
• British build: assembled by Austin with BMC mechanicals, which kept tooling costs low.
• Generous equipment: map light, electric wipers, cigar lighter and rear-mounted spare were standard.
• Nash family styling: enclosed front wheels, pillowed door pressings and a bar grille.

Hudson Metropolitan versions

• Convertible: open body style offered alongside the hardtop.
• Hardtop: the closed version of the same two-seater.
• Nash Metropolitan: the original badge from 1953.
• Hudson Metropolitan: sold through Hudson dealers after the 1954 merger.
• Metropolitan (1957–1962): a standalone brand with the stylised M badge.

The Metropolitan was the smallest car in the Hudson range, far below the Jet and the Commodore. More Hudsons are in the Hudson collection.

Video: 1955 Hudson Metropolitan For Sale (SOLD!) motorlandamerica.com

Video on YouTube.

Sources

• Nash Metropolitan, English Wikipedia: design, British production, Hudson badging, equipment