Design
While styling for the Jet was conservative, the Italia was anything but. The Italia was 10 inches (254 mm) lower than a Jet. Over the headlights, the front fenders featured "V" shaped scoops, ducting cooling air to the front brakes. The front bumper sported a large inverted "V" (the trademark Hudson triangle, inverted) in the center that angled up and overlapped the grille work. Rear quarter scoops cooled the rear brakes. In the back of the car, the tail, directional, and back-up lamps tipped the ends of three stacked chrome tubes per side, emerging from scalloped cut-outs in the rear quarter panels. The production models did not receive overdrive, the instrument panel was different, and a combination of leather-and-vinyl upholstery was used.
The Italia featured a radio (not yet standard equipment even on Cadillacs), form-fitting bucket seats made from foam rubber three different densities for maximum comfort covered in red and white leather, featuring reclining backrests made up of two contoured bolsters, one for the shoulders, one for the lower back, a non-reflecting dash finished in red, with bright red deep-pile Italian carpet, all contrasting with the Italian Cream exterior color, and even seat belts (also just beginning to appear as standard, pioneered by Nash). Flow-through ventilation, usually credited as a General Motors innovation, feeding through a cowl vent (just becoming usual in 1950s U.S. cars), was also standard.
The Italia was powered by Hudson's "Twin H" 202 cu in (3.3 L) L-head straight 6, with higher (8:1) compression and dual one-barrel (single choke) downdraft carburetors, producing 114 hp (85 kW; 116 PS) and all were equipped with a 3-speed manual transmission with a column-mounted gear shift lever. The cars featured drum brakes front and rear. The trunk was accessible only from inside the car as part of a large luggage platform behind the seats with straps to hold cargo and lockable storage compartments on either side of the platform.
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