Amelia Earhart helped introduce the Terraplane in 1932, and Orville Wright bought one of the first ones built.
Lead trim: Model KU six (113 in wheelbase) · up to 94 hp
Hudson TerraplaneK · 1932–1933
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Hudson Terraplane yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactAmelia Earhart helped introduce the Terraplane in 1932, and Orville Wright bought one of the first ones built.
The Terraplane was a car brand and model built by Hudson between 1932 and 1938; in its maiden year it was the Essex-Terraplane, launched on July 21, 1932 with over 2,000 dealers in Detroit and Amelia Earhart helping to introduce it (Orville Wright bought one of the first). Chapin repeated the Essex strategy with "a very light car in the bottom price class" and chose the name for the public's interest in aviation. In 1932 only the Model K was offered, on a 106 in wheelbase with a 193 cu in (3.2 L) six-cylinder; for 1933 a Model KU six on a 113 in wheelbase and a Model KT with a 244 cu in (4.0 L) straight-eight on the same 113 in were added (Standard and Deluxe trims), with the Hudson eight of 254 cu in (4.2 L) using the same crankshaft and stroke but a larger bore. The 1933 Essex-Terraplane eight was believed to have the highest horsepower-to-weight ratio of any production car and was favoured by gangsters; a 1933 Terraplane 8 convertible set a record for the Mount Washington hillclimb that stood over twenty years, and period road tests showed 0-60 mph in 14.4 seconds. It had "Duo-Automatic" brakes with hydraulic and mechanical systems.
Collectors Spotted in the Hudson Terraplane Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Hudson Terraplane yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
3 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model K six (193 cu in, 106 in wheelbase) | 1932–1933 | 3.2 L | 70 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| Model KT 244 cu in straight-eight (113 in wheelbase) | 1933–1933 | 4.0 L Inline-8 | 94 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| Model KU six (113 in wheelbase) | 1933–1933 | — | 70 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Dropping the Essex name for 1934 cost the Terraplane more than branding: losing the eight-cylinder engine made it heavier and effectively ended its run in competitive racing.
Amelia Earhart helped introduce the Terraplane in 1932, and Orville Wright bought one of the first ones built.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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