The Essex touring car was produced by the Hudson Motor Car Company in Detroit, Michigan, and was the economy model in the Hudson line. It was named Essex for the town in England, which the Hudson officials felt had “snob appeal.” The designation,”touring” meant the car was fitted with both a front and a back seat. In the 1920s, the automobile industry was moving toward a longer, lower look; the peaked fenders put the Essex in line with the times. Side curtains could be attached for inclement weather. The Essex continued to be made until 1933, when Hudson renamed it “Terraplane.”