Which Pixar Cars character is based on a Hudson Hornet?

Doc Hudson is the Pixar Cars character based on a Hudson Hornet.

Doc is modeled after the Hudson Hornet, an American automobile produced by the Hudson Motor Car Company during the early 1950s. In the film, he is a respected physician in Radiator Springs, but he also has a hidden past as the Fabulous Hudson Hornet, a three-time Piston Cup champion.

The character’s history draws on the real Hudson Hornet’s reputation in stock-car racing. Hudson Hornets were associated with the “Fabulous Hudson Hornet” nickname and enjoyed notable success in early NASCAR competition. That background helps explain why Doc understands racing technique even after withdrawing from the sport.

Doc is voiced by Paul Newman, whose real-life status as an actor and racing enthusiast added to the character’s appeal. He is not a modern race car like McQueen or Jackson Storm.